Let's go to Ica!!

After a great night of sleep in a BED :-) at Y-Camp, we woke for a late breakfast, repacking our bags, getting dressed, and heading to our first meal at Y-Camp. We had a breakfast of pork and sweet potato sandwiches with plates of onions, cilantro, and lime juice to add. It was a delicious combination- which was a surprise for many. We also had some fresh juice, which we have come to expect and love at meals, coffee and tea- our favorites!
After breakfast we loaded up on the bus and headed off for some sandy, desert adventures in Ica City! After a few hours in the bus- a stop at a convenience store for some yummy peruvian candy, ice cream, drinks, bakery goods, and Inca Corn (like Corn Nuts in the states)- we arrived in Ica City. We had time for lunch- a choice of veggie salad (which was cooked but chilled broccoli, asparagus, beets, cucumbers, giant lima beans, avacados and more!) or a peruvian potato salad (sliced potatoes with a yummy sauce) and then pescado or pollo (fish or chicken) with veggies, french fries, and white rice- so much more food than we could eat!
After lunch we headed out for a little shopping in Ica... we bought you all tons of good stuff- well, mayyyyybe :-)... but we supported the Ica economy, buying tons of local fare. Some folks paddle boated, some walked the lake area, and some just window shopped. Everyone enjoyed the down time.
We met back up to load into Dune Buggies and headed off-road through the sand! Cheers and excitement filled the desert as our group felt like they were on roller coasters. We all got the chance to sand board many times (like snow boarding on sand, but laying down - so maybe not actually like snow boarding). This was definitely a group favorite, even though there were many wipe outs! We made a pit stop at a high dune to watch the sunset. It was a nice quiet time and a beautiful backdrop for many pictures. We sand boarded into camp at dusk.
Camp was a flat area in a valley surrounded by dunes looking out over the city. Words can't really describe the setting, but we have pictures to help! Our hosts began by serving us appetizers of taquitos, tomato sandwiches and more. We got a chance to walk around, try using the bathroom outdoors, and dance to music! A cookout of sausages, chicken, and veggies brought us all down by the campfire for dinner.

We worked off dinner by running up and down the dunes (a lot harder than it sounds!), a little sand wrestling, and staring in awe at both the million stars and lights of Ica City below! After a devotion about what we've learned and experienced, we set out sleeping bags to spend the night. In the words of Jinbo, "the sand is my bed and the sky is my blanket." Although there were no lights, the moon was bright and provided a great backdrop.
Energy was abounding, but with another busy day ahead, we went to sleep. The snoring echoed through the outdoors!