Dying to be alive...

...the things you see, the way you see them, will never be seen again... let´s not go through our lives, without just dying to be alive...



Yesterday was incredible.

Left Banos on Tuesday evening and arrived in Riobamba late. Although to be honest I didn´t think I´d make it. The bus journey was horrendous and Duncan wisely didn´t tell me until afterwards that the road had infact been closed for the pass year due to it slipping away through landslides. Great. But got there in one stressy piece and checked into a fancy hostel near the train station. The highlight of the stay - Paparocco. The hostel´s freaky cat with one chewed ear. Joubs reckoned it was the devil.

Up at 5am. In the ticket queue at 6. Saw the train. Nearly cried. Rickety. Old. And often de-rails. I was petrified, especially as we´d be riding the thing for 6 hours sat on the roof - literally on the edge of sheer drops. Met up with David who we met in Banos (he´s from Farnham. Course he is. Everyone I meet seems to be connected to my life back home) and the American girls we did karaoke with. The boys found my fear highly amusing and Joub took great delight at singing Soul Asylum´s Runaway Train (not funny, buddy.)

However, it was amazing. Probably the best thing I´ve ever done in my life. Man, the views. I can´t even begin. I didn´t think that such utterly, utterly awesome scenery could ever exist. The pictures don´t even scratch how beautiful it was - check them out, I´ve just spent hours putting a load on here and it´s not working (am literally about to lose it.) I was blown away. And all the mountain kids hear the train, run out and catch the lollies we lobbed at them. Incredible.

A four hour coach journey when we got off and we arrived in Cuenca. Checked in to a lively hostel with Joubs, Dunners and David - I´ve now got three boys. Brilliant. Drank loads. Duncan went to a rave and I met some Ecuadorian guys and 2 German girls who took me to a salsa club. More drinks. Ran in to Duncan and Maria - the Ecuadorian girl we met on the train. More drinks. Then another club. More drinks. Stumbled in at 3am.

Today I feel awful. Awful. Of course I do. Joub´s roped me in to collecting the World Cup stickers as he was desperate for a swapsies buddy so we spent the morning sorting out our albums and buying loads of packets (cheap as salchipapas.) Ran in to Marcin who we met in Latacunga, had a wander and a chicken lunch and now getting ready for another night of mojitos... I´m loving it, loving it, loving it. I´m loving it like this.