I'M IN QUITO, ECUADOR!

Since I last posted I have done mainly nothing, but I will attempt to make nothing sound exciting. Are you ready? Here goes...

Leaving Lima with Cris on a new adventure to the north coast was thrilling. Especially since we massively underestimated the Lima traffic (horrendous) and nearly missed our bus. Tense times. But we successfully endured another night bus to Mancora - Peru's premier beach and surf town. And it has a Loki. Uh-oh. It's backpackers paradise on the beach. Pool, bar, cheap food and drinks, hammocks.... Me and Cris felt like we were on holiday. Oh, we were! Got down to some serious relaxing that first day. Everything was really busy, because we had carelessly forgotten that it was Semana Santa -Easter week, which is kinda a big deal round these parts, but we managed to secure a bed. Got straight on with happyhour and ended up playing ping-pong with a dutchman and garden hopping into a swamp. When will I learn? Standard Loki madness I suppose.

JUST ONE OF THOSE DAYS...

We all have em, and what followed was definately one for me. Firstly, I woke up at 8am with a dreadful hangover and covered in mozzie bites from the night before. No-one but myself to blame there. I stumbled down to reception to see if we could move to a cheaper dorm and found that not only could we definately not move, but we had to check-out because there was no room at the inn. They had failed to tell us this when we checked in the day before. Then I stupidly went surfing with no sun-cream on (I was rushing okay?!) and burnt not just my face, which I can take cos I'm always a rosy shade of pink anyway, but my ARSE. Really badly. Can't-sit-down badly. Then we could not find ANYWHERE in Mancora to sleep. Eventually we found a shed on the beach, which claimed to be a hostel but was really just a bamboo shed full of hippies, with no running water, electricity, nor mozzie blocking windows/roof etc. I was beginning to feel a little stressed... and I don't like that. We decided to book a bus to Ecuador, then got the news our Aussie friends were coming so tried to UNbook but couldn't. At this point I gave up on this disasterous day and went to bed, got no sleep because of bites and burn but the next day turned out to be better...

LLAMAS REUNITED

Bus ticket changed, Loki bracelet allows us unlimited access even though we arn't staying there, our awesome friends from the Inca Trail Jarrah and Julian show up, straight back to happyhour then... Had two great and hilarious nights out with our Llama-y friends, made lots of new friends too, lost more flipflops (stolen by an american boy, how rude! Actually I kinda left them a the beach bar and he wore them from then on) didn't sleep a wink and spent many lazy hours in hammocks and by the pool during the day. The second night was Easter so we all wore bunny ears. How cute. I didn't get to eat any chocolate eggs though, just peanut M&Ms (I'm addicted and can't go a day without them). Sadly our time in Mancora was up, although I have to say I was ready for a good nights sleep and to escape the madness. My time in Peru was also at an end, although Cris had been coaxed into coming to Ecuador with me, so our adventures continue...

Here are a few of my favourite things about Peru... 40p Powerade, the way all the men gather round the newstand every morning to read the headlines, POTATOES - man they can do alot with those things! The people in general are always interested in where you're from and usually have a smile for you if your polite and friendly. I like that I can understand the Spanish they speak here and that they understand me. Gonna miss Peru. I WON'T miss - pervy Lima taxi drivers, potatoes (sick of em to be honest!), the vast contrast in wealth (which I know full well is a worldwide problem not just this country) literally there are favelas half an hour away from beach-front sparkling penthouses with maids and butlers. But it is an incredible country, full of contrast in other ways too. Just the shear variety of scenery and terrain - it's got everything; epic mountains, beaches, jungle, desert. I could have spent a long time there, but Time is something I do not have so it was off to country number 15 - ECUADOR!

When I was here both the Pope AND Miley Cyrus were also in Ecuador. Coincidence? I think not. First stop Guayaquil - Ecaudor's biggest city. Pleasantly surprised actually. It was mad hot and humid but they have a lovely renovated boardwalk, which streches right along this huge river with lots of floating plants in it. It's really very nice. Also they have a plaza full of iguanas! Iguanas and pigeons living in peace together! I'm not just talking afew here - hundreds! Ecuador have adpoted the U.S. Dollar as their currency. Which has made economic sense (I think?) but is a little surreal. You get used to it pretty quick. Guayaquil had a definate North-American feel compared to Peru. It's very modern and seems like they get a lot of influence from the states. Best thing about Ecuador so far? The fruit juices/smoothies. AMAZING. Oh and the fruit salads! Just fruit related stuff in general really...

After one night in Guayaquil we got a bus to Montañita which is Ecuador's premier beach and surf town. Have to say it kicks the arse out of Mancora. Gorgeous beach, everything mega laid-back, big nightlife. It reminded me alot of Thailand, with little cocktail stalls all down the streets and similar accomodation. Me and Cris had a nice restful few days before the Llama boys showed up again and all hell broke loose. Haha I joke, well it was fun anyway. Can't explain how great those lads are, never met such generous, funny, affectionate, completely insane people. Love em to bits. Which was why yesterday was so hard...

THE LONG GOODBYE.

All in one day, I lost everything. And I don't mean things, I mean people. Maybe I should say I lost everyone. Lets go with accuracy El! So I realised that although I loved hanging out and being a beach bum, I was running out of time to get to Colombia. To be honest I'm running out of pretty much everything. Time, money, energy, the will to go on (dramatic! HA). What I really need is 2 months longer, to win the lottery and an entirely new body. I'm starting to get sick of things. I'm sick of getting hassled by latino men because I can speak spanish and I'm a white girl. I'm beginning to think I need to pretend to not be able to speak spanish, and be married. Just for once I'd like to walk down the street without some overly testosteroned male making some idiotic comment at me. I'm not flattered anymore, I'm pissed. I got tired of SAND, EVERYWHERE. I'm tired of being tired. I'm tired of trying to eat healthy and economically, which is basically impossible. And if I hear ONE MORE godamned Black Eyed Peas song, ONE MORE time, I may drown myself in the Pacific. Cheery today aren't I? Talking of the Pacific, that was one thing I was not getting tired of. I love that ocean. We have a bit of a thing going on, me and the Pacific. I like to think of it as a battle of wills. Wonder who's gonna win that on El? But this was my first goodbye of the day. The Pacific ocean and me may not see each other again for a long, long time. Sigh. Then there was the aussie boys, I hope I see them again, but who knows? And then... the big whammy... Cristían. We had been together, mainly within arms reach, for over two months. How was I going to adjust to losing Cris? We'd become like brothers, best friends, been through thick and thin together. And I don't know when I will see him again. His family adopted me for god's sake! I was gutted, totally gutted to say goodbye. And I miss him. Starting to think I shouldn't post this because it's coming across so miserable. Don't worry - I've been having the most amazing time recently, but sometimes it gets hard and that's the truth of it.

So now I'm in Quito, the capital. I arrived this morning on the nightbus and easily found a hostel in the Mariscal area with all the other backpackers. I went to the old town and discovered today is Worker's Day so everyone was out parading around celebrating being... workers. It was all very colourful and jolly, I rather liked getting all caught up in the crowds. This arvo I went to the Mitad del Mundo (Equator). They've made it into a sort of theme-park, it's very odd. A band was playing right down the centre of the Equator; which they've drawn a big yellow line to represent. Although its actually scientifically incorrect. The guy doing the job got it all wrong so it's about 7degrees off. IDIOT. I had fun jumping across to the Northern Hemisphere for the first time in over 6 months. Felt good. Bit emotional really, felt like coming home. Haha! Got the crazy local buses home and that's me done with Quito. There's heaps more to do but I like said, no time! So hopefully, fingers crossed, I will be going to Colombia tomorrow. It's all a bit complicated, and my final border crossing could be one of the craziest. I've decided to DIY rather than get the pricey international buses that go at 5.30am in the morning. I'll let you know how I get on.

Sorry if this has been less than up-beat. I miss you all and I'm looking forward to getting home. Big adventures still in store though...

Ellie