Arrive en Quito!!

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Hey all!!

Missing Ayacucho already!!! I had a very luxurious bus drive down to Lima; huge windows for the beautiful views, different levels of air conditioning, tv, huge reclining leather seats with lots of leg room. It was like flying first class, the attendants served us a small snack, water and coke, even cotton balls of cold water when it got hot. It was a strange change of scenery coming from the mountains down to the coast; one mountain had a hill of sand backed up against it and then suddenly the land was flat and barren with huge sand dunes in the distance. My hostel in Lima was great, the owners brother accompanied me on the hour long transfer across town, and even took me on a walk to show me where the best restaurants were nearby.

I made it to Quito no problem, even managed a couple of actual conversations with the taxi drivers in my slightly improving Spanish!! Quito is in a beautiful setting, lots of trees, dramatic mountains and deep gorges, all filled with trees, was a gorgeous sight descending in the plane. I met Pedro our guide and Wessel our driver, and everyone else. There's another Irish girl, Mary from Mayo, two aussies (Matt and Laura), two kiwis (Lisa and Adrian), two english (Tamara and Lisa) and two welsh (Anne and Denise), good mix of people!! Just back from dinner out, we can't drink until monday when the elections are over. We have an early start tomorrow we are leaving at 8 for the jungle at Misahualli, two days there and then onto Banos, gonna get busy quickly!!!

I won't be able to get onto the internet for a few days, but will have lots of news when I do!!

chao for now!!
Orla

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Photos

marisol and alejandro
saying goodbye at the bus station