We have been in Cuenca for 3 days now - we hated it at first, but when we arrived we were both close to death so it´s no wonder really.

We had the bus journey FROM HELL to get here. It was 6hrs from Riobamba on mud roads (dodging the odd mudslide) and with THE SMELLIEST PEOPLE ON EARTH!!!! Honestly, we picked up loads of locals on the way, and we can only describe them as smelling something like a combination between rotting onions and wet dog - ewwww - we were so nearly sick on numerous occasions! and talking of being sick, i, Miss Sophie Whittaker, was violently sick in a flower bed and all over a bench at Cuenca bus station - yummy, galak biscuit sick - it had particular significance as i managed to do it in full view of every taxi driver in the place! score!

Honestly, we were both so ill. We don´t know if it was due to the rolling, stinking bus ride, food poisoning, or a combination of the two, but we were both producing at both ends all day and part of the night! Not fun. This sickness was not helped by the bloody hike to the hostel. Thankfully a taxi driver did take us to the Hostel Monasterio - they are obviously desperate for the money. But our interpretation of the our lonely planet book was slightly askew; what i read as ´a six floor gem´ i.e. a hostel with six floors, turned out to be a hostel ON THE SIXTH FLOOR!!!! We both nearly passed out on the ascent to the hostel, however, it was reassuring to know that all the other floors were inhabited by doctors of various trades!

The rooms are abit grotty, but we have cable tv - in ENGLISH! - and an amazing view from our shower!! (we overlook the monestry, which is filled with singing nuns, who only appear to sing at bloody 4am in the morning!? Thank you very much!) The walls are also paper thin, and our neighbours seem to be somewhat ´active´ - thanks for the ear plugs people!!!!!

We are also pertified of getting locked out all night on the street, cos they have a gay security gate on the street, which they buzz you through from the desk on the sixth floor. However, the receptionists seem to be somewhat lax at undertaking this duty and there was a constant buzz on the intercom system the other night for about 30mins as the receptionist had gone walkabout - hmmm. We were so knackered and scared yesterday, that we verged on starvation/dehydration point towards the end of the evening!

Anyway, we are suitably refreshed, fed and watered now, writing on the slowest computer in the world. Cuenca is actually really pretty, there´s a beautiful river running through the middle of it - we walked along it´s banks yesterday for a few hours until rain stopped play - we got SOAKED! Being caught in a Rain storm is fun for ooo, about the first 30 seconds, then you realise that it will never stop raining!

Ah well, after just reading this entry we realise that it sounds like we are in some sort of living hell! It´s not really, it´s all fun and we only get glimpses of hell every so often. We are just gagging to get on a beach!!!!!!!

Think we are gonna move on to Loja tomorrow - another 6hr bus ride - god help us - nose pegs and travel sickness pills at the ready! Rick (Badge), i think you might possibly die if you came here! Anna i think you´d die too - cornflakes are most definatley not on the menu! And we daren´t try the milk, we have enough problems with water!

Anyway, we are off to try and find some proper sandwiches and attempt to walk down by the river again - we have our waterproofs this time!!!

Speak soon

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x