We arrived back in Ica close to 7am and spent the next couple hours changing clothes, eating breakfast, and hanging out in Ica one last time. Like many of the other mornings, we ate eggs and bread along with either a fruit drink, cafe (coffee), or te (hot tea). We all loaded the bus for about an hour drive to Paracas City and the Ballestas Isalands.
Although the smell when arriving in Paracas was hard to take in (imagine the combination of a water sewage plant and a really dirty trash can), the experience that awaited us was well worth it. The reason for the smell was due to the fact that the area specializes in making fish flour. We all then boarded a boat for a 2 hour tour (a 2 hour tour) around the Ballestas Islands. We were in awe of the picturesque landscape of the islands and the cascading waters surrounding them. We were thrilled to have a chance to come close to Peruvian birds such as the turkey condors, seagulls, and many more. One even felt the need to leave a mark with us and "accidentally" used the bathroom on Alejandro, one of our trip leaders. We also were able to see penguins, that´s right penguins, as they stood still for pictures on the rocks. Lastly, we were captivated by the sea lions as they sunbathed on the rocks, swam beside us, "barked" at us, and played with each other. It was a really cool experience to witness! Many took about a 15 minute nap during our return to Paracas. Lunch awaited us as we returned. Today is the beginning of the Peruvian holiday for Easter, so all meals revolve around fish. We had a massive plateful of rice and a different assortment of fried fish including shrimp, white fish, octopus, and more. 
After lunch, we spent the next hour looking through the local shops and everyone was able to make any final purchases since shopping didn´t appear to be on the agenda for the rest of the trip. We loaded the bus and then headed back to YCamp for the night.On the way back to YCamp, about a 3 hour drive, we were able to make one more stop for shopping (the teens were happy that we were wrong earlier!) and other things at a local mall, Asia de Boulevard, near YCamp. Some of the teens had a chance to sit and eat at the great Peruvian restaurant known as Papa John´s. They did claim that the pizza was better than the ones made in the US. Others stopped in some of the other stores, which were more retail oriented as opposed to local shops. We also experienced a Peruvian super market for the first time as many stocked up on some snacks and drinks for the rest of the trip. We loaded back on the bus and continued our trip, although short now, to YCamp.
Arriving at YCamp, we re-oriented ourselves with our bunks and settled back in. Some took showers for the first time since leaving Lima two days earlier (it was tough to shower when we spent the night in the desert). Some couldn´t brave the cold water and are going for 3 days wihout a shower! The group also spent their free time prior to dinner by sitting on the cliff that overlooked the Pacific Ocean and yet another beautiful sunset. As this blog is typed, dinner is in 15 minutes and we look forward to eating yet again and the activities after dinner.
Sadly, we will be waking up to our final day which is still packed before our red eye flight back to the States. We will do our best to update our experiences between now and then prior to flying out of Lima. The internet connection makes loading pictures difficult, so please understand that we´re doing our best for that part too! Until next time...
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