Surfing in the Montanita

Back to my new years resolutions and I am proud to say number two is underway, I have started Surfing lessons! To top it off I rock at surfing so my instructor tells me, although he did also ask me if I thought he was cute so not sure if he was just trying to chat me up or if it was true feedback. I am sticking to the latter ….. I stood up for 10 seconds….. 10 seconds!!!!

However, I would like to say I looked like a surfing beauty sadly this was not the case. My bikini did not leave much modesty and after being wiped out I lost my hair clip and came up looking like cousin it from the Adams Family with a boob hanging out. I was also knackered and covered in bruises by the end of the two hour lesion but wow I loved it. So much fun, shame Quito is so far from the coast as I am sure I would have had Ripcurl knocking at the door with a bit more time.

             

Here is the wonderful Ellie to show me how its done, thanks chica x

Isla de la plata AKA treasure Island

We left Quito on Thursday night by overnight bus which I thought was fine and had a good sleep on but woke up to find an angry Ellie staring at me in the morning, demanding to know how I could have slept through the crazy driving and look so happy about it. Think it’s her turn to be grumpy so I just give my apologies and hope for a smooth final trip to the hotel in Puerto Lopez.

We get checked in early and book ourselves onto a day trip to Isla de la plata, with having 2 hours free before the boat trip I head to bed for a couple more zzz, this apparently amazes Ellie.

On the way to our boat we see all the local fishermen bringing that nights catch home, wonderful to watch the beach come to life. Once on the boat we met a great group of people but one Swedish girl I knew straight away I am going to dislike. I was right by the end of the day I hated her and so did everyone else on the boat with her long blonde perfect hair being flicked everywhere and her self-importance presence around the boat with poses straight out of zoolander. All I wanted to do was push her off the back of the boat, but I couldn’t move due to my attractive life vest being too big and having to desperately suck on a mint to stop myself vomiting.

Anyway we finally get to treasure Island where Sir Francis Drake apparently buried his Silver treasure chest (still unfound), also can anyone tell me why Francis Drake is a Sir? From the stories I hear he was a proper crook!

The Island is also known as the poor mans Galapagos so I asked the guide what the difference is between them, his brilliant answer was $1,000. Lol. We did see the Blue Footed Boobie, Turtles and lots of fish when snorkelling.    

Been to the middle of the world and back.

Today was a fresh start in Quito with all moody hangover’s gone. So we made a friend at breakfast who wanted to see the Otavalo Market and La mitad del mundo (middle of the world) as we did also. So I asked the pleasant watchie man (as the Peruvians call them, to us Security guy) how is the best route to see both in one day? Its great when the best advice you can get in a hostel is from the watchie man not from the 3 (we know the wifi doesn’t work) chicos! As with anything to take buses will take a lot of time and effort but he knows a taxi that will make a good price for us. A phone call later ‘Kleber’ the taxi driver turns up and is true to his word makes us a good price, seems even more impressed when I tell him his name sounds like clever in English which means he is intelligent.I am impressed with Kleber’s driving during the 2 hr drive to Oltavalo no shaky moments and would even say it was a pleasant journey. When we arrive he takes us to Lago san Pablo just outside Oltavalo.

Then we head up to Laguna Cuicocha which is a beautiful blue Crater lake at 3060m, there are two islands that are old Volcanic cones that sit in the middle it has been said the Inca’s used them as prisons. There were very few people there so was nice to sit and take in the tranquil environment, before heading into the largest crafts market in Ecuador.

Otavalo Market’s main day is on a Saturday but runs everyday just smaller, although you wouldn’t guess, as it’s still a fair size. It was interesting to see the many different colours and Ecuadorian crafts, it was surprising to see how different the market was to Peru’s Indian markets. 

  

Then on to the middle of the world, where someone once told me you couldn’t walk in a straight line along the equator. So I looked like a right tool wandering along the yellow line like a policeman had pulled me over for being drunk. I could easily put one foot straight in front of the other, this could have been a different story yesterday though!

I looked in the direction of the northeast and blew you guy a big kiss. X

Then back to Quito for sunset.               

Banos broke me!

Ok at the ripe old age of 31 I thought all day hangovers were a thing of the past, but not after a night out in Banos but wow worth it! So after returning from the Jungle we were cold, wet and tired to find only cold water in the showers and the biggest street party outside our hostel, so no chance of getting a nice cozy early night in bed. So why not join them?So we head to ‘The Good Bar’ to find the smallest bar in the world but great Moijito’s, I remember saying look at the pole in the middle of the dance floor some tit will be on that later…. Yep you guessed it! So there I was thinking I was something out of Flash dance getting twisted upside down by Angel the local English teacher/town mover. 

Yesterday was all about soup, flat coke and big sunglasses. However, we were meant to be moving onto Quito but not a hope in hell of getting us on an Ecuadorian bus for 4hrs. So today we have arrived in Quito but the people don’t seem to be as helpful here. First time I notice this was in the hostel-

Me-do you have wi-fi?

Chicos- yes

Me- do you have the password for it?

About 10 seconds of awkward silence as the 3 of them just stare at me

Chico- 1869478367

Me- thanks…..

I get back to my room to find the wi-fi will not connect to my phone so I tried my laptop and same thing. So back to reception.

Me- The wi-fi is not working.

Chico- we know its broken.

I don’t even have the will power to speak……..so just walk away!

Next time I found another helpful Quito guy was at lunch-

Me- What is chaulafan?

Waiter- chaulafan

Me- yes but what is it?

Waiter- a mixture of meat

Me- In a sauce/ rice/potato’s, any more clues?

Waiter- meat with rice.

Me- sure I will have it.

Turns out to be special fried rice by the way. Also all these conversations where in Spanish so was not a language problem. Now I have told Ellie I am not talking to anyone else till we leave……. Think due to my moodiness the hangover has entered day 2.       

       

In the Jungle the mighty Jungle

Yesterday was an early start to head into the Jungle, wish someone had told the guide though as he was still on South American time! So after waiting around and continually calling him we finally set off an hour later. The views heading in were amazing along the Banos to Puyo road waterfall after waterfall cascading into the Jungle valley. We were also lucky that our tour group was only two argentine guys and us so we had a big comfy 4x4 to enjoy the landscape.

First stop was an animal reserve that rescues Jungle animals that have been sold or taken to be sold on the black market. They keep them till they are well enough to be re release back into the wild, it sounds lovely doesn’t it…. Conditions were pretty bad but guess it’s better than where they were before.

Second stop was to visit an indigenous tribe of which I seen four people and one had Adidas trainers on. We were giving a special drink that is used in ceremonies, as I was taking a mouth full of the white warm murky liquid he decides to tell us at that point how it is made. The tribe hold it in their mouths for a couple of minutes before spiting it back into the bowl and leaving it for a couple of weeks to forment. Or to give to passing Gringos for a laugh I feel!

After this we headed up to a breathtaking viewpoint over the Jungle and listened to the new noises, it’s at times like this you realise how big the world is and how many things are still to be explored. Saying that we then hiked for an hour to the Vida waterfall, this large powerful waterfall is found in the middle of the Jungle securely hidden. The refreshing clear water felt amazing after our hot day exploring, then the havens opened and we fully understood why this is the rain forest.

On the way back the guide thought we might be peckish so found a termite’s nest and preceded to eat them, he said they were full of vitamins and that was a good enough selling point for me. However, cant say they tasted of much but the ant eggs he gave us next had a surprisingly lemon tang!                     

Bus from Vilcabamba to Cuenca to Banos

Not the most pleasant trip I have ever done, but here now and Banos looks like fun! So we left Vilcabamba after breakfast and had a smooth bus change in Loja, only having to wait for an hour between. As always we attracted all the freaks to come talk to us, this time it was an old American couple who just wanted to talk about themselves at us. As we nodded our heads listening to how amazing their lives are living in Vilcabamba I zoned out, only to hear them get a little annoyed with Ellie who had dared to question the myth of longevity …… shock horror! She asked the couple for birth certificate proof that their friend really died at 130 years old. Needless to say they stopped talking to us and my ears had a rest again.

The bus to Cuenca was not too bad only 5 hours and the road was in surprising good condition after Peruvian roads. Cuenca is a beautiful old town that is pleasant for walking around and has some amazing restaurants and cafes. After a lovely dinner in Café Eucalyptus and that night was Ladies night so a couple of cheeky vinos to wash it down, we headed back to the hostel where we made friends with some German travellers. I couldn’t stop thinking I had met one of them before, that’s when it dawned on me it was lego head from one of our photos from NYE in Vilcabamba ! 

Do you see him in the background?

Yesterday was the bus journey from hell Cuenca to Banos is a windy road so high up you cant see anything through the cloud, not helped by the slowest bus driver in the world who wanted to stop and talk to everyone or buy MORE food from the street vendors. After 6 hours he wanted to stop and buy grilled chicken hearts, the smell was just what an over crowded hot smelly bus needed!

Anyway we are now in Banos and are starting to plan our next adventure to visit indigenous jungle tribes.                  

New Year in Ecuador

So the sleepy little town of Vilcabamba turns into a full party town on NYE, the main square was full of families of all generations. Coming together to see in the New Year, they had a live band outside the church that never stopped all night. There was the token girl in skimpy clothes who only jobs seemed to be to shake her bootie and smile, ok I was a little jealous of that bootie.

We learned about some Ecuadorian traditions for NYE, first being you have to wear yellow underpants. Was strange to look at a plaza full of people and know everyone had yellow pants.

Another is to eat 12 grapes at midnight, one for each of the new months to bring luck. I sadly forgot this but did have a glass of red so in someway feel I may get extra luck….

Our waitress at breakfast told us in her house they put 3 potatoes under their beds, one peeled, one half peeled and one un peeled. After midnight in the dark you have to see which potato you pick up first, peeled means bad luck for a year ( bit harsh I thought), half means ….yes you guessed it mas o menos and finally a year of good luck with the unpeeled. We thought about doing this but god knows what else is under hostel beds…..

Final one is to make a ano Viejo a life size dummy which is often is a political or famous figure, they burn in the streets after midnight to clear for a new year. It was rather eerie to see the street on fire with what looked to be bodies and having children running around setting off fireworks anywhere. Then people started to jump over the fires which brings again more luck, guess if you don’t make the full jump it would be very bad luck! 

South America seems to be a very superstitious continent that has many ways to bring luck, I hope some of these have been given to me and my friends.

Happy New Year everyone and I hope you also get given yellow pant luck for 2013

Mx