Early the next morning, we boarded a local minibus to Ica. The minibus was a rambling vehicle filled with busy locals, noise and general chaos. It jerked and stopped continuously while people got on and off as the conductor yelled “Pisco! Pisco!” to passers-by and jostled them on board. At stops, peddlers crammed the windows and boarded the already crowded minibus to sell corn, buns, fruits, nuts, and just about everything else.
The ride to Ica was dusty and bumpy on the Panamericana as we sped through lowlands and cut sharp through the Andes ranges. After 2 hours, we got to Ica and boarded another rambling bus to Pisco, 1.5hours away.
By lunchtime, we were at Pisco, a small coastal town off the Panamericana. Congested with sprawling traffic along its small roads; buses, cars, taxis, collectivos, minibuses and tuk-tuks fought for their right of way, always managing to avoid collisions simply by inches and seconds. As we walked along, taxis honked at us, and so did the tuk-tuks and collectivos, hoping to get business from a ride. The honking was persistent and constant, and rose in a never-ending “beep beep beep” above the rumbling traffic and local chatter.
Peruvian food is by far better than that of Chile´s and we gorged ourselves with tasty soups, stews, rice and salads. To top it off, they also have a Peruvian version of “sambal” known as “Ahi” (or something to that effect). Needless to say, it was a delight!
“Let´s go to the Paracas”
“Ok. No need for tour right? Can we go on our own?”
“Sure!”
And so we took another collective towards the Paracas National Park only to be dumbfounded when we arrived by the enormity of the vast desert peninsula. We walked towards the guardhouse and he smiled.
“The Necropolis is closed. You cannot visit. But you can go to the museum. It is 2km that way. Or the Catedral, it is 6kms the other way”
Realising the park and sights were set over hundreds of kilometres, wehung our heads to contemplate our next move.
“Hmm…but I want to see that big thing on the stone”
“Oh? You mean the Candelabra? That´s not the Paracas Necropolis! That you can see. But only from sea on a boat”
Without many options left, we hitchhiked a ride back towards the seaside town of Paracas and bargained for a cheap tour of the Islas Ballestas, simply to see the Candelabra.
“35 soles? No no…25!”
“No…ok ok…30? Ok?”
“No…25”
“Ok…25”
“With transfers?”
“No. 28 with transfer from Pisco”
“No. 25 you say”
“26…26 with transfer”
“25”
“Ok. 25 plus 1 soles for transfer back”
“Huh? Eh, what´s the difference?”
“Hehehe…”
“Ok…ok…26 with transfers”
“Ok…ok…tomorrow at 7.15 morning!”
Our bargaining skills seasoned from Asia and sharpened throughout South America earned us a terrific tour deal, as well as a shark took necklace originally priced at 14 soles for only 6 soles!
Cheers!!
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