I arrived in Bańos on Friday evening, after a fairly uneventful 4 hour drive with Claire. We chatted all the way...filling her in on Buenos Aires took about an hour and a half!!
We spent Friday night mostly looking for Claire's sister, but it was also punctuated with meeting people that Claire knew (she used to live in Bańos) and some very good food at Casa Hood. I was introduced to Marcello, Claire's crazy friend who takes people on tours in the jungle. I learnt more than was necessary about the reason he was on antibiotics, but liked him anyway! We eventually found Lucy and Ben when we'd given up looking and were heading home to bed!
On Saturday we set off for Bilbao to deliver some food and clothes that we had collected at school for the people who live there.
On the way we stopped to look at the view. We never actually saw the top of Tunguhuara, but we felt it's presence and saw it's paths of destruction - great grey swathes cutting through an otherwise green and arable land. When Claire first visited these villages, 3 weeks after the eruption in 2006, the rivers were still steaming and the rocks were still hot.
The people in this area are subsistence farmers, but they are unable to farm their land for 8 years after the eruption.
We spent Friday night mostly looking for Claire's sister, but it was also punctuated with meeting people that Claire knew (she used to live in Bańos) and some very good food at Casa Hood. I was introduced to Marcello, Claire's crazy friend who takes people on tours in the jungle. I learnt more than was necessary about the reason he was on antibiotics, but liked him anyway! We eventually found Lucy and Ben when we'd given up looking and were heading home to bed!
On Saturday we set off for Bilbao to deliver some food and clothes that we had collected at school for the people who live there.
On the way we stopped to look at the view. We never actually saw the top of Tunguhuara, but we felt it's presence and saw it's paths of destruction - great grey swathes cutting through an otherwise green and arable land. When Claire first visited these villages, 3 weeks after the eruption in 2006, the rivers were still steaming and the rocks were still hot.
The people in this area are subsistence farmers, but they are unable to farm their land for 8 years after the eruption.
Hidden in the clouds is the top of Tunguhuara Volcano.
Old Man of Bilbao
On arriving in Bilbao, the village appeared to be deserted, apart from a horse, a few dogs and this lovely old man. Claire went off to find the head of the village whilst Lucy and I took photos.
Situated on the roads around Bilbao and in Bilbao itself we saw
many of these signs - warnings about the volcano.
many of these signs - warnings about the volcano.
One by one, then all of a sudden, the villagers started to appear - the head of the village had called out to tell them of our arrival. Whilst Claire, Ben and Lucy organised the donations, I continued to take photos of these amazingly resilient people and their gorgeous children. 
We learnt that the government in Ecuador had given no help to this village after the eruption and presumably it is the same in the other 16 villages which were most badly affected. They rely on people like us not forgetting them and on aid from other countries. We were thanked profusely for what we brought, yet we felt a little ashamed that we didn't have more. .
At first all the children got in line and we found clothes for each one - holding them up to see if they would fit. Then the adults got in line for their share of food and clothes. They were all so happy to share the items out between the entire village. 
We were all quite amused when we found this doll's dress, which obviously wouldn't fit anyone! (The man holding the dress is the head of the village). Another funny moment was when an old lady took a camisole and French knickers - the younger women were laughing and calling, 'Sexy' after her. She looked a little baffled whilst trying to work out the knickers, but I felt sure she would wear them with a little smile on her face.
This guy appeared to be the oldest man in the village, he waited until everybody else had food before he stepped forward to claim his.
Just before we left, we shook hands with many of the villagers who again gave us thanks and praise.
Driving away I felt incredibly emotional, I really wanted to do more. To go to a supermarket and fill the entire car with things that the villagers need. I felt humbled and quite close to tears. We are all so capable of going around in our own little bubble - I know I am - aware yet not aware of the reality of life for so many people in this world. Many of us live under very priviledged circumstances but just don't realise it. I have known since I arrived in Ecuador that I'm in a very priviledged position and now I realise it even more. For a long time I have tried not to take people or situations for granted, to appreciate what I have and what I'm given, but I realise there is more to do than this. It is difficult because it is just not possible for us to help all the people in Ecuador that are in need, but I sincerely hope that I will be able to go back to Bilbao again.
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