Decided to be cultured and so met the chicas at Cafecito early morning to head off to Museo de Banco Central which supposedly (according to the Lonely Planet) is "the biggest and most absorbing" in Cuenca. Wandered around it for a while but was seriously not impressed by the art - Lou does better on photoshop. Outside was a lot better even though only four of us made it that far (the others sat on the grass for the hour and a half we were out there) with the remains of the Incan city of Tomebamba as well as a landscaped garden designed to show all the different scenery of Ecuador. Quite cool and I got a brilliant close-up of a humming bird! (I'm obsessed I know) before walking around the aviary (although Bel got ... read more

Another holiday from school - on day for Cuenca Foundation and one for 'Day of the Teacher'! Lou and I had a relaxed morning going around Cuenca (seems ridiculous we live here but have barely seen the town). We walked to the craft market (after getting very lost for ages) where I bought a hand carved matching sugar bowl and honey pot complete with miniature spoons. Yes, I know I won't need them for university but they are very pretty! We then went into the Cathedral and sat down before realising they were in the middle of mass so we couldn't really leave. Had to sit there, give to the collection (which was brought round by a nun using a long handled fishing net thing!) and try to say the Lord's Prayer in very bad ... read more

We stayed an extra night in Quilotoa and spent the evening (whilst being entertained with some .....interesting....local dancing) trying to find out when the bus to Latacunga came. The general answer was´maybe 3...or 4 ... or even 5, 5.30 or 6.00am! Well after that we had no idea how to get anywhere so decided to believe it would leave at 4.00am. This involved getting everyone out of their warm beds at 3.00am (no mean feat I assure you) and into the freezing cold (the fire had gone out by then). Matt went to wait on the road whilst Sophie and Lou huddled with a blanket outside the cabin and the rest of us went back to bed fully clothed. Matt had to stop every bus that passed to ask where it went, and then in a ... read more

Had a crap day travelling back to Quito at six in the morning and then went onto Latacunga which, in the nicest way possible, was an absolutley hellish place which I never want to see again. The hostal was rather dubious and we made full use of our sleeping bag liners for the first time since arriving as the beds were rather iffy. Bel and I even got followed back from the bank by some guy so we had to duck into a shop selling piñatas to avoid him. He stopped in the shop in front which was soooo not subtle so we crossed the road and dashed back to the safety of the hostal. However, nice drive to Quilotoa in the early afternoon to arrive in the mist with no-one around. Wandered through the ... read more

Well we arrived in Mindo and on the recommendation of the Quito gals (thanks guys!) made our way to La Casa de Cecilia which was a really cool wood lodge with a deck fulll of hammocks (always the most important consideration when choosing a hostal!) Went out for lunch and then came back to chill and met three other backpackers staying there, Matt from Oxford, Emily from San Francisco and Froydis from somewhere unpronouncable in Norway. Had a relaxed afternoon before finally dragging ourselves out to do something - which turned out to be visiting an orchid farm. Well, got to be done when you're in a country that has over a quarter of a million species really and it was quite interesting in the end. Had dinner and then our visits got even weirder ... read more