tarnandskank

Thanks to Jo, Jess and Drew for an amazing week in this beautiful city in California!... We finished our 4 month extended honeymoon with a week in San Francisco ... with the tour guide from heaven! Highlights include.... * Awakening every morning to a handwritten itinerary from our 'tour guide' Jo (look her up if you go to SF!) complete with mapped out route! * Stunning city, beautiful weather, chilly wind and crazy hills (ahhhh just like Welly!), great outdoor (and indoor) art, random street performers * Cycling over the Golden Gate bridge....completed fogged out while on the bridge and cloudless skies once we were off * Visiting permaculture gardens and our first rooftop garden throughout the city...lets get these going back home!...so easy, just add people and a bit of spare time... * Driving up ... read more

Papallacta is known for its thermal pools so we thought what better way to spend our last days in Ecuador, especially after the hiking... * The journey into Papallacta is once again, stunning with scenery not unlike the forests in NZ * Spent 2 days here soaking....pretty good way to spend our time * Accommodation has been pretty reasonable and sometimes really cheap around Ecuador (as cheap as $3 US for a dorm room!), but here one a resort by the hot springs cost a minimum of $125 a night so it wasnt where we stayed! From here we headed back to Quito for our final night....before hitting the skies bound for NYC Hopefully we'll upload some photos from here... So muchas gracis Ecuador and your people...we loved this country and had an unforgettable time....we are ... read more

Ahhh...beautiful Mindo....2 hours north of Quito..... * a small town of 2000 - we arrived to a religious festival celebrating their patron saint San Vincente, which included races for kids climbing slippery lamp posts and a strongman competition in the middle of street! * fantastic tour company called Birds of Paradise who made us feel right at home * our cabana/hostel was in an orchid garden with hummingbirds who buzzzed and zipped to and from their feeders as we ate breakfast...super cute * Ziplining across the hilltops - 13 lines of fun in the sky! * Walked to a waterfall and discovered a concrete waterslide in the middle of the bush.....a speedy flying leap into the river! Skanky played action man jumping off waterfalls and flying through the air! Photos should help paint a better picture... ... read more

Our farewells said, and tears shed we headed off on another adventure to Mompiche- a small beach town 6 hours north and 3 modes of transport away with Jo and Jordan, friends from the farm for a few days.......... * Mompiche is a small place and has nightly powercuts for an hour (ish....) which is what, after a 6 hour tiring journey we arrived to...complete darkness.....depositing us into possibly the worst hostel ever! Walking out of our rooms that Jordan found bugs on her sheets we were greeted by an aged sweaty gentleman wearing nothing but his teeny weeny whitey undies! * The rest of the week we spent at an amazing cabana just seconds stroll from the water! (See the photos) * Perfect for our chill week....morning runs, nightime yoga, frequent swims, relaxing in the ... read more

We recommend this farm as the best place to learn organic farming and to immerse yourself in farm life with an amazing group of people - WE LOVED IT HERE! Thoughts/stories from the farm..... There´s quite a bit here.....4 weeks on a farm...so our suggestion is to grab a coffee, a water, a cuppa tea or a lovely glass of wine.....or beer for that matter and have a read... * Favourite story from the week....Local remedy for bringing on breast milk - take some guinea pig poo, blend with milk and drink!!!! A a lady on the farm did it and sure enough....her milk flowed!!!!!! * Journeys to and from the farm involve us hanging on in the back of a pick up truck.....with the wind in our hair (well mine at least!), getting covered in ... read more