Blogs from South, Ecuador, South America - page 70

Out of Peru and into Ecuador. We had intended to miss Ecuador entirely, thinking it was small enough to make a separate trip on a different trip further into our dotage (no comments please). But somehow we had seen enough of Peru and Ecuador was in the way between us and Columbia, and therefore needed to be explored some. So we make a break for the border, leaving Claire’s mum in Lima for her own tour and flying way north to Tumbes to cross over. Upon leaving the airport we meet a friendly guy called Walter who promptly ripped us off for a significant sum of dollars. Due to intense embarrassment and probably blame on my part I am not prepared to divulge the amount or the details of this scam, suffice to say we weren’t ... read more

Hurrah! Hurrah for the first time we have been able to celebrate independence Day with true Americans! The best thing about the US getting their independence from us is that otherwise President Bush would actually be something to do with blighty. Well, anyway, the day opened with our first day of Spanish classes. Four hours of mega intensive learning, heavy going indeed. However, we all had time for some comedy relief when rich mistakenly announced that he really liked drinking penis juice. haha! (he meant pineapple juice by the way). The stress of this made us head straight to a posh restaurant with an all you can eat American buffet. I finally know what ´meatloaf´is now, and its actually really good. Rich managed to take the all you can eat to extremes and was unable move ... read more

Spent 4 days in Vilcababamba, Ecuador. Stayed at a hostel called Ichkayluma, highly recommend it if you are ever in Ecuador! Drank lots of cevezas and did lots of loungin in the hammock! Also, I was sick when I arrived so i went to a traditional water cleansing ceremony. Similar to the sweat lodges in Canada...It was fuckin HOT!! but I survived and it cured my sickness!!... read more

My time in The Valley was like nothing else I have experienced on my trip to date (and that is all I ask of each new destination). I arrived at the secluded hostel feeling broken and tired but still able to smile happily at the sweet girl who checked me in. I explained that I was sleep-deprived and manic from the buses and she took this as her cue to transform into Florence Nightingale, helping me with my bags and hurrying me into the restaurant so that I could eat before they closed for the night. I thanked her and waited for my menu. Looking around I could see why this place had been so highly recommended to me. (I decided to come here after a Cuba-Libre-conversation with a cool couple in Cusco who had raved ... read more

We must spend two days in Cuenca Lisa, the Kumuka guide had been adament that Cuenca needed a full two days, and we had altered the proposed itinerary in Peru to make sure we had an extra day up our sleeves for just that purpose. Arrival So far today we had done a temporary repair when an accellerator spring had snapped, and it was impossible to rev the engine. We also put a bit of grease into the pivots and hinges which had not seen grease for some time. By the time this was fixed, Mark was not only relieved had not having got us stuck without accommodation, Fran was apparently quite a lot easier to drive. It was Good Friday, and we were arriving late in the afternoon. I'm not sure whether this was a ... read more