Banos- Volcano eruption!

So after we finally got to leave Peru (the border between Peru and Ecuador had been shut for a couple of days but we were fine- had no problems so luckier than some others!) we stayed in Cuenca, which was a beautiful little town, then made our way up to Banos, where we had so much fun we barely took any photos!
We went canyoning, which was AWESOME, I put photos up on facebook, because we had something even more exciting happen while we camped in Banos- a volcanic eruption!
We went and watched the lava spouting out into the night sky, which was incredible, but photos didn't really turn out because I didn't bring my zoom lens, and we don't own a tripod!!! Anyway, apparently the 'pyroclastic flow' (no idea how to spell it) which is basically super heated lava flow was like 2km long down the side of the volcano, and the pretty rocks that looked so nice in the air were apparently the size of a bus!!!!

Mancora

So we stayed at the Loki in Mancora- an infamous gringo haunt, but we loved it, hardly ever left the resort except to go dancing at night!! I took these on a romantic sunset walk with my friend Louise where we almost got knocked over by the massive waves!

Chan Chan and Sun Pyramids

We drove further up the Peruvian coast, and stayed in Huanchaco, a gorgeous beach that apparently has the longest left hand break (that means something to surfers... ) and there were a couple of really interesting ruins that I visited while Sam surfed, the first was the Chimu Kingdom of Chan Chan that dates back to the 10th century, and the next were the temples of the Sun and Moon which were more like 14th century (it was a while ago though, we are so bad about getting this blog up to date... so details are unfortunately a bit hazy!!)

Nazca Lines- The light plane Rollercoaster

Decided to take on Nazca lines flight considering it is the only way to see these ancient massive stone and rock murals on the ground. So four of us chartered a 6 seat, single engine heap of crap to take a half hour joy flight over the lines in the Nazca Desert. To say the flight was rough and bumpy would be an understatement. I think a nos charged industrial paint mixer would be more appropriate. Anyway, the flight was amazing and these pictures I've taken do nothing to show how crazy these things look from the air. Some of the pictures are over 200m long end to end and some just as wide. Some of the straight lines and trapazoids go for miles. The murals are all believed to be Incan and pre Incan so pretty bloody old. Anyway check them out. Oh yeah Felicity was a big blouse and didn't go up for the flight and also wants to let everyone know that most of the good photos on this blog are mine, Zing!

The Spaceman

Look for the Monkey

The Hummingbird

Just Desert lines and Trapazoids

Condor

Tree on the left and Hands on the right 

More lines and trapazoids

View of the desert

Yep more desert

Glacier climbing in Huaraz!

Sandboarding and sleeping in the dunes- Huacacina!!