Hey everyone, this is the 2nd time I am writing this as its deleted it once already!!!! Firstly I apologise for spelling mistakes.  I am typing with a Spanish keyboard which is not good!

We arrived in Quito last night (midnight in the UK) and we landed in a thunder storm. As we went through the arrivals hall about 200 hundred people must have been having a good look at us. It put us right off and we jumped into a taxi straight away to head for the hostel.

On the way through the city I realised just how poor some of the people are here, it was a bit of a culture shock. It then started raining. Not any type of rain I have ever seen, It fell from the sky and within seconds it was running down steps turning them into waterfalls and it turned some roads into mini rivers!!!   

The hostel is really nice and the people are really friendly. I was so tired when we arrived that I had two mouthfuls of burger and had to go to bed. I felt breathless, had a headache and had the kind of motion sickness you would expect from standing on the top of Everest!!!

I slept for 12 and a half hours until I felt I could finally move. I had a shower - it was nice and clean but not as clean as at home!!! We went up to the terrace for breakfast. Breakfast was fruit (god knows what sort!) and scrambled egg with a crossiant type roll. If I eat that everyday then I will come back lighter for definate!

We walked into the old town this morning and has a look round. Hardly anything was open because it is a sunday. It was nice seeing everything though. I felt safe apart from the fact every person stared at us as if we were from another planet! Sunday seems to be their family day. They had even shut the roads so everyone could cycle round the old city.

We will most likely go visit the Basillcia later and climb to the top of the tower to take some photos overlooking Quito. You can see the Basillica from the pictures I took this morning from the terrace.

Anyway, I'll write again later. Helen.