We heard that it was whale watching season on the Ecuadorian coast. Sperm whales to be exact, on their migratory path from the southern ocean to... somewhere in the northern hemisphere. So they favour the Ecuadorian coast for mating, splashing and heavy petting. Who'd be a whale? The overnight bus down from Quito to the coast was a nightmare, the bus was too cramped, the driver a complete nutter and thus the chances of sleep were somewhere between slim and zero....

So back from Banos to Quito and I was very excited about the pending hook up with Kev and Claire, friends from back home in Brighton. We had arrange to stay at the same place, Hostel El Centro del Mundo in Quito's traveller´s ghetto, Marsical Sucre. Cue much excited screaming, jumping and shouting when we arrived practically at the same time - and off to the nearest watering hole! What followed for the next two days was much drinking, merry making and story tel...

The journey from Huaraz up to Ecuador was long and made over three sittings. The first port of call on this stretch of the Panamerican highway was the small resort town of Huanchaco, an out of season surf and fishing town three quarters of the way up the Peruvian coastline. Not much going on there, but I did hook up with a Jaime, an Irish vet also on his way to Ecuador, so we teamed up for the journey. Next up was Mancora, the Peruvian surf town that I had alre...