When you stumble upon an Oasis...

It might seem ironic that I say 'stumble', because I've known for a long time that I was coming to Huacachina. Hear me out.

Last time I posted, I told you about Machu Picchu. I was a little disappointed (I don't know if you could tell haha) because everyone had told me about how 'magical' it was, how it was awe-inspiring and wonderful; unforgettable. Similarly, people told me two nights in Huacachina was too long, that I'd be covered in sand, hot, and though the tours were fun, there was really nothing else to do.

They were right about the tours, the sand, and the nothing else to do - but this.......this is my 'magical' place. From the moment I got here, I've been completely taken in by it: The view, the pace...everything.

People who know me know I have two speeds: really fast, and standing still in silence. I love the high energy places with so much to see and do and explore, and I love being around people, making friends - the craziness. And that's what most of Peru has been for me so far, with so much to see and do, having to choose which things to see and which to avoid, and trying to find a place to slow down. If I don't slow down and re-charge, I get grumpy, and exhausted, and a little depressed, so I've been having a little bit of a tough time the last couple of weeks. The hike on the Inca trail was AMAZING, but ultimately, I was around people 24/7 and constantly moving. Which was awesome, just a little unbalanced.

Huacachina is my much-needed oasis. I can't decide if it's because of the small-town vibe that makes me feel home, or because it's the most unique place I've ever been, or the fact that I did NOT expect the place I'm staying for $30/night (expensive here, but still SUPER cheap compared to home...) to basically be a 5-star resort. With a pool. Or maybe it's the fact that it's just so unexpectedly low-key...since it's known to be such a tourist trap (and I've already voiced my opinion on them for the most part), I think I was expecting a ton of people everywhere...just another Machu Picchu. But since Ica is just a hop, skip and a jump away (literally around the closest sand dune) and is significantly cheaper for backpackers, most people stay there. And since there is no nightlife here, and literally NOTHING to do besides the two hour sand dune tour from 4-6pm daily, it's basically quiet, ALL OF THE TIME. The locals who are here, actually want to be here - so they're super friendly - and more than willing to speak spanglish with you. And of course, there are always people trying to sell you tours and ask for your hand in marriage, but I've found that is pretty much a given anywhere in this country haha.

I feel like, for the first time since I got here, I've had space to regroup. And it's not long, because I'm only here for 2 days. But from the moment I got here I've just felt like I'm so blessed to be here, to be able to breathe, spend time in my own room, wake up to a view of giant white-sand mountains and journal by the pool with a GREAT cup of black coffee, and wander around. Mind you, I need to buy more sunscreen.

Of course, there's also the whole experience you get when you take a local up on one of their 'city tours'...that's just a spanish-speaking taxi driver, and three other spanish speaking people...so you go unwittingly to a couple of small cultural gems and then to the main event, which is El Catador - or the whole avenue dedicated to Pisco and wine, so i tasted a bunch of those today, and made some friends! I understood about 3% of what was said the whole 2 hours, but it's better than the 1% I understood two weeks ago! ha.

Finally - the famous dune buggy tour.

Man, If there was a thing I wanted to bring home, it's this desert and a dune buggy. These things are SO FUN. I've seen small ones before, but these are huge, and awesome, and the drivers whip up and down the huge dunes like it's a roller coasted, and it's a little bit of a miracle that it doesn't flip. So they take you to a few spots where you do some sand boarding - first on your stomach, which is EXACTLY like a water slide, and SO FUN, and terrifying. Of course, then they take you to what I called 'the bunny hill' where you attempt to go down standing up - a video I will NOT be sharing with the world (haha)- and then a few more giant hills we go down on our stomach. And last, they take you to a really high point where you watch the sun set. And it's amazing.

Basically, I couldn't stay here for long. There are things to do, things to see, people to love...But for an oasis, a place to unwind, refresh, catch up with Jesus, my own thoughts, and process... this place is Perfect. Which is great, because it's only a short bus ride from Lima, so if I find I need a break, I can come on back for a weekend. And I might have to, with a tripod, because guys...these stars are CRAZY.

Love you guys :) Be well.

-B. <3

PS. I thought the name of this paddle boat was hilariously ironic. So enjoy: