Our guide handed me a broken-off piece of candle and told me to wax my board – my sand board that is. If I’d realised how fast this would make me go, I’d don’t think I’d have gone to the trouble!
I stared down at the impossibly steep dune and wondered whether the traditional standing position, or the chicken’s option – lying on the board – was less likely to result in broken limbs.
Ever the logical, sensible thinker, I decided to take the first dune lying down – there’s less far to fall, I thought. Little did I know this actually makes you go much faster and is a lot more dangerous.
The guide launched me over the edge and I closed my eyes to prevent having my contact lenses sand blasted. Seconds later, having been propelled half way up the next dune, I came to a stop. My entire body was covered with sand – something it’s even more difficult to avoid when you’re plastered from head to toe in factor 50.
I took the next dune standing up, and by my third attempt, I could do the whole thing without a fall. You’ll have trust me when I tell you that my friend with a broken arm – aka the designated photographer – only managed to capture a video of me falling over at the top of the dune. She even somehow changed the recording speed, making an already comical video look like something by Benny Hill.
Back in the dune buggy, we sped over massive dunes, feeling certain that the metal cage would roll over at any second.
The sun set as we made our way back to the obscure desert oasis of Huacachina, and the buggy stopped for a few minutes so we could take photos of the tiny town shimmering away surrounded by desert.
It was a really fun afternoon, packed with adrenaline, and with scenery more quintessential of the Middle East than you might expect of Peru. My shoes and ears were packed full of sand by the time I returned to the hostel. But it was a small price to pay!
If you’re looking to try sand boarding in Huacachina, almost every hostel can hook you up with a tour, and it’s never far to walk to the other side of Huacachina if you need to shop around. I stayed at Bananas Hostel – a very sociable place with a pool, bar, restaurant and functioning WiFi. They include sand boarding and dune buggying, along with one night’s accommodation in a dorm room, for S55. That’s about £13. You can’t ask for better than that!
I really want to have a go at this – looks like so much fun! (And I am enjoying picturing the Benny-Hill-Style fall)
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I will show you that video Bex. I look like an idiot! And yeah, it was great fun. I’m hoping to do it again in Chile!
Can we actually put the Benny Hill music to it? That will be one video to hold onto for future occasions where I am looking for embarrassing/amusing footage…
Rebecca recently posted..Snack time: Choripán the Argentinian way (loosely)
I guess so. Let’s all laugh at me falling over.
Awesome! again! I wish again I’d done that when I was in Peru!… I’ll try and do it in Chile next time I go there.
By the way, since I always have a lot of fun reading you, I nominated you for the Sunshine Award! See my post here for more details.
Keep having fun and making us dream!
Cheers!
Jul’
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Definitely do it. It was a great buzz. And thank you so much for the nomination. That’s really nice of you :)
This looks like so much fun, Ari! We’re giving sand boarding a go next week in Dubai. Now I know not to lay down! ;)
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It’s awesome. I actually tried it once in Dubai too. Are you doing the dune bashing tour? If so, drink the warm camel’s milk! With the sand boarding, put your weight on the back leg and try not to fall over – if you do, you’ll be on your bum the rest of the way down!
So cool! I’ve done close to the same thing except in Nicragua, where they “sand” is really volcanic rock.
I heard about that from someone on Twitter! It sounds like something I really have to check out one day. Doesn’t it hurt like hell when you fall?
I was a little banged up from my wipeout but it’s nothing that doesn’t heal.
My foot actually came undone from the board and I had to slide down the rest of the way on my butt. I was still the first one down though :)
Ouch! I usually end up sliding most of the way on my butt. I’m actually in San Pedro, Chile now and am going to give sand boarding another go tomorrow. They video us and put it on You Tube! Could be embarrassing!
i really love the taste of camel milk and it is nutritious too.^
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I agree. Fresh out of the camel is best, when it’s still warm! :)
This sounds awesome Arianwen, will have to give it a try. Just wondering, did you make it to Lima when you were in Peru? If so what did you think of it, and did you stay in a hostel you’d recommend?
I’m afraid my experience of Lima was just the bus station. I travelled from Huraz to Huacachina in one go. I think my friends who stayed in Lima were a little jealous of me lazing by an oasis sipping smoothies. If you have enough time, though, why not check out both? You can always move on if you’re not keen :)
I did sand boarding in New Zealand a few years ago and though it is scary was also absolutely amazing, I really want to give it a shot again!
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I really loved it! I agree it can be quite scary when the dunes are steep! I did it again in Chile and then tried volcano boarding in Nicaragua last year. I love it all! Where did you do it in NZ?