Ciao South America!

I'm in New York and yes, I agree with all who have come before me. This place is great! Only got here yesterday morning but so far, very good. Love it. Also, very suprisingly, the American accent isn't as painful as anticipated!

After we left Cusco, Danni, Prue and I caught a bus to Ica. Danni and I got off at the end of the earth - Nazca. Thisplace is actually a spitting image of the surface of Mars. It seems like a breeding place for depression. We spent half a day there and did the 2 things that anyone goes to Nazca to do. We went to the middle of the desert (fearing for our lives as the taxi sped further and further from civilisation) to see ancient tombs and mummies, was pretty rank but really interestiing. The photos are at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=12924&l=ccb5a&id=741335836

The other crazy thing we saw was the Nazca lines. Ancient lines made with perfect precision. On the ground (Mars ground) in the shape of crazy lines and also animals. The plane was nuts and its clear that the term 'Public Liability' is not a concern in Peru. The "pilot" used the tip of the wing to point out the lines (ie, the plane was as far as I'm concerned, the wrong way around and spiraling in a downwards direction for most of the time!). Due to the fact my ears were completely blocked from a nasty sinus infection and the noise of the plane was intense, neither Danni or I really understood what we were nodding yes to when the "pilot" said "Rollercoaster???Yes??" Next thing our legs flew to the roof and I had to catch my camera as it flew up up up and almost away. The poor dude in the back was an odd shade of yellowish green and vomiting his life away-so i suppose it could've been worse.Interesting experience. The lines are among the most bizare thing I think Ill ever see, really worthwhile.

After this we got the hell out, asap. What a hole.

Off we went to Huacachina, the so-called 'Oasis' - bullshit! There was a pot hole out the front of my old house that was more of an oasis. You can go sandboarding there but the weather was so bad we were forced to spend a lot of time indoors at Casa De Arena 2, where the Israelis run the show and the thick smoky atmosphere houses a lot of very relaxed and hungry people. Strange strange place.

2 Days and the 3 of us had had enough! Off to Lima. lima is a big, smoggy city with a huge crime rate. Not my favourite place in the world. It was odd just having the 3 of us travelling together after so much time as a gang of 6, but much to our surprise (and his) Rory was still in the country. We were all in the same hostel in Lima...ahhhh, good times.

Went to the market and ate and drank, that was Lima in my experience. Not in a rush to get back.

I am now in NYC, Godbless it! Shamus's place is in the West Village of Manhattan, I think I'll be very comfortable here for a few weeks!!

Until next time,

Mmmwah!!!!!