The coast and a lucky escape

Thets not a fish, thets a whale (mate)!
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The museums had taken their toll and we felt the need to get out of Quito. So we planned to follow the Gringo (foreigner) trail to Baños to visit the hot springs, go rafting and check out the active volcano. All very well until it errupted…! Luckily for us however, Fernada’s aunt had decided not to use her holiday home on the coast this week… so we could, thus sparring us from almost certain death. (Joke Grandpa – don’t worry!).

We set off in Fernanda’s trusty Clio and managed to survive the 6 hour journey to the coast by alternating our ‘learn Spanish’ CD with Take That. Drove thorugh some amazing scenery: cloud forests and a great sunset. Had a few problems finding the way because maps just don’t exist here. People just stop and ask for directions. Even men. But to do that, you have to buy something of course. Made it eventually and spent the following day on the beach. Befriended some local kids via the lure of badminton rackets and inflicted our Spanish on them. Managed to find out all their names and ages and tell them ours and tell them our boyfriends are in England. Luckily it didn’t occur to them that they could have stood there swearing at us and we would still have smiled and said ‘si si’! But anyway, were quite proud of our acheivements considering we’ve only been here a few days.

Rather weird to be shimmying away alongside the local 5 year olds

The local It girls
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Headed out to a local beach bar later following una botella de vino tinto at the apartment (have converted my only Italian phrase into Spanish). Had some beautiful cocktails for the bargain price of a quid each and managed to do a convincing impression of salsa. Great music, and wicked atmosphere. Even the kids were joining in. Rather weird to be shimmying away alongside the local 5 year olds. Consequently felt rather rough the following morning however when we got up at daft o´clock to go whale watching. I think flying out to sea on a speed boat comes second only to skiing as the world´s best hangover cure. Saw loads of humpbacks, really close to the boat which was absolutely amazing. Also saw a school of flying fish, pelicans and blue footed boobies! Spent the evening with Fernanda’s brother’s family and had beautiful local shrimps in coconut sauce for dinner. Charlie upsettingly had breaded chicken. What a loser. Left the next day; the Clio taking another supreme battering on the pot hole ridden roads as did our wallets thanks to a dubious ‘toll’ which consisted of 2 local youths holding a rope across the road and another shaking a tin!