Ecuador

The arduous mission of getting to Ecuador turned out to be worthwhile; Quito was great – like a big version of Cusco... wandered around the old town and its many plazas, enjoyed the views from the towers of the Basilica del Voto Nacional (involved tightrope walking across the roof and then up a few rickety ladders to the very top), El Panecillo, and the balcony at Cafe Mosaico...

To the equator; purely for novelty value. There's a big touristy monument at the "official" Mitad del Mundo" (although they got it in the wrong place) along with several hundred cafes and gift shops - not worth the visit. The little Museo Solar Inti Nan two hundred metres north is supposedly on the "real" euqator, and very much worth a visit - water experiments, egg balancing, solar clocks and callendars, totenpoles, and lots more random bits and pieces...

Next stop, Baños (town, not toilet). Tiny little town in the middle of the green mountains, full of thermal bathrooms, and surrounded by waterfalls and volcanoes (which have been very active in the last twelve months...) After a relaxing steam bath, went for a wander around the nearby hills, but one missed turn and ended up halfway up Volcan Tungurahua - awesome view though! With hindsight, maybe the thermal bath shoudl have been after the climbing expedition...

Onwards to colonial Cuenca and its cobbles, churches and whitewashed, before starting on the seemingly simple task of getting to Peru... Bus to Machala broke down in the wee hours of the morning, so we were loaded onto the next few buses(/trucks/tractors/vans/etc) that passed, minor problemo was my bag going on the roof of a Guayaquil bound bus (north) when I was heading south... but they kept their word, and seven hours later my bag returned from its detour, and we set off for Huaquillas. After an attempted mugging on the Ecuadorian side, and then a stupid scam (also failed) at the Peruvian side I was in Aguas Verde =) Spent the night on the floor of Tumbes bus station, then combi to Mancora, then north again to the Punta Sal turnoff the Panamerica, and finally moto to the fishing village itself...