Hola!

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Hola Everyone

Well I have FINALLY arrived, I’ll get on to moaning about my journey in minute but first I must apologise for the trouble with my first blog entry. For some reason the internet has deleted my first entry about preparation for the trip (I had a picture as well) Still, this is where it gets interesting. …

Today is my first day in Quito, Ecuador as the sun is shining.

My journey started at 5:45 am on Sunday morning. I hate airports at the best of times but at this time in the morning I was already dreading the trip ahead…not a positive attitude to start with but I was proven correct as the trip was horrible. Firstly a very miserable man at Heathrow check in made me cry (very big and independent of me…complaint letter will follow) Luckily James was with me and was, of course a bit of a hero! After check in I had to RUN for my flight even though I’d got there three hours early. Firstly, running is not a subject I take lightly and secondly running whilst trying to redress your self after a very thorough security check is not something I want to try again!! I was the second last sweaty person to board the plane and was not surprised that the horrible man at check in had ignored my request for an isle seat and had stuck me in the middle seat of the middle row in between two people that could not speak English….the trip was a quiet one!!!! Made even quieter by the fact that my sound was not working for the little television I had in my seat and so watching movies was out!! After reading the in-flight magazine front to back, back to front and upside down I did manage to get a few hours sleep. I arrived in Miami at 3:00 (8pm UK time) and my next flight was at 4:20 so I had to run once again through customs and check in (again) only this time in 35degree heat!!! I was aching to sleep and on this flight I had two seats to myself but I also had a little Ecuadorian man on my right who like talking a lot and serenading me with the odd Beatles songs. Very strange but I got his phone number …result!!!!!

A very very VERY tired Sinead arrived with her host family at 10:30 pm (2:30am UK time) A total of 19hours 45 mins on the road (nearly as long as I spent drinking on my leaving do.)

On to the positive stuff…
The lady I am living with is called Maria and is lovely!! She was so welcoming last night and new that I needed to go to bed straight away (bonus points in my book). She has a number of travellers living with her so have already made a couple of friends! Had my first Spanish lesson this morning and it only confirmed what I already knew … (I’m rubbish at Spanish!)

I’m taking it easy today and tomorrow as the altitude hits hard (I think we’re about 2800metres above sea level!). I can’t tell you too much as I’m only just finding my feet.

I will put a photo up as soon as I’ve taken one.

Speak to you all soon
Love
Sinead

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Comments

[isabel & bernard]

glad you've arrived safely
Good to hear from you sweetie the journey sounded awful but at least there was a bed at the end of it. xx

[Ranjeet]

Glad u're ok
Hey Sinead, glad to hear u arrived there safe n sound, we've been worried as we couldn't access ur blogg yestersday (the server was down@work) but we manged to get in this morning. Anyways, u take it easy n we'll look forward to that photo that u've promised us...cheerio xxx

[Bill]

Well done Sinead
Well done Sinead passed the first test then and arrived safely. Sounded one hell of a journey.Enjoyed your first blog must have been one of the fortunate ones to have seen your packing picture before deletion.Look forward to details of the next adventure.Take care Billxx

[Dave]

Arrival
Hi Sinead, Good to see you've made it safely, fancy that guy at Heathrow telling you the bar was closed. I tell you they are right jokers down there. As for the Ecuadorian man the old Beattles karaoke classic 'Help' springs straight to mind. It sounds like the famous Ecuadorian nightlife is no myth. Looking forward to the photos. Dave