Friday, 30 January 2015

Nazca, Entertaining Touts at the Bus Station …… and The Nazca Lines

Nazca. I was here despite many temptation by fellow traveller to lure me to Cusco for New Year eve. The town was rustic, small, forgotten and only travellers that where here was on a quick run to catch a glimpse of the Nazca Lines. The only attraction of value n Nazca of course was the Nazca lines.

Got off the bus early in the morning at 6am after an overnight bus ride from Arequipa and the only way out of the bus station was through all the hungry touts waiting outside the gates.
Do you want to see the Nazca Lines ??
Fly to see the Nazca Lines ??? Cheap
Bus to Nazca Lines for only 3 Sols …. 
Cheap Hostel ??
Backpacker Hostels ?? Just one Block from the main square
Free Wifi ….
Hot Showers ….
The temptation of giving in to the touts even the thought if speaking to one of them would attract a hoard more. I ignored them and walked through but could not lose two of them which followed me where I walked. I guess even a sneak peak at their hand held broacher’s sparked their enthusiasm of hope.
I have good Backpacker Hostel, Cheap, one of the lady said …. and she proceeded to show me her card all nicely printed up like a high class international standard hostel. 10 Sols …. She said …. That was dirt cheap about 5 SGD and I my attention was caught.
My guard was still up thou since the more you travel the more prone you are to tricks and you be vary of them. Still I was curious since there was once upon a time you stumble upon a diamond in small backwater towns. Let’s have a look first I said.
Walking along the main street suddenly she turned into the next street all the while the lady talking non-stop about how good the hostel was and cheap and just trying to distract me from where I was going.
Backpacker Hostel ??? I asked and taking the name card away from her for detail scrutiny.
We reach the hostel and I could not even see a signboard which match the name card I was holding. Best I could make out of it, it was her own house no signboard whatsoever. Now if it was a huge mansion with many traveller in it I might have considered but this was a run-down shack with me the only dumb traveller to fell for her bait.
Into the house I still stepped giving it some chance and up the stairs with no railing into the second floor which was still under construction and she opened the door to my room. It looked like her son’s room from my point of view with the bed still unmade, doors with no locks, and some shirts lying around.
Mmmmm …. I’ll need to think about it I said …. Walking back downstairs all the while thinking if I did stay there I would probably be rob that very night while asleep. I slowly without trying to look like I was bolting out the door running away as fast as I could, politely thank her for showing me the place and put my best poker face that I was seriously considering it but will need to walk around a bit more
First step out the door and she yelled …. 8 Sols …. I saw the look of disappointment in her as she watch me like a fish that took the bait, nibble at it and got away.
Phew I was glad I have built up a nerve of boldness to turndown awkward situations of guilt. So back to the normal routine and I found a proper good safe hostel in Nazca.
The Nazca Lines …
Not much really to talk about it for everything can be explain in Google. It was still astonishing what the hell these people was thinking doodling in the middle of the dessert.
I decided to avoid the torture of air sickness and save some money so took the 3 Sols bus out into the middle of the desert to go up an observation tower. Mirador was the name and paid 2 sols to go up and have a look. I thought the lines would be bigger than that but then again it was still quite a sight. Only manage to see two of the lines out of so many so I guess for 2 sols it’s not bad.
Nazca Line ... The Tree
 

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