Puerto Lopez, we think, on the coast of Ecuador

Posted from Puerto Lopez by Daryl, 18 Feb 09 at 07:59

Quito was like Rotherham but with less allure and more rain. We priced up 4 days on the Galapagos and it was going to cost 1500 pounds. We still thought bout going for it but then couldnīt raise the cash due to the credit card theft in Lima. Instead we settled for an ecolodge in the national park on the coast. The trip here was gruesome - flight then 2 hours on unmade roads but it is wonderful - hacienda meets hobbit hole. We find it very moorish. We have a rustic balcony overlooking the sea and jungle, swimming pool, great food and breezes to counteract the equatorial sun. There are only 7 of us here but we welcome the peace and quiet before the madness of Rio on Friday.
Having paid 18 pounds for a lousy bottle of wine we braved it into town yesterday. A tuctuc taxi arrived (basically a sit on lawn mower)which rattled our gizzards and came upon the poorest town we have yet seen - even worse than anything in India - only not so much rubbish. Tankers bring in water all day and every day as thereīs no pipeline. We couldnīt wait to get out again, clutching wine which cost a sixth of the price of the stuff at the ecolodge and tasting much nicer. We canīt send emails from here at the mo so sorry if we havenīt replied to any.