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Riobamba was supposed to have the coolest train ride ever.  It even has a cool name, Nose of the Devil.  Doesn´t that sound like something you want to do?  You were even able to ride on the roof.  But noooooo, some indigenous people, okay actually it was a lot of indigenous people, decided that they needed to go on strike to protest the nationalization of lands currently held by them, and coincidentally, very high in natural resources.  I mean, I´m absolutely behind their struggle for equal rights in Ecuadorian society, but do they have to stop the tourist train?  To be honest, I´m not really upset or angry at all, it´s more of a disappointment that we couldn´t do it.  Certainly not the first time a strike has held us back from doing something.

So, in response, we´ve decided to leave Ecuador.  We´re waiting in Machala, banana capitol of the world, for our 11pm bus to Piura.  It´s supposed to only be 7 hours, with the border crossing.  But the cool thing about this bus is that it´s supposed to have beds.  I´m not exactly sure what that means, but I requested a king size.  Don´t know if that translated properly.

We´re heading to Huanchaco, a beach and fishing village where we will be able to unwind for a few days before heading back into the mountains for some rock climbing and trekking around Huaraz.  Should be sweet.