We love it when a plan comes together !!. Were now in Cuenca Equador, but not before a fairly complicated bus journey. We left the little surfing village Huanchaco on Thursday 28th at 2000. I was a little worried about the first bus as it was a more local bus and Mrs Wilson does like her comforts on the buses, thankfully it was ok and we were sat up the front. It took us to Tombes the languid border town between Peru & Equador. We arrived at about 0700 on the 29th. Having researched lonely planet (what did people do before the Lonely Planet ??) we knew which company would be best to take us over the border and on. We caught a motorbike taxi, not as scary as it sounds, it has the front of a motorbike but the back is then converted so its like a trike with a passenger area spread over the area of the back two wheels. Sam and i got in with our massive bags on our back and i was sure it was going to do a wheely !! We got to the next bus company safely and found that the bus we required left at 0800, barely enough time to go and buy some banannas and bread rolls and we were off agin. This bus took us across the border which was a fairly painless exercise, we had to get off once on the Peruvian side for an exit stamp and once on the Equadorian side for the entry stamp. The bus took us to Machala, which is the self proclaimed Bananna capital of the world, they have so many that when you go to a restaurant there in bowls which you can help yourself from for free !. However as soon as we got there we took another taxi to another bus company who would take us to Cuenca. It was a little confusing when we got there as our Spanglish wasnt working very well. A chap who looked kind of like he worked there offered to take us in his pickup, we thought all the way, but it turned out he just chased the bus untill the first stop where we got onto the last bus of the day. It was a beautiful journey, we passed through the inevitable bananna plantations which made way to jungle type terrain. The road wound up the mountains, the bus driver inevitably took it as a challenge to drive as fast as he could, by now though were used to this so Sam had pre taken some travel sickness pills. We eventually got to Cuenca at 1400, pretty good considering all the changes we had to make. Cuenca reminds us a little of Cusco in Peru, with grand Colonial buildings & cobbled streets but its not quite so charming. Again refering to the Lonely Planet we found a hostal overlooking one of the main sqaures. The only downfall to its great views are the six floors of stairs you have to climb to reach it ! Weve done a little exploring today and found the beautiful river Tomebamba, where ladies (obviously) still do their washing on the rocks. Another interesting fact is that the 'Panama' hat actually comes from Cuenca. They still weave them here today, but the good ones (which are so finely woven they can allegedly be rolled up and passed through a ring !) cost about $100. We also arranged to catch a bus tomorrow morning at 0730 to take us on our way to Banos, from where we plan to go into the jungle !!