Why Peru?

A friend recently asked me, why Peru? To me this is a very odd question, why not Peru? I guess to most people this would make sense, I mean in general people have reasons for going places and doing things. For me I go and find out the “why” along the way.
I have only been in Peru for 2 weeks and have mostly been in the capital Lima checking out the sights and taking in the lovely life of luxury. In this short amount of time I have had many of what I call my “why Peru” moments, where I am experiencing bouts of pure traveller euphoria and thinking to myself, “this is F**king why Peru!!”
Most recently I just got back from a weekend away from the city to the Oasis of Huacachina. I have been to deserts and Oasis’ before in Egypt and Jordan but I am starting to learn from my Peruvian friends, everything is better in Peru. Huacachina is basically a small lagoon surrounded by a ring of palm trees and cascading mountains of sand. This place is a resort getaway for Peruvians, a party town for backpackers and a paradise for extreme sport lovers.
The one thing I have missed about Canada since being gone for 4 years is snowboarding. I am too used to warm weather that staying in Canada in minus 30C temperatures to enjoy my favourite sport isn’t really an option. I have discovered the perfect solution to my dilemma; sandboarding!
I took a tour along with my new couch surfing Lima friends in a dune buggy which felt more like we were in a rollercoaster gunning it down the steep dunes to commence our sandboarding. I discovered it is quite a bit different to snowboarding, you can’t carve so well and its quite easy to get stuck in the sand but overall it’s a very similar sport and I am on my way to becoming a pro! Although after watching the international sandboarding competition that was going on this past weekend I’m not too sure.
My Peruvian friends found an out of the way Pisco and Wine gallery which this region is known for. This place was very local and very rustic with motorbikes parked out front, strange statues and stuffed animals for decorations, free flowing sweet wine and people dancing away in the middle of the afternoon. As this was the make up for my lack of birthday celebration the previous Monday, Disgracie came out in full force. My drunken charm did however work to get us all our drinks paid for and treated to dinner in the city of Ica for Pollo a La Brasa, where jugs of Pisco sour were brought to our table.
Still wondering why Peru? More answers to come....