Peru - Ecuador

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Huacachina turned out to be a true highlight of my travels so far. I'd never have thought riding in a dune buggy and sandboarding would tickle my whisker as much as it did, in fact it was so much fun that I had to stay another day and go again, just like theme park rollercoasters. Well didn't I learn a lesson in repeat experiences. I took to sandboarding like a llama takes to scuba-diving but that didn't stop me heading full pelt down a 45 degree dune, coming off (of course) and pretty much wrecking my shoulder. Not a good bit for a backpacker to wreck. You'd think I'd have learnt that anything that involves strapping oneself to a board and moving at speed downhill is not my thing.

In everyone's favourite city, Lima, I got a rather cloudy looking x-ray which was apparently all clear so the next day with my backpack dangling off one shoulder I was on a flight to the north, Piura, conveniently skipping all the bits in between (sorry north Peru). Piura was so appealing that the next day I was on a bus across the border to Ecuador (ooo.. scary!) and Loja. The border crossing was disappointingly easy; no militia hijackings, bag searches or soldiers with cigars wearing aviator sunglasses. Maybe I should go to Colombia.

Loja too was truly fascinating so the next day I took a bus to an old hippy haunt and another dot on the gringo trail called Vilcabamba. Yes. Took me a while to work out what the appeal was, and after a couple of nights, actually I don't think I did work it out. In fact I didn't even take a photo. So again I was off on yet another packed bus to what is a really lovely city, Cuenca. Charming, relaxed, affluent, just like me. Oh ah ha.

In Cuenca I've decided to stay put for a while, enrol in some one-to-one Spanish classes, and see how my shoulder heals. Assured by quality Peruvian diagnosis, I'm confident there are no fractures, and that the lingering stiffness and soreness is all soft-tissue damage. Then again its only been two weeks, so I should be patient. Or maybe a patient. No, not thinking about it. I may get another opinion next week... or just go to THE GALAPAGOS!!!

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