Guayaquil, Ecuador

A cockerel that sounds as if it's being strangled wakes me up at 4am and I'm unable to get back to sleep.

It's another long bus ride this morning, this time to Guayaquil, Ecuador's largest city, main seaport and commercial centre. Again the bus stops continually to pick up people, some with sacks of potatoes, grain etc. Others hop on briefly to sell ice cream, nuts and water. Soon the aisles are full of people standing and there's even a live chicken on board. The loud Ecuadorian music is really beginning to drive me mad and I start to wonder whether any bus drivers have been lynched because of it. I'm thinking about it. Ecuadorian buses would definitely be in my room 101.

For five hours the bus crosses from winding mountain roads into vast flat landscape covered in huge banana plantations (I spot Dole). The temperature also changes from cool to hot and humid and I feel like I'm back in the jungle. Walking the few blocks from my hotel to the Parque Bolivar leaves me drenched in sweat. The tiny park, also known as the Parque de las Iguanas, has many iguanas climbing trees or just walking around looking inquisitively at people.

(Photo - Parque Bolivar)