Volcanoes, Chocloate-based Violation and Equine Adventures in Ecuador... After Quito and Otavalo, we went south in the back of a ute, to the Secret Garden's sister hostel at Cotapaxi. The hostel had the most stunning view we've seen yet, it directly overlooked the massive snow-capped volcano, and a vast panorama of other mountains and volcanoes. We had a great stay here too. Again, the people were lovely and we walked/scrabbled to a waterfall on arrival, then ...

'South America's Worst Border Crossing' and beyond to The Land Where Lucy is Tall...! We left the lazy beach town of Mancora on a CIFA bus to attempt the infamous Peru-Ecuador border near Tumbes (without getting hijacked, robbed at gunpoint or swindled out of our money by corrupt border police and unscrupulous taxi drivers!) To make things even more interesting we decided to cross at night! Despite the horrendous catalogue of nightmare tales we were told before ...