Travel Email 2
Well of course not everyone is getting my travel emails with the link, so if anyone asks please spread the word.

First off about the tear gas, as best I can find about 4 years ago the Ecuadorian president was deposed and so every year on the anniversary there are major protests. Protests which I assume are kind of lighting rod for many frustrations. I think.

Internet is slow here, so look me up on yahoo or msn messenger. charlesnetto@yahoo.com y charlesnetto@hotmail.com.

Well we are on our way out of Ecuador and into Peru. We have spent the last week in a sleepy little town called Vilcabamba. It's a tranquil little town that is known for its spring water. Apparently people in this valley live quite regularly to a hundred, something attributed to the altitude, climate and spring water here. The water is quite good. We're staying at great hostal that has a pool, jacuzzi, sauna, pool tables, ping pong tables and movies. All for about 8 bucks a night.

We took an overnight trip to Podocarpus National Park. Ecuador's biggest park, encompasses all of the different climates in Ecuador in one place. You have everything from rainforest to highlands. We took horses into the park, did some hiking, spent the night in a refugio (cabin), the next day hiked up a river, through some beautiful jungle rainforest to a waterfall, and then took the horses out. On the way out it rained and there was some crazy terrain for the horses to get through. There's nothing like going up a steep hill and seeing the horse in front of you slip on wet clay, I was sure he was coming right back at me and taking out me and my horse. Our horses names were Cranky, Van Stop, and Fall Back. In case you're wondering I named them. Overall it was quite fantastic.

So we're on our way out of Ecuador into Peru then probably a few days in Bolivia then through to Chile and then Argentina. In theory anyway. Unfourtunately the Inca trail and Machu Pichu are closed for February so we may have to fly back to do Machu Pichu.

That's'about it, more info whenever painfully slow internet permits.

If interested in Peru go to the bottom and I will add under ecuador, Peru info.

luv to everyone!