Hey Guys, if I remember rightly I left you with us recovering from copious mosquito bites in Puerto Lopez. We stayed there for a few days and then headed north further along the Ecuadorian coast. We travelled five hours on the bus to a town called Manta, which is meant to be a pretty port town. However, we discovered quite quickly that it was infact a s***hole so turned around and got on another bus heading to Canoa, further north.

We drove through Montecristi, considered Ecuadors most famous town and home to the panama hat. We were going to visit it for the day from Manta and buy some souvenors but sorry guys there was no way we could stay there. Anyway we travelled for six more hours along the coast and through the last of the Amazon before reaching our destination, in darkness and knackered.

However, the next morning we woke to discover how beautiful Canoa is. It is a beach village with a few shops and restuarants and a busy fishing industry. We swapped our accommodation for a hostel right on the beach with ping pong and billiards, a good swop we decided and agreed to stay for about five days. The longest time somewhere for ages.

The only slight on the day was the fact that Canoa had no banks or ATMS so we had to spend our first morning travelling an hour back the way we had come the previous day for some money. Life as a traveller is tough work I´m telling you.

We had a great time in Canoa the weather was beautiful, the sea warm and we were able to top up our tans again - hurrah. We also took full advantage of the seafood, lapping it up.

On Monday we then headed to Quito, where we now are. It was a true travelling marathon. We started on a school bus, that had at least 50 kids on it, followed by a water taxi and then rickshaw. We then got a bus, for nine hours and finally a taxi to the hostel. The weird thing is that was our last big bus journey. Sad and weird I reckon.

Quito, is Ecuadors capital city and a busy one at that. It is in a valley surrounded by incredible mountains and filled with ancient cathedrals and monuments. It has taken us a while to get used to being back in a city again, must remember to look before I cross the road!!!!

Anyway we have spent the last two days sorting our Galapagos trip out. We go tomorrow - hurrah. We have managed to get a replacement memory card and new batteries for our back up camera (thanks again Kath and Kelly) and now just have to contrieve a way to not lose it in the Pacific, bloody ocean.

The hostel we are in is lovely and even got to cook yesterday for the first time since New Zealand, yeay and we are returning here when our trip finishes. No more walking the streets, with our back packs on, looking for somewhere to sleep and haggling over a dollar. Will we miss that, I don´t think so.

Well lovelies, thats you up to date. You won´t hear from us for a while and some of you might even see us before this blog, that we have kept up so religiously, is added to.

Anyhow, take care of yourselves and sending you lots of love, us xx