NOTHING ELSE MATTERS
THURSDAY 22ND AND FRIDAY 23RD I AM TAKING A REST DAYS/WORK DAYS IN LOJA. COMPLIMENTS OF TOM MENTIONED BELOW.
THE BIG NEWS IS! I AM NOW UP TO DATE WITH THE BLOG WRITING, I JUST NEED TO ADD THE PHOTOS. PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR FOUR NEW POSTINGS OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS 
THANKS AS ALWAYS FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND SUPPORT.
MANY THANKS TO FELLOW JOURNEY RUNNER TOM DENNISS FROM AUSTRALIA. TOM HAS VERY GENEROUSLY SPONSORED ME FOR A WEEKS WORTH OF STEAKS AND HOTELS HERE
HE STARTED HIS 29,000KM AROUND THE WORLD RUN ON JAN 1ST AND IS CURRENTLY RETRACING SOME OF MY STEPS IN ARIZONA.
PLEASE CHECK TOMS WEBSITE HERE
THOUGH HE IS ON HIS OWN VERY TIGHT BUDGET THIS WAS A VERY KIND GESTURE.
IT IS OBVIOUS THAT LIKE ME TOM IS A GREAT BELIEVER IN KARMA!
THANK YOU SO MUCH TOM AND MAY THE ROAD AND THE PEOPLE BE AS GOOD TO YOU AS THEY HAVE BEEN TO ME!
I am about 3 weeks behind in the blog as I have had so many issues and problems to resolve in the last month. Recently I took 2 rest days and started 5 of my seven days on the road in internet cafes, so I would like to apologize for the delay in the blog.
However out of sync here is one update which lashed out of my head as I ran thru the small town of San Lucas, Ecuador yesterday. I had it written in my head by the time I got to the other side of the town! This morning at 5am I jumped out of bed to get it onto the hotel computer. Sorry for the rough version, I will update with photos and spell check later!
Yes the roads in Ecuador have been a pleasant surprise, paved all the way from Tulcan near the Colombian border, half of which has a decent hard shoulder.
All the way from Tulcan the road is marked, not with signposts but almost every kilometre is marked by the sad dumping of babies diapers out of vehicles. I could probably find my way here from Colombia without a map, just follow the diaper trail.
So I ran into the north end of San Lucas not expecting much, just the usual chicken restaurants. I got my usual welcome from the ´welcoming party ´some 5 mongrels!
I am now armed by a Dazer 2 dog deterrent WEBSITE which Sir Richard Beresford-Wylie sent me. Sir Richard invented this device and I can tell by the look on the faces of the mongrels they dont like it as much as I do
THAT ONE IS FOR SIR RICHARD!
I ran towards the town center. It was not like any other town I had run through. Women were out washing clothes outside their houses. There was a constant pedestrian stream in both directions. The people here in Loja state are mostly the indigenous peoples of Ecuador. The men and young boys mostly wear white shirts, and long baggy black short pants. Their long black hair in pony tails, everyone wore a wide smile and gave me a warm greeting.
As the traffic rushed through the small town of about two kilometres long, the folks just walked along slowly. Women with long black dresses, I was reminded of the Amish people of New York and Pennsylvania.
By chance I had been listening to my mp3 player. Then I turned it off half way through Metallicas ´Nothing Else Matters ´ PRESS PLAY
Yes how fitting. There are people here, probably amongst the poorest people I have met on the run and though it seems to me on the outside they are contented, they don´t need much to be happy.
Their houses are mostly pretty basic shacks, but happy homes from what I could tell as I went by. People were out cleaning and renovating what little they had got. There was a ´happy feeling in San Lucas, Nothing Else matters.
I stopped for lunch, yes more chicken, no getting away from it. Last week I stopped in a large town and though I might find something different, mabey even an American franchise, what did I find.. Kentucky Fried Flippin Chicken!
Talk about selling sand to the Arabs!
Here as I ate by the roadside eatery I watched the children walk from school, many dressed like miniature versions of their parents, bowler hats and all.
I was so taken by the town that after lunch I just walked through it, stopping to talk to more of the curious locals. Almost all the women were camera shy, it is said photographs take some of their spirit away.
These people wanted me to stop for a beer!
By the far end of the town I was on a high, this town had made an impression on me, sometimes it´s hard to put a finger on it, sometimes it´s just a warm glowing feeling.
This lady told me she sometimes works in the fields picking fruit,flowers and plants but there is not much work around now. We put our heads together and ended up swapping hats!
WE PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER!
Three more dogs escorted me out of the town. So, feeling a bit like James Bond, I thanked Sir Richard, my Mr. Q and slipped my dazer back into my pocket. I used to believe that dogs mirrored their owners. Well perhaps sometimes but not always as there are too many nice dog owners in places like this. I now believe there are so many cranky dogs as perhaps they are half starved.
I turned back on my mp3 player and played a request for the town of San Lucas, another Metallica classic, Hero Of The Day. PRESS PLAY
So it was time for me to….. Wherever I May Roam PRESS PLAY
PLEASE CLICK > HERE TO SEE MY ROUTE SO FAR AND MY REMAINING ROUTE. START AND FINISH IN DUBLIN IRELAND WHERE THE FLAG IS. NOTE I GOT TO EDIT MY CHILE AND ARGENTINA ROUTE. I WILL BE RUNNING IN VERY LITTLE OF CHILE AS I PLAN TO RUN THROUGH THE CENTER OF ARGENTINA.
March 21st, 2012 at 12:55 pm
Another good read Tony, seems like the people of San Lucas have a special place in your heart. A great experience for you apart from the dogs. God Bless Sir Richard, I’d say you glad of his device. Just don’t ever use it on Lucky
Continue to enjoy James Bond!!!
March 21st, 2012 at 3:09 pm
Hi Tony, Enjoyed reading your short write up, its very obvious that you are in great spirits and especially enjoying this part of the journey. Thankyou for your lovely card and gift for Mothers Day. You are so thoughtful remembering me across so many miles. Take care and mind yourself Mam
March 21st, 2012 at 8:13 pm
Hey Tony–Happy St. Paddies (late)—-snowing here–crazy weather—-Anyway–enjoyed the read on San Lucas!!!—Will get to work on the route through S.E. Asia now that I am home again!!!—also, have been working on the camera refund, but they aren’t being to good about it as the camera is pretty beat up and they seem to think that it was not used in a normal fashion–haha—imagine their faces when I told them the story and who was using it—I am sure they thought my tale a bit apocryphal –anyway–will go back and see about speaking with another mgr. who may be more flexible—–OK–good running—back to you soon—Greg
March 21st, 2012 at 8:22 pm
Keep on Trucking tony. with your dog deterrent and frequent hard shoulders you will hopefully enjoy the roads a bit more though as you have found, the friendly but relatively poor folk of Ecuador are wonderful.
Hil and my thoughts are with you as you jog on south
Paul
March 22nd, 2012 at 8:51 am
tony, its great to hear you in such good form. even without your written updates, the spot tracker is great for watching you tip along. keep her going!!! kevin
March 23rd, 2012 at 5:34 am
Good¡¡ hear again that you are doing right Tony, and how healty are you keeping along the distance.
Amaizing schedule in Ecuador….you could be an excelent BBC News Reporter.
And Better¡¡
God blest your good job.
Andrés Montero & Family
Nayarit , Mexico.
March 23rd, 2012 at 12:08 pm
Great reading Tony. Great to hear you in good spirits. Look after yourself and eat plenty.
March 23rd, 2012 at 4:26 pm
Wow tony, another smashing read. Very uplifting to see how happy these people are. Puts things in perspective. Keep up the good work. Serena