Emma writes I've always fancied being on a beach for new year. Ecuador's best beaches would mean travelling north again and we just don't have time to back track ( I think we might be saying that a lot on this trip). Next stop therefore had to be Mancora beach in north Peru. After making that decision we were told by everyone that it was the place of the biggest party in Peru for new year. Sounds busy. We had no accomodation booked, like everywhere else we've been, so no real worries there, something will work out. Getting off the bus [View Full Entry]

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Matt Writes- A quick 1 hour bus ride after we bidded our farewells to Gavin and Alma (who chased the bus grinning her waves at us) we were back in Loja bus station. We waited for our bus in a chicken joint with images of Ecuador and poultry adorning the walls, one in which a woman (face heavy in make up) was holding a chicken leg the size of a turkey far too provoctiavely for my liking. Aboard the overnighter to Piura a leg stiffening 8 hours away was the first clear night in ages. The moon was brilliant against the [View Full Entry]

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Matt Writes Had to pack with a fuzzy head this morning as we head off for 3 days horse riding and trekking. We saddled up and were riding out of town like a fist full of dollars by 10, would of looked better at noon I thought. Accompanying us was a man from Norway whom had just bought a horse to ride to Cuzco and was getting to grips with Saddles and well, everything you need to know if you have never ridden before (brave or stupid man). Then there was the teacher from Seattle and a Dutchman though intellectual, monopolised [View Full Entry]

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Matt Writes - As expected our Christmas would be unconventional this year to say the least. After a dubious display of homemade fireworks from the local pyromaniac (obviously inspired by our street festival encounters in Banos), Christmas Eve was upon us and entertainment was provided by the local school's party games held in the main square. Consisting of teams of boy/girl holding a tomato together on their foreheads and dancing to music, then the fine art of pot smashing whilst blindfolded to get the contents of sweets and cookies. A bit like the Mexican pinata, but actually mad [View Full Entry]

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Matt writes: Today, a chilly 5.30 start to get to the nearby station and climb aboard an antiquated train that would take us south through some great scenery. Our backpacks were stowed in a locker in one of the carriages which would mean we could relax and enjoy the trip. Although it would not however prevent the barrage of refreshment sales as an army of vendors selling coffee, chocolates, fruit and crisps boarded and alighted the train with their wares. I enduldged in a coffee/muddy water to make me more sociable but even with this in hand, I was offered at [View Full Entry]

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Matt Writes It´s Saturday and we are having the day off as we have found a great small town called Baños which is sandwiched between mountains and a volcano in the background. It is crazy that you can't see the sky in any direction but straight up as were surrounded by steep banks covered in forest and vegetation. We started today with a lie in and then a leisurely breakfast on a roof terrace of Plantas y Bianco, the gentle noise of Manto de la Virgen a waterfall in the background. While we ate our breakfast, a hummingbird had his in [View Full Entry]

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Emma writes: So after all the planning, the booking, the packing and the buying of Micro fleeces, our 9th of December leaving date came around quickly. I'm already a little concerned about our carbon footprint after all the miles we put on Salford Van Hire´s finest red transit, packing and moving all our worldly goods from Manchester to Hull and London and Plymouth into storage and usage. But I suppose we can plant some trees when we get back and sort that one out. All done though - goodbyes said, leaving drinks drunk and the only thing left to do was [View Full Entry]

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