maria Hey Grazie I've been loving your blogs. When's your next one - also not sure when you come home love Maria x

Grazie Hi Wendy, It was and it wasn´t - especially as the group ended up being separated initially and only towards the end did we all catch up to each other. No idea where the bus was or what would happen next - would it get fixed or would we have to wait for another one (from about 2 hours´drive away)? No, I didn´t buy any beads as souvenirs but I will be going back to Otavalo at least one more time. I´ve got two alpaca jumpers and a traditional hat (with feathers) as souvenirs already. Although heavens know how I´ll manage to transport/wear the hat around later. I´ve got the same amount of luggage as when I stopped over from Australia, when I travel around after the project later: main backpack and a day pack (worn at the front!) plus possibly a large shoulder bag...! Grazie

wendy The weather and ensuing misadventures make for fascinating reading, but I'm sure it wasn't as funny at the time. I'm glad you're playing it safe and also keeping as warm as possible. I love the picture of the woman with the gold beads. Did you buy any beads as souvenir?

Grazie Margaret, Thanks - it'll be much more difficult once I'm on the project. No WiFi, so it'll be much more intermittent and therefore possibly one massive long blog of several days or couple of weeks!! You'll get tired of me posting how wet and rainy it has been in the cloudforest rainforest...!

Grazie Hi Mike, I thought I corrected that mistake!! I didn't find either willies or wellies at the store - how disappointed am I?! Grazie

Michael Trott Grazie, Well done on all the blogs so far. Really interested to see that you could not find any "willies at the hardware store"! Have yet to read all of them but will sit down now and enjoy the rest. Take care and enjoy the salsa twirls... Michael

Margaret Hi Grazie Totally enjoying the updates, you're really bringing your experiences to life for all of us back here in England. keep up the good work and good luck with the next phase.

Grazie Hi Wendy, It's been fun so far, in Quito. We'll see how we get on in La Hesperia, the project I'll be moving on to, next Monday! Trying to get myself some rubber boots but as usual, I'm having difficulty. Kids are way too small and adults are way too big! Even "croc" plastic shoe substitutes are letting me down! Hope you get a chance to do something yourself - maybe when Joey and Leila are a bit older, huh? Or you and I could take a trip out. Whereas, you're envious of my trip, I've met loads of the others at the school who are all going on to Peru, Brazil, Argentina, etc, and I'm envious of THEM! There's one couple who have managed to get a whole year's sabbatical to go travelling (mind you, they've being saving years!) and they're travelling for the entire 52 weeks, too!

Grazie Hi Luella, I'll try and keep you updated - once I'm in the project, it'll be intermittent. There's no internet access in the rainforest, of course..! I've enjoyed writing them so far and hope I haven't bored everyone with the Spanish lessons in between the excursions! Don't think I'll be showing anyone how to do the canalezo (not if I have to boil for an hour) but I can certainly do the Ecuadorian version of "bottoms up!"

luella hi Graz, Updates are great - keep them coming. Of course we'll all be expecting you to throw a cocktail party when you get back!

wendy chow I'm enjoying reading about your amazing adventures. You really capture the sights and smells well. I'm so envious, and hope someday to be able to immerse myself in another culture like you're doing.