We had quite a trip getting to Ecuador, we planned to go straight to Quito but after a random coach swap at 2am, then the bus breaking down for 6 hours, getting onto another smaller bus up an down the mountain roads, catching another small van from Pasto to the border...! We decided that we would just a get a quick bus to Otavalo and stay a night there, it was quite an experience, our first breakdown of the trip, apart from the half powered boat on the amazon if course!

There was a silver lining to this knightmare trip, the 2 hour drive from Pasto to the Colombian/Ecuador border was down the PanAmerican Highway, through a mighty big gorge and the sights were literally breathtaking, sheer drops to the river below, never ending mountain sides to the sky, waterfalls and a Volcano, named Comba I think, the driver mentioned it, something similar to Comba anyway!

We arrived in Otavalo quite late so we just went for some food and a couple of well deserved drinks.

Next day was Saturday and that meant it was the local indigenous market, a 'not to miss' event according to our book. We went shopping mad, bought some lightweight snazzy joggers for coach journeys and lazing about in, £4. About 3 t-shirts all of which cost £8. An inca stone pendant, not an original! Socks, football and other bits and bobs. The local women all wear the same oufit, brightly coloured dresses, white shirt and a trilby styled hat. They walk around carrying huge bags of food/clothing on their backs, very strong women indeed. That afternoon we catch a bus to Quito, only a couple of hours which is more like it...