Cutting sandy slopes
Trip Start
Dec 26, 2009
1
83
95
Trip End
Dec 22, 2010
Huacachina, Peru
Friday, October 8, 2010
One of these charming micro environment is the quaint village of Huacachina, consistent of a tranquil lake surrounded in imposing sand dunes. The perfect place to chill out and take in the serenity or do the complete opposite and energise the soul by racing down such dunes, utilising a board as your accomplice.
Paying ten soles to Hire a sand board for an entire day, turned out to be the best ten soles spent so far in Peru. When one is tearing down steep sand dunes slopes at ridiculous speeds, without snow boarding experience, one is confined to the technique of " go hard or die trying" This pretty much involves descending down in a straight line, relying on ones balance from surfing to survive until he reaches the bottom below. The speed gained from the method is exhilarating, however if the equilibrium of ones body is slightly offset, allot of pain and even broken bones are probable. A few adrenaline rushes were felt that day and thankfully the only unwanted repercussion attained, was the cumulation of sand in every orifice.
An alternative to sand boarding, is racing around the dunes on a buggie with crazy Peruvian drivers. Many screams were heard whilst plummeting down such steep hills. The only response I could muster was " ah sick" and " I love the natural smooth silk like shape of the dunes"Maybe Ive been over exposed to similar experiences in the past. Rides in roller coaster like buggies, just don't cut it any more.
Although sand boarding is a fun and addictive sport, I believe the friction from the sand decreases the speed of acceleration, therefore reducing the exhilarating rush that snow boarding provides. But lets be honest, both these sports have nothing on surfing. One uses gravity, gradient and mass to create velocity, the alternative uses all of these these plus the energy of nature for propulsion, launching you into a new dimension.
