cuenca again

Finally left vilcabamba (although as the leaflet for my hostal says, you can check out but you will never leave!!!!) and all the madness that went with it. Dont think i described the hostal we stayed in....it was really v nice with a pool and good gardens etc, but it was run by a load of Germans (with a v scary/hilarious german on reception with the craziest laugh you have ever heard) so there were a lot of rules. The most annoying one of which was that there would be no dvd watching after 6pm! we managed to get round this by befriending the barman (the only non-german and holder of key to cupboard with aforementioned dvd) and letting him watch the variety of chick flicks that we had bought specially!

Also had my first attempt at reiki, and i think it will be my last! I thought it was going to be the therapist hovering hands over me and sorting out any aches and pains or whatever. But it turned out to be him putting his hands on various energy points and leaving them there for 5 mins while he breathed in a calm manner!!! Needless to say i was a bit too british for all that and became v self concious of my breathing and nearly died from not breathing enough!!! And after all that torture he told me i had some stubborn energy in the heart area, from old emotional trauma, but it was ok now cause he had gotten rid of it. Phew I thought!!!! Dont really think alternative therapies are for me! Give me some antidepressants and a bottle of vodka any day (only kidding mum!)

despite the best efforts of the Germans, Vilcabamba was v relaxing though and had a lovely time hanging out with Kate adn emma whilst trying to avoid the 18yr olds who seemed to want to adopt us as friends! ha am now back in cuenca for a night to break up the journey to guayacil and then on to the galapagos - hurrah!