ECUADOR ROCKS!

The highlights...
1. THE BEACH
A few days spent in Montenita, surf spot, general chill out place where the beach is long, the beers are cold, the hammocks comfy and the food delicisious. We hopped the bus network to get to the highlands after a couple of days of bohemian laziness...

2. CRISTINA`S INEFFICIENT BAG AND ECUADORIAN BUS ROUTES
The really really ridiculously good looking Cristina comes with a really really ridiculously heavy material bag, and the only way to efficiently lug it round the bus station is by piling it on top of my backpack. She was not meaning to backpack, so there is an excuse. This is better than gym.
3. BANOS - HOT POOLS, GREAT MOUNTAINS AND GOOD COMPANY
Entonces, we have been esconsed in ideallic town of Banos up nestled in amongst a bunch of mountains. There is an ongoing safety warning ot the place because of the nearby erupting volcano... no kidding. We thought they were pulling our leg until we rounded a hill on a day trek up the mountain only to be faced with massive emmissions coming out of the volcano not far enough away... had a scary moment, but the horses grazing nearby did not bolt, so we decided it must be okay. Big fella ended up doing it quite frequently, got some good shots of him blowing his nose...

So day 1 was dedicated to a good hike, day 2 we got us some bicycles and did the popular waterfall watching route down the valley, culminating in a great afternoon spent having a beer and checking out El Diablo, the thundering centre attraction of Banos areas numours stunning waterfalls.

It has been tough... our days have been spent getting up early going to hit the thermal springs, alternately walking or cycling and just enjoying the incredible nature, but the last two days we fed a different urge which was to watch Cristina`s collection of Sex and the Cities DVD`s and spoiling myself with an English book... I am rocking on the Spanish by the way, am halfway through my trashy Spanish novel and Cristina is also a great tutor... finally got to beat her in Scrabble yesterday at local favourite place Cafe Moon, I have to play in Spanish and she in English, I am sure the deck is loaded in her favour...

Tomorrow, unfortunately, we head in different directions - she grabs that overdue flight to NYC and I go north to Quito... it has been a blast, and our next date is to watch the Lion King on Broadway. Now... Mount Cotopaxi awaits!