So I spent a couple of days in Banios, beside a very active and angry volcano. I wasn´t spitting lava but lots of ash. Luckily the wind was blowing out of town, leaving us with just impressive views, I took this photo from the main street in the twon, with no zoom. Crazy stuff!: The town itself was a little too touristy but nice to walk around at night as a result:

The main reason I went there was for a mountain bike ride I had hear a lot about. It´s pretty much 61km of down hill, from the Andes to the Amazon Jungle. It was great to stop along the way anytime I wanted to and not be confined to a bus. I passed lots of waterfalls and great white water rivers:

Mark, I asked the cockril and he said that it was bolsa wood, but the owner was gone to lunch so I couldn´t get you any, sorry. Next time!: I also passed two bridges where you could sort-of bungee-swing between (without the bungee).

Going....

...going...

...gone...

I had the company of this butterfly, riding on my hand for about 2km: The road eventually opened out onto a fantastic view of the Amazon in the distance:

However there was definitately more uphill than the guide book suggested and I was exhausted by the end. But I just stuck the bike on the roof of a bus and headed back to Banios. It took 7 hours by bike and only 1 h, 20mins back by bus!

I´ve moved on and am now in a town called Riobamba. Unfortunately, all the ash from the volcano has been blown hear. The streets, the cars, my eyes, mouth, clothes.. everything is covered in a fine layer of black ash. I´m glad I´m not staying here for long. I´m getting a train out in the morning. I have some great market photos, but they´ll have to wait as Ive a dinner date (with a girl!)I have to keep now.

xxx R