Ok just a quickie as my final week is packed with things to do and stuff to buy. Have said goodbye to another family and my last weekend in Cuenca was spent exploring the small indigenous towns around the Southern Sierra. It has been Carnaval for the last week and the tradition here is that everyone (especially the girls) get water thrown on them wherever they go! Everyone carries those huge water guns as part of the tradition of ´cleansing´ before Lent begins, and this weekend was spent totally drenched (even the buses have to keep their windows closed for fear of waterbombs). Actually quite glad nearly it´s over now because I´ve been baking in my raincoat for the last few days and you start to lose your sense of humour about the whole thing after every last item of clothing you own is soaked! Still it saves having to do any washing. I was also cleansed by a Shamen from one of the region´s tribes who shook herbs over my head, painted crosses on my stomach and face, massaged me with an egg and then spat over me with a medicinal liquid to heal my body and soul. I have never been so clean. Although the amount of icecream and crepes we followed it up with were definitely not prescribed and may have cancelled out any previous positive aura. Hiking in Parque el Cajas was thrilling - definitely the most beautiful countryside in all of Ecuador and filled with orchids of all kinds, but sadly not much wildlife. Was hoping for a bear or a puma but they kept themselves hidden. Can´t really complain about lack of wildlife though after the Galapagos islands. Have moved from Cuenca to Riobamba where tomorrow morning at 6am in temperatures of zero degrees I will perch on the roof of a train from here to Alausi. It´s called the Devil´s Nose train ride for it´s amazing switchbacks and almost impossibly steep descent, so unlikely I will remove my camera from its case, at the risk of losing it over the side, and because I will certainly need both hands to hold on. After that I head to the town of Banos, the town that was evacuated in November last year because Volcan Tungurahua started erupting, so I´m hoping for no more than a few sparks while I´m there. I will though be heading up the facing mountain for a night time view of the crater. Otovalo, one of the most famous markets in South America has been saved for the final weekend of my trip before coming home next monday. Any special gift requests - get them in now! That´s it for now off to reserve my space on the roof.