Sunday - up at the crack of dawn for a 6am breakfast - fresh fruit, scrambled egg with our favourite cafe con leche. Then we bundle into the van with Vanessa, who is harried because her alarm clock didn't go off - unlike us she is working and we are on island time - so no worries. She has no make up on (no big deal to me) and proceeds to apply her make up at various intervals on the drive from Lima to Pisco - a trip of about 245 kms - 3.5 hours of driving along the Pacific Coast on the Pan American Highway.
The landscape, for the most part, is bleak and stark - sand dunes climbing out of the sea and miles of desert that stretched on forever, with the occasional dots of villages and towns. A glimpse of rural life outside Lima - feral dogs, tuk-tuks (tricycle taxis), cyclists peddling with huge woven baskets full of wares that threaten to capsize them. Mothers sitting on front porches with children clipping mounds of cotton. Agricultural fields green with avocados, artichokes and asparagus, and also maize, oranges, onions and potatoes. Stop for coffee at Chincha and also had a delicious empanada pollo - well worth it and would do it again.
At 10.30am we arrive at Pisco airport for our 11am flight to the Nazca Lines. The plane is a 12 seater single engine filled with 10 Japanese tourists and the two of us. We trundle down the runway to a quick lift off for a 40 minute flight to the site. Scenery on the way: desert and the foothills of the Andes highlighted by a long black streak that is the Pan American Highway making its way south to Chile. Feeling very happy - cloudless blue sky and onto another destination that can be crossed off the bucket list. 
Feeling very unhappy - pilot starts performing steep acrobatic turns and dives to give us "the best view of the Lines". My stomach lurches as he starts the sharp banking turns and tight circles round to see the Lines. I did manage to see the whale, the astronaut and the hummingbird. The rest is a blur. I just closed my eyes and heaved for the rest of the trip. Used four airsick bags and thought I was dying. Patrick took video and photos of each feature - maybe I'll get to see them without feeling green sometime in the future. I don't think the Japanese tourists were that thrilled with me either. I so badly wanted to see the Lines, but please don't ever talk about them again - the thought makes me feel quesy all over again.
After an eon, the plane touched down and it didn't get any better after that - still doing the heave-ho, but now I had a bigger audience. Rescue paramedics, airport staff, Metropolitan Touring staff and poor Patrick hovering around me. (The Japanese tourists beat a hasty retreat and gave me a wide berth.) Blood pressure over 200, then came down to 180 and then after about 20 minutes down to 140 bph and still rushing off to the banos. Paramedics suggested that I be transported to the local hospital by ambulance. Thank God that didn't happen - would just have made the bp worse! Patrick told them I would be ok - I didn't hear this conversation thank goodness, as I was still doing my best to lose my insides in the loo.
Staggered to the van and drove 20 minutes to Paracas to the Hilton Double Tree Resort. Check in was completed by Patrick because I was kneeling in the flower beds - amazing what you can do when you feel so ill - didn't care one bit that I probably had an audience of a dozen captivated guests and staff.
Supper was light but fabulous: a tomato, avo, asparagus and greens salad, followed by Peruvian scallops, potato, peas and rice with corn and mint Cau. Patrick had sea bass, risotto and mushrooms. Delicious.
Hope this is the end of that awful episode!
Hasta la vista - Exciting times indeed.
No comments:
Post a Comment