"It's not a bus, it's a truck": current motto. And the truck's called 'Tortuga'. She's a pretty cranky 'Turtle' currently spewing oil from one wheel, but hey, muchos respect...have spent many hours in close contact with her recently, playing multiple games of 'Deathcard' and rolling Connect4 tournaments. Only on day 5 of the tour but having such a good time, loving being with a crew of peeps again...really interesting mixture, from Icelandic hard-man, to Irish bird-watcher, to eighteen-year-old public schoolboy with a guitar. Also many excellent girlies with whom to go on gin-missions (not easily available here, but I will triumph and consume my evening G&Ts). Delia Bridge kicked into force last night for my group's cooking night...produced tres smooth white sauce, chocolate fondue and bread-and-butter pudding, sans recipe, for 25 people. I didn't name this site for nothing. First stop last week was the famous market town of Otavalo, near the Colombian border...many tres fashionable ponchos/knitted booties/crocheted water-bottle holders to be had but am trying hard to restrain myself until we get to Peru, where I hear things are rather more chic. I wait with baited breath. Went for a day's horse riding which involved being carted up to a hacienda/dairy farm in the middle of the crazy hills (they're sort of flat on top but have deep, deep, skinny valleys in between - bizarre but beautiful) and being presented with Apache and his American saddle. That last bit means no ability to rise to the trot hence incredible pain in the arse the next day - who knew the inner thigh could hurt this much? However, saddles did involve large pommels to hang on to for dear life as these horses responded to the gaucho's calls for 'very fast gallop down very narrow, rocky, tree-hung track'. So much fun, despite constantly being twatted in the face by branches. Have had pretty much the last 2 whole days in the truck, going up to the Bella Vista Cloud Forest, and then getting to this place, Baños, where there is an active volcano currently belching ash. No trips up to the crater just now, then. Got to sit up on the roof seats on the truck, which is like a 2-in-1 theme-park ride and sightseeing combo ticket. Arrived in the dark to set up camp both times, but am actually (drum roll please) really loving the camping, and we haven't even had a round of Kumbaya yet. We're angling for liquid prizes for speedy pitching of tents. Heading to the thermal baths for which this place is famous this avo, then heading into the jungle for our Amazon trip tomorrow morning. Huge levels of excitement although not looking forward to a) tomorrow's hangover (we're staying at a campsite owned but a Swiss nutter whose 40th birthday it is today) and b) the massive hairy spiders of which there will be many, based on the big hairy spiders we have already seen. Sounds like exam season is very nearly over - big huge smiles to all who have survived - muchly proud of you. Now go and get all that red bull out of your systems and replace it with Champers, you deserve it. Thanks for les messages, will try and be in touch a tad more regularly. Big wet snogs, Keiko x