Many people sidestep Ica and head straight to Huacachina to sandboard and Nazca for the unexplained desert lines. Some come to Ica to volunteer to help restore the city after the devastation of the 2007 earthquake. I however made Ica my base and set off on day trips while contributing to the local economy. The town square was pleasant with winding streets surrounding it and a cheap lunch deal can be found on every corner.

1. SANDBOARDING AT HUACACHINA

The oasis at Huaachina is stunning and I can see why people want to spend a night here. A short cab ride from Ica the magical palms spring out from the desert and for me the place had a 50s nostalgia to it, where vintage screens sirens might come to live out their own Arabian Nights.
The real pull here is the sandboarding and I would recommend opting for a board an buggy package. For a third of the price you can just have the board but the dunes are steep and the real trill comes from ragging it full force. After a few crazy wheel spins and some face first tabogganing we watched the sun set over the dunes and all was calm. Until I screamed like a baby on the drive back!

2. ISLAS BALLESTAS

Las Islas Ballestas are known locally as 'The poor man's Galapagos' but then so are most other islands off the west coast of South America so don't get too excited. The trip consists of a few hours boating where you get up close and personal with penguins, boobies, pelicans and seals. I'd seen many of these animals somewhere more secluded on my trip so it wasn't super exciting but animal lovers and bird watchers especially would live this trip. I did find myself zoning out, imagining myself a crew member on some great expedition to research the mating rituals of sea birds and I felt a smile creep onto my face. Then I zoned back in to a seagull shitting on my right shoulder. Hey ho.

3. THE NAZCA LINES

I did the Nazca lines in a day from Ica. I remember it seeming difficult but it really wasn't, an early bus gave me time to book myself a helicopter ride, see the lines, have some food and catch the bus back before nightfall.
The lines were awesome. The flight is expensive, there's no two ways round it and you can see two of the lines from a viewing tower just off the highway, but its not the same.
Waiting for my flight to fill up I watched the National Geographic video play on a loop getting more and more excited. After a bumpy 20 minutes in the air it was all over, I'd seen them. It was ticked off the bucket list and I felt a sense of accomplishment. I have no answers for you. I doubt the alien connections, it's easy to see how man could make the lines, especially men with great mathematical and scientific minds capable of such wonders as Macchu Piccu and other similar Mayan civilisations. The why is still questionable but I won't ruin it for anyone wanting to go, the spirituality of these civilisations is evident everywhere in South America and for me it shows more of mans strength than it does anything else.

SURVIVAL TIP:
Take some snacks to the airport. I was advised not to eat before the flight due to air sickness but I booked the flight at 9.30am and didn't fly till 2pm so was bloody starving!

Lonely Planet describes Puyo as Disneyland made of reeds, or something to that extent. It was my least favourite place on the trip so far but one I wasn't going to miss out on as there is nowhere else like it on earth.

Las Islas Flotantas are situated on the Reed lakes just outside of Puyo, somewhere all visitors will pass through if coming from Lake Titicaca. We decided to do a tour which included a homestay on another of the islands on Lake Titicaca a had heard how touristy the reed islands were and didn't want this to be our only memory. A good decision. The reed islands where amazing and great inspiration for artists or story tellers, tiny islands made completely out of reeds, come on! However the whole thing felt not only as though we the tourists were manipulated (every 10 steps something cost you more money, a boat ride here, a souvenir there) but also that the inhabitants were trapped in a tourist machine. They sang us a song in numerous languages and showed us inside their homes while their Adidas tracksuit bottoms snuck out from under their traditional dress. It was worth going but totally weird, especially as they shouted 'hasta la vista babies' as we set sail and waved goodbye.

The homestay had a similar feeling but nowhere near as bad. We stayed in a beautiful farmhouse with children's school achievements pinned to our bedroom wall. We hiked to the top of a ceremonial mountain, leaving rocks of thanks and wishes at the alter on our way up to watch the sunset and then dressed up in traditional clothes to go to a dance. This last part was a little awkward but it was fun to dress up and dance stupidly to the local band.

Our last day consisted of going to another island where the men wear hats to show their status, single, married etc and the men with more decoration showed their wealth or political status. Very cool.

SURVIVAL TIP: Take extra cash when visiting Puyo, it's expensive but the island people are generally ripped off by the tour operators and at least when you buy their local crafts you know the money's going directly to them.