Today was one of those days that contained many highs and many lows. We went to the Paracas nature reserve which was almost a 4 hour bus ride away. Because of that, we had to meet up at 5:15. I'm very much a morning person but no one likes to get up that early. The Paracas Nature Reserve is a very interesting place. It is a desert with many peaks and canyons. It reminded me of the planet Tatooine from Star Wars. We saw fossils that were millions of years old and saw evidence that the ocean once covered that area before an earthquake caused it to recede. I learned that Peru is a big exporter of salt because it grows in plentiful abundance throughout that region. In fact, there is so much salt, that some of the roads are made up of it. We got to see a part of nature that is seen by so few. We saw where a vast desert meets the ocean which is a little weird at first but then it is absolutely captivating.
Now for the not-so-good part. At lunch, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and try something that you would expect to see on Travel Channel's Bizarre Foods, Shark Ceviche. It was raw shark drenched in lemon juice and it was not as pleasant as it sounds. I was able to finish it but the story isn't over. After lunch, we had a pretty long and bumpy ride back to the bus station. That was where I began to feel sick. The bus ride back to Lima was pretty brutal too. We were on the upper deck of the bus which swayed throughout the entire trip. All of us felt pretty bad on the trip but when we made it back to the hotel in one piece, we all felt relieved.
With all that being said, it's easy to focus on the negative aspects of the day but that takes away from the enjoyment from the trip as a whole. Even with a few not-so-good moments, today was absolutely wonderful. I got to see a part of the world that is not seen by many. I was able to step out of my comfort zone which makes it easier to step out in the future. I feel all better thanks to some medicine but I wouldn't trade today for anything. This was a once in a lifetime experience, and I'm very thankful for the opportunity to do that. http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/southamerica/peru/placesweprotect/paracas-national-reserve.xml
Now for the not-so-good part. At lunch, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and try something that you would expect to see on Travel Channel's Bizarre Foods, Shark Ceviche. It was raw shark drenched in lemon juice and it was not as pleasant as it sounds. I was able to finish it but the story isn't over. After lunch, we had a pretty long and bumpy ride back to the bus station. That was where I began to feel sick. The bus ride back to Lima was pretty brutal too. We were on the upper deck of the bus which swayed throughout the entire trip. All of us felt pretty bad on the trip but when we made it back to the hotel in one piece, we all felt relieved.
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