now writing from Quito Ecuador!

i have been here 3 days and already i have a lot to say. it has been a mixed experience from the beginning. there no way i can recap on how i felt at various moments but i will attempt a summary.

day 1
at the boarding gate from spain i began to feel real nerves for the first time when i noticed there was not one person on the flight who was not ecuadorian but me.. the flight was ok, 10 hours. aricomet are fine, the meal was just a bit of slop to keep you alive but who cares , i saves about a grand on the flight. i would recommend them. they gave us immigration forms to fill on the plane, this is when i realised that i diden even have the full name or adress of marthas aunt (the one i was supposed to be staying with on my first night) that made me more nervous.. imagine going to the other side of the planet and forgetting the details of the person your supposed to meet.. doH!

arrival into quito airport (at night) was really arriving into another world. it was jam packed with people.. took 40 minutes to get through security (who by the way checked nothing of my vaccines or anything else. and just stamped my passport and "welcome to ecuador" )
the bag situation similarly chaotic. bags scattered all over the floor, just before i gave up i found my pack squished under some huge suitcase.

no sign of marthas aunt, i went outside.. no telephones.. being approached by strangers offering me taxis.. went back in and lucky i spotted her in the crowd, she had waited 2 hours .. so nice of her.

then we hopped into the car. the most run down looking women i have ever seen in my life approached the window sellgin chewing gum.
and the proceeded to drive through 10km of very run down looking neighbourhoods.. building in disrepair.. roads rough and old, groups hanging around.. people burning things at the side of the road.. i was thinking. what am i in for..? a whole continent of this?
nieves was lovely.. she showed me the kind of money they use,, and spoke to me in spanish about loads of stuff .. it was hard to take it all in with jet lag on top.. but a great kickstart to sanish speaking...... then i slept.