Sand, sea and .... no sun!

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Well we started the trip today with the intention of getting to Los Frailes, an absolutley beautiful beach in a National Park. Slight problem being that, as it is a National Park, you can't sleep there - you have to stay three hours away and go up for the day. That, the fact it was a further five hours than the beaches we usually go to and we'd have to pay the National Park fee put us off enough to decide on just going back to Montañita. Ended up in the same hostel as last time and then went out in search of food which was very good although the waiter decided to sit down with us to take the order, forget us for quite some time and then admit to being 'so high' as an excuse. I love Montañita!

Got up the next morning to find Imogen, Tamsin, Claire and her boyfriend Dave had made it from Quito to join us. Weather not looking promising but we went to get breakfast to cheer up. Spent the day on the beach not actually sunbathing as it was a little chilly (not that any of us would admit that - we still resolutely sat around in bikinis). Had a meander around the town (if it can even be called that) and bought the usual beachy jewellery.

Hadn't brightened up despite all our wishful thinking by the end of the day so we went out to dinner at the same place as last night to cheer ourselves up. Excellent food but our stoned waiter of last night was joined by an equally ditzy (and possibly equally stoned) waitress.

Saturday looked a tiny bit brighter and we met Ben and Ezim at breakfast who had finally managed to turn up after staying a night in Salinas. Headed out to the beach where me, Ez and Tamsin just spent most of out time in the water. Unbelievably I think it was actually warmer in the sea than on the beach. The waves were a hell of a lot stronger than last time we were here so the surfers were out in force. Dodging surfboards whilst being half-drowned is actually really quite fun! Me and Ez made it all the way down to the end of the beach and were almost smashed to pieces looking at rockpools. Didn't realise the waves were actually that strong.

Jack and Ben hired a surfboard for the afternoon. Ben was the only one who could actually stand up on it - slightly mollified when he said he did snowboarding. I tried but didn't get any better than pulling myself into a sitting position and just riding it in that way. Still, very good fun and might be something worth trying in Peru when we get there.

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Photos

Surfer Dudes!
Well, almost. Jack and Ben

Surfing!
Look very closely and that is Ben actually surfing!

Matt putting on his war paint
Wishful thinking!

Comments

[Ellie]

Any Seaweed..?
Hey Katherine! *MORE* shopping for jewellery? What will customs say when you try to get it all back?! ;-) The surfing sounds like fun - no sharks in South America, I assume/hope! Were the rockpools interesting? I'm hoping for some proper Darwinian reports when you eventually make it back! Ellie x

[jeannie(mum)]

Great Waves!
Hope you weren't swept away too far ? Looks really rough there. Hope it wasn't too cold. What's this beach jewellery like? Sounds interesting. Any sealife out there to mention??