Hola everybody:

Hope all is well in your corner of the world. We are starting to see the finish line, our time in Ecuador is progressing very nicely indeed. We had a lovely time in Cuenca a beautiful colonial city with wonderfully preserved architecture. We stayed there for 5 nights in a hotel where I could use my visa card. It was not total luxury but it was very comfortable indeed and the price was not bad as well. We visited a private museum with a beautiful collection of most of the aboriginal cultures to have been found in Ecuador. There were many unusual pieces including musical instruments, the same principle as with a xylophone but with rocks of different timbres and all dated over 1000 years ago. The museum alsor had some lovely reproductions, some of the best we have seen so far and we bought a few small items. We are running out of room and the bags are getting heavier and heavier although thankfully we have only had to pack them around on the odd occasion. Taxis are both cheap and plentiful everywhere so it's been quite convenient.

After Cuenca we went to Alausi, a small mountain city, where we were hoping to catch the train the next day to the Nariz del Diablo. This train is an engineering marvel with lots of switchbacks and a precipitous descent. Unfortunately it was not to be. There had been a landslide between Riobamba and Alausi so there would be no train on that day. We almost expected it because this train has been extremely unreliable. It's still the rainy season in Ecuador so there has been rain almost every day but it stops at periodic intervals so it hasn't been too much of a bother.

We left Alausi for Banos which is a resort town only one and half hour away from the Amazon basin. It's a beautiful location with a very active volcano. The town was completely evacuated for a year in l999 because of threats from the volcano. It's active as I write this. We went to see it at night but there were too many clouds so we had to settle for the fire eater show, not quite as spectacular but you can't control mother nature.

The next day we went rafting on the Pastaza river. There was 8 of us with a rafting guide and two kayaks as well for those unpredictable events. Safety was very good. We wore wet suits and helmets and got a crash course in how to paddle. This river is mostly a category 3 with some categoy 4 rapids. Our group was really fun and Enrique the guide was a blast.

Everything started off well. We hit some pretty intense rapids but we did O.K. At about the halfway point, we were going down for 18 kms., we hit these really intense rapids. Everything happened really fast. Before I knew it I was down in the water, I went under and started to panic, I was swallowing water, I came up after what seemed like an eternity, there was a rock wall nearby and I crashed into it but then I saw the boat nearby and was able to reach it. Stan had the fright of his life when he couldn't even see me. I was a little stunned after that and didn't have to paddle anymore. It was pretty darn freaky but hey I'm O.K. We continued down the river and got to a place where there was a wide sandy beach. Enrique asked if people wanted to jump in and everybody did so I thought what the hell, I'm no wimp, so I went in as well. I thought the rapids would carry you to the sandy beach but not such luck. It sort of forked abruptly and you could feel the power of the river just carrying you along. I was the first one back on the boat but everybody else was not long after. It was quite terrifying and they were holding on to the kayaks for dear life. Stan was also scared and was the third one back on the boat. We finished with 2 category 4 rapids but nothing else happened. It was still a wonderful experience and we really enjoyed it. I was a bit battered and bruised from being pulled up and the wall but nothing else. We then went for lunch and finished with rope jumping off a bridge, not us though and only 4 people did it.

The road to the river was incredibly beautiful with a lush tropical vegetation peppered with wild orchids and waterfalls. WOW, I would have given the day a 10 if it weren't for what felt like my "near death experience". Today we soaked our bruised muscles in the hot springs banos is famous for and it seemed to help. We will be leaving for Puno on Tuesday and making our way as planned to the jungle which they Ecuadorians call the near Oriente. Hoping for some more adventures although none involving life or limb. Always nice to hear from whoever cares to write back. Still breathing in Banos,

Josiane

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