Blogs from Cuenca, South, Ecuador, South America - page 47

After we got through the horrendous Peru/Ecuador border, we headed for Loja and spent a night there. It was a Sunday and election day, so everything was closed. Loja was a lovely little town though - just a bit boring really (like a mini-Cuenca) after you've had an inital potter about. We left there for Vilcabamba in the south. How great was that place! It was hot, sunny and totally chilled out. It was quiet anyway (coz it's so small) but there are hardly any tourists at the moment, so it was even more tranquil. We stayed in an amazing hostel where they bring breakfast to your room terrace in the sunshine each morning. I went horse-riding again and really enjoyed it (no safety precautions like a helmet of course!). Jon went mountain-biking. We went trekking ... read more

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 ... read more

Hello, Sorry guys for not writing sooner but Im still alive!!! Also sorry for the lack of photos Im hoping to rectify that soon. Well Ive finished my spanish school and unfortunatly I still can´t speak spanish but Im trying its coming out a bit Italian tho which has caused a few strange looks. I think my salsa is probably better than my spanish and the guys here really can dance!!!! Last week was spent learing spanish in the jungle, if theres a place to completely distract you from lessons and homework than the jungle is it. I spent my days trecking through the undergrowth of the amazon, fishing for Pirhanas and swinging on vines like tarzan. Although Im not a natural at jungle activites. I fell of the vine well slipped down and scraped my ... read more

So we are finishing up our last week in Ecuador ;( It has been a lot of fun so far. I haven´t written one of these for a while, so I´ll try and remember what has happened. We have gone on several tours of Inca ruins, churches and museums in the area. Not super exciting, but interesting in it´s own way I guess. My host family is opening up a little more and they are a lot of fun. It´s nice to see a couple that obviously really loves each other and their little baby. We met our "grandparents" the other day and they are really nice, too! We all went out to eat at Eucalyptus the other night and it was amazing. I had a quesadilla and then we all split the dessert sampler :) ... read more

So i am in Cuenca, Ecuador now. have been taking Spanish lessons since last tuesday. I was liberated with a clean bill of health on Friday the 11th of August, and hopped immediately on a bus south. Ended up in Banos, where i had planned to stay 2 weeks to study Spanish. i hadn´t booked a hostal ahead because i was told there were plenty. So i arrived in Banos with a few recommendations, my guide book and a very heavy pack. I was turned away by no less than 7 hostals, who refused to rent me a room because i was traveling solo (backpacker hostels, no less!). well, EXCUUUUUEUUUUUSE me for being alone in this world!!! As if i travel alone by choice! (make a mental note, next time i go the store, pick up ... read more