Wednesday 17.09.2014

Strong Colombian coffee and a chocolate crepe. Feel we`ve earned it after a third morning up at 6 and off into the hills by 7 for four hours or so of reading, colouring and trying to explain where Escocia is on the map.
In fact maps have featured all week as the idea has been to establish contact with some of the Book Bus children in Zambia and exchange information about the respective countries.

But reading a book is the first business of the day, fun for some and challenging for others, not least us non-Spanish speakers: suddenly we are in the position of being poor readers ourselves, "barking at the print" with little comprehension - a truly salutary experience.

However with each day we pick up a little more - Susan excelled herself this morning asking the children questions and, more importantly, understanding most of the answers!

After the reading comes an exercise to describe what is good about living in Ecuador and something about themselves (favourite food, favourite toy, favourite sport) to send to the children in Africa.

Each day we`ve been at different schools, two more tomorrow and yet another on Friday. If the plan comes together, we return to the same schools next week, armed with accounts of life in Zambia: our mask-making skills, honed to perfection last year, may come in handy.

And when there`a pause in proceedings what better than to settle down with - what else - a good book......

The actual Book Bus in Ecuador is currently based in Quito and while plans are afoot to acquire another one for Puerto Lopez, we have the opportunity to arrive at our destinations in a variety of ways. One school has been close enough to walk to from the house, today we went further away by car but Tuesday was another ride in the ubiquitous tuk-tuk,

dozens of which buzz constantly round and round the village and up and down the surrounding hills, often at breakneck speed (at least when they`re coming down) and without which it seems the place might grind to a halt.

Meanwhile we explore the village: the familiar delights of a stroll along the beach,

the somewhat less familiar (and for my ornithophobic friend frankly terrifying) experience of walking through a gathering of vultures to get to the market - and the library!

So back to the coffee and crepes....and later maybe a pizza. Can`t be all work can it?