We started very early for a long drive that eventually took us 13 hours to reach Arequipa. Despite the normal rainfall being 5mm per year, 15mm of rain fell before and during our visit to Nazca, resulting in some local flooding.
By popular request we stopped early on to see an area rich in fossils, including a couple of very complete whales. At our toilet stop in the olive growing area of Yauca we got to sample some great olives.
Most of the trip was through desert coastal landscape, with the road often cut perilously into the edge of the cliffs, with frequent crosses beside the road to mark fatal accidents. Rock falls were not uncommon. As we got away from the coast and closer to Arequipa we had to navigate a high plain with enormous canyons cut deep into the soft rock. We arrived in the dark and rain, with sandbags protecting some buildings from flooding.
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