Message best read from the sky

NAZCA, Peru — We rose early for our flyover of the Nazca Lines, waiting our turn at the tiny airport, really just a landing strip in the desert.

We were excited, but I did hesitate briefly after hearing someone upchucking in the restroom. We had heard that the flights could be stomach-churning. Guidebooks advise to get into the air early because winds pick up in the afternoon.

Each flight carries four to six people, plus two pilots, so the ride is hot and tight. The inside of our plane felt smaller than our Volvo station wagon. The airsickness bags were tucked discreetly into the seat backs in front of us.

But once we took off, none of that mattered.

At first, the lines were hard to see; they are less distinct than in the airbrushed postcards sold in every store in town.

The whale, first on the circuit, and the oldest at an estimated 2,500 years, was the hardest to make out. The pilot banked the plane to the right to allow a glimpse and photos, then to the left, so passengers on the other side of the plane had a clear view.

Some of the subtle designs were bright and clear, others so faint I missed them completely. There were no do-overs.

Still, to see these ancient figures in the sand — even if you are hot and slightly nauseated — is unforgettable. They are so magnificent, and you stand in awe of those who made them. You know they are messages from people of the past, but what were they trying to say? As you fly over them, you feel their insistence, their power.

It haunts me still.