Today was a day of pals. After a hostel breakfast, first I headed out in search of jeans, since Ais had kindly pointed out that my jeans had seen better days (which they definitely had!), and I wanted to look half decent in Colombia, a place where people truly take pride in their appearance! I hit the historical centre first and headed to a place that David had suggested. Sadly it was closed, maybe to do with carnival and after checking, having coffee in a super cute courtyard I discover by accident and checking again, I gave up.
I went across town by bus to the mall to continue the jeans hunt. I mooched about and tried A LOT of jeans before settling on a pair of non skinny (how rad!) jeans from Bershka. Then I hit up Kai, and headed over to his flat, where he and his wife had prepared Chinese dumplings for me from scratch. I was greeted very enthusiastically, by their dog name ‘well-behaved’ in Mandarin, which was very accurate, as if you put a treat on an open palm, right in front of his nose, he would be drooling looking at it, but would wait for a command to eat it! We chatted about their (wife and pooch) travels from China, reuniting in the US, and life in Ecuador over dumplings and then homemade cake with te de cacao (chocolate tea), which I had tried with Kai in the market, and they had gone back to buy together. It was glorious. Then we went for a walk in the local park, known as the Central Park of Quito with the pooch and managed to successfully avoid the final foam sprays for carnival. Loads of people were out playing football and basketball and there were lots of street food stalls too, which all smelt meaty, but good!
After the park, I headed back to the mall to meet Aura, a girl I had met and hiked with in Cuenca who was working from Quito for a month. We went for pancakes, chatted and had a little mooch about the shops. Before we knew it, hours had flown by and I needed to head back across the city to go and ditch my stuff and get ready to go and meet my old school friend Holly. I got the bus back to my hostel, put my new jeans on ans chatted to an Oxford 6th year medic on elective before heading out.
Sadly, the Quito weather was against me. The rain was torrential, bouncing back up at my ankles from the pavement. The road was a river and as soon as I stepped out into it, my trainers were soaked. I saw only two other people on the streets and they were running! Perhaps the rain would keep me safer since noone would even consider going out to try and rob people in this weather! Even as a Welshie, who’s very used to rain, it was a lot! I met Hol and Steph, her uni hockey mate, who I’d met once before at Owen’s ride, a charity cycle ride, at their hostel and then we headed out. I wasn’t entirely sure where to go, since most things close in the evening in Quito, but the guy in their hostel suggested independence square which was close to the super cute courtyards I’d discovered that morning. We headed there. We ordered, chatted, I drank wine, ate gorgeous lamb and generally had a nice time. Hol being Hol asked me a million questions so I was the last to finish eating by a long way! 😂😂 Hol and Steph walked me back to the hostel (babes) and then I chilled there a bit before bed. We had hod to have a rooftop fire and fiesta but the weather was so bad, it was a lost cause.
22/2/23
Another moving day! Today I was off to Mindo, a cloud forest a ‘couple’ of hours from Quito. I had a lazy morning – I ate breakfast, read my book and drank coffee in the hostel, before eventually heading out around 11am to see the golden church. On my way there, I bumped into Hol and Steph, who had just finished with the teleferiQo and were heading for coffee. We sat in Independence square and chatted. Time flew and soon I needed to head to my bus. I said my goodbyes, bought an empanada and went to get my stuff from the hostel. I thanked David and got an Uber to the north terminal in Quito. There I would meet a friend, Martin, who I met in Mompiche (a beach town), and we would take the bus to Mindo together.
I found Martin in the station, we bought tickets and then headed to Mindo. The journey was pretty with lots of luscious, green hills and we chatted. We chilled, chatted, had a mooch around the town before getting food in the evening. I shamelessly said I wanted pizza and we went to a place with a glorious pizza oven. The pizza was gooood! Mindo is a sleepy place so after dinner, we headed back to the hostel.
23/2/23
I lay in a bit and then we headed out for breakfast. We went for a traditional breakfast, which was tasty and massive! 😂😂 Afterwards, we mooched about before heading out into the Cloud Forest. Typically, as we arrived at the Teleferico, a chairlift, the heavens opened and the clouds lowered and we gave up on the idea of going up the mountain in the lift to see any kind of view. Instead, we got a taxi back to the town and had a relaxed afternoon in a coffee shop. We watched a film before going out for a glorious fish dinner at the same place we ate pizza. It was oh so good! I slept early since we both had to be up at 6am for our respective buses.
Aisling and I chatted awhile in bed when I arrived before going back to sleep til 10.30 ish when we figured we should go on a breakfast hunt followed by a carnival hunt! We went downstairs to discover there was a free breakfast of sorts, including shitty weak, black coffee and shit white bread with margarine and jam. We went for it and then headed out. We left our phones in the hostal incase carnival was as sketch in Ambato as it is meant to be in Rio and Barranquilla, and followed the road signs to the city, memorising the route. We had a business card for our hotel just incase we got stuck! After nearly an hours walk down the main road in the sun, we made it to Ambato’s centre. For some reason, we wandered into a shopping centre (possibly for some shade), only to find that carnival tings were going on inside! There were women in assorted green Bridgerton style dresses, a girl dressed like a prom queen with a tiara and all and a woman who was given an amazing crown of flowers! There were some speeches followed by a couple who did a dance routine in traditional dress, followed by the VIPS dancing badly to music. Then the ceremony was done and everyone filed out. We wanted to find water, which we did before going to a market over the road because a guy had told us there was good local food there. When we got there, the whole market (with multiple floors) was decorated up, with bunting, balloons, fruits and flowers. We knew it was the festival of Frutas and Flores but didn’t particularly expect the celebrations to take place in a fruit and flowers market with a few carcasses hanging in the butchers at the back!! There were more speeches, some kids came on stage dressed up in matching dresses and suits and then a singer came on and the VIPS danced, munched and drank juice. There was also streamers and indoor fireworks which were so close that they were falling on people while they were eating their lunch! Wild! After the antics were over, we went to get food in the market. We ended up going for quinoa soup which was bloody glorious and creamy and one of the best soups I’ve had here! Mmm!
We mooched about the town a little more after this, passing through various squares before picking a cafe to chill out in a little. We had coffee and cake before we mooched some more passing some places which were showcasing displays made purely of flowers. Some were really impressive, one of which was a hummingbird with its beak in the middle of a giant flower. It was so impressive! We went to see a few of these places, found an independent market fit for Digbeth 💛 as well as a random art exhibition from Bhutan before we went for a caipirnha. We chilled and chatted before grabbing a hot dog each in one of the main squares and catching a random bus from the main road. We hoped it would take us where we needed. As soon as it turned off the main road, we got off and walked the rest of the way. After the previous night of no sleep paired with not being so well, I was very ready for bed!!
19/2/23
Today we planned to get up early. My friend from Quilotoa loop, Greta was staying with a local and had the inside info on what was going on. She said there was an early carnival procession in the street and that people went there early to prepare for it. We weren’t too sure when it started but Greta said they were aiming to be there for 07.30 ish! We aimed for the same. After another quick hostel breakfast, we caught a bus into town. We were on high alert for foam spray, which kids and adults alike use in carnival to spray each other with for fun! We found where the carnival procession was due to be quite easily and bought seats to watch it. Then we had a couple of hours to wait until it actually started. Lots of hawkers were walking up and down the street selling their wares. We waited to see what the options were before getting some water and chicken fried rice to set us up for the day. Someone had told us that the procession was four hours long and we worried that we may not be able to get snacks in this time!! We sat next to a family, a father, mother and son, with a family friend. The dad was jokes and chatted to us a little in Spanish, offered us his food, shouted the vendors for us, asked for free promo hats for us, opened my water bottle and overall just ensured we were A OKAY. He became our carnival dad! There was a lot of seating drama and people kept trying to use the seating area as a cut through to the main road. There was minimal policing of this (a high vis jacket or two would have been oh so useful, but alas!). Instead hoards of people pushed passed a grandma with a new born baby in her lap and tensions rose among us seated folk! Eventually, the procession started, shortly after a fight between two women broke out in the road! What a drama!
First, police and army marched through the streets and the floats came by, each displaying a different idea made of flowers and fruits, followed by a dance troupe, sometimes with a live band on the same theme. It was fab!
It last only two hours (thankfully, as the sun was getting really strong and the promo hat had ripped) and then everyone started filing out. There were foam fights everywhere and we struggled to navigate back to the cafe from the day before what with road blocks, thousands of people and tons of foam fights. Eventually, we made it to the cafe and took a breath and had a coffee. In the cafe, we saw the same Ecuadorian wizard with a long white beard as the day before and we chatted to him a little more before leaving. After the cafe, we got a menu del dia in a local cafe before attempting to dodge foam attacks until we were safely on the bus back to our hostal. We would rest a little before the evening’s entertainment. I read my book on carnival in Rio and ended up finishing it (good timing).
In the evening, we headed back into town for a concert, or so we thought. On arriving back to town, I realised the concert was in a different part of town. We hit back the indie market and Aisling bought some beaut jewellery from a woman we had spent quite some time talking to the day before, bought some empanadas from a shop and then got a taxi across town to the concert venue. It was sold as a reggaeton concert but Greta had got there before us and said it was quite a mix of music. On arrival, we were searched and many foam canisters were confiscated at the door. Then we negotiated our way to the stage, searching for Greta and her pals. After very specific instructions from Greta, we were eventually united and had a substantial gringo group going on!
Greta
The first band played slow ballads which really weren’t the vibe of carnival that I was expecting, but the the second band livened up and by the third band, most people were bobbing about! Aisling and I were waved over to a group of local teenagers and so we danced Brum style in the middle of their circle! Then the rest of our group joined and eveyone danced together in a massive group! After a song or two, we escaped back to our own patch for a bit. Various people gave us shots of canalazo, a hot alcoholic drink which I had tried once before. A slow traveller guy Seb, who looked very Bristol, but was actually from Cuenca, Ecuador and studying in Chicago joined us after we left the teenage lot. He was travelling around Ecuador for a few weeks before he had to go back to uni. The rest of our group left and me, Ais and Seb stayed for a few more songs before we also left. Ais and I tried to get street food on the way home but when we ordered in Spanish, the stall owner just gawped at us and served others. We gave up and headed home empty handed.
20/2/23
Today was moving day. I was headed to Quito, and Ais to Banos, the parting of the ways. After breakfast, I headed to the bus terminal and got a bus a few minutes later to Quito. I arrived in Quito mid afternoon, after having to navigate a big bus terminal on the edge of town. A nice security guard asked if I needed help and walked me to the bus that would take me to the centre – what a babe!
Quito looking cute
On my walk through the historical centre to the hostel, I stopped for empanadas with a sweet corn based filling and a cappuccino. I spent the rest of the afternoon chilling in the hostel! I chatted with the owner, David, for awhile and found a jew book to read, before I headed out to buy food to cook with. David had given me the idea to cook Tigrillo, mashed plantains with an egg on top, and since I was in need of veggies, I chucked some of those in too. Since it was the Monday of carnival, people were still out on mass with their foam sprays. Even on the fifty metre walk from the hostel entrance to the corner shop, a guy got me right in the neck (and hair😭😭😭)! I got a discounted fancy cake with fruit and a lot of cream on the way back and then chilled and chatted the evening away.
I woke up on my bus, which was emptying out to find I would not be in the bus terminal at the right time to take my connecting bus. Luckily, I had data to inform the hostel who I booked through and find a number for the lodge. I got through and made a plan with someone in the lodge for the cooks to pick me up from the town when they were getting the food shopping. I messaged the cook Martha to confirm. Perfect.
My bus stopped shortly after this and everyone filed off the bus. It was still due to go to the main terminal but since I was the only person left, it seemed unlikely. I asked them and they directed me to another bus. I had to buy a new ticket and hope it wouldn’t take too long to arrive – they told me an hour but in Ecuador, everything takes longer than it says! When I finally arrived in the terminal, I messaged Martha. They would be there shortly. I grabbed an iced coffee and a pastry for the journey and then we set off, stopping off at another supermarket on the way for things the last shop didn’t have. In the taxi, everyone was discussing breakfast. After an hour or so, we stopped off at a big open cafeteria with many food stalls. We ordered breakfast/lunch menu with soup and a meat and rice dish and after eating, we got back in the taxi and headed onwards. Martha paid for the taxi drivers dinner, since he had to wait for us. After another forty minutes, we arrived at the bridge, where we would switch to take a wooden boat deep into the Amazon.
They loaded the boat up and the covered everything with tarps and then we headed off. They gave me a rain poncho, which I didn’t think I needed since it was so hot and sunny, but they told me to keep it with me anyway. After thirty minutes of sunshine, the rain began. Once it started, it poured and poured for the rest of the journey. I quickly put my poncho on and hid my stuff underneath it. The boat began to fill up with water so I had to move my rucksack from it’s resting place on the floor. Martha used the guys coat, which he kindly have her, but he was absolutely soaked in jeans and a long top with nothing to use to shelter from the rain. The driver was the same. Madness! When I arrived, I was shepherded straight into lunch where I met the rest of my tour group, including Will and Dakota, who I first met in Banos. There was also a Dutch couple and a Colombian woman, Amaria, who now lives in Panama. We had a little chill time before heading back out on the boat for sunset. I read my book in a hammock awhile before we left.
We were a full boat, since we had another tour group with us too. We stopped a few times on route to look at birds and to search for pink dolphins, which are river dolphins, too. Then we headed to the middle of a lake for sunset and some people swam. Simce I hadn’t really slept for the last two days, what with the four hours sleep pre hike and then the night bus, I didn’t fancy it, so just enjoyed the sunset from the boat. Afterwards, we went back to the guest house for dinner and then I slept early because frankly, I felt knackered!
15/2/23
Today we had a busy day planned. After breakfast, we got in the canoe with a ponchos at the ready! We were going to see how people lived self-sufficiently deep in the Amazon! After a two hour boat ride or so, stopping to look at various birds and monkeys on route, we arrived in the pouring rain to the ‘community’ as our guide, who was also from a ‘community’, called it. We met a woman who showed us their plantation where they grew bananas, oranges, yuca, cocoa and many other things. The community had a school for kids from 5-10 years old and after that the kids needed to go to a town at least sic hours away if they were to further their education. Apparently, in covid, it was necessary to install WiFi in one building of the school so kids could do work without moving to another town or city. They said that while WiFi started out as being useful, it quickly became a distraction with all the online games that were available. Classic!
The lady showed us how to harvest yuca, which looks similar to yam, and then we made yuca bread as a group. First, youeel the yuca, then grate it, then squeeze out the water, then sieve the fine pieces and then squash it together to make patties before toasting them individually over a fire on a hot ceramic plate. After we’d made a lot of them we ate them with veggies and some tinned tuna (lol), along with some chicken fried rice. Afterwards, the village kids had set out a market with all of the jewellery they’d made from various beads mixed with seeds from the jungle.
Once they’d packed away, the shaman came. The shaman is the medicine man for the community. He said that while he cannot cure things requiring surgical intervention such a cancer, he can cure all medical problems with his few herbal potions, and through taking ayoasca, a herbal but potent drug that give you strong hallucinations and is supposed to provide clarity to your thoughts and solutions to problems. We tried a horrible potion for stomach pain, which was so strong, I thought it may induce stomach pain for me! Then, he asked for a volunteer wh had muscle ache to receive a treatment. He got two volunteers one after each other and we watched them be hit (fairly gently) with a very thorny plant. Then he wiped over it with some herbal balm. When he was done, they had lots of small cuts on thir backs! He asked for more volunteers but noone fancied it. Instead, some of us tried it on our hand instead just to feel the sensation. Since I have hay-fever and always react to thee things, I got a great reaction and my hand took to days for the redness and swelling to return to normal! Afterwards, the sun was finally shining and we got the boat back to the lodge to chill a little. On the way back, the guide showed us how local kids play with a specific tropical red flower – enjoy the pic!
I read my book in a hammock for a bit before it as time to prepare for a jungle night walk. We got the boat around sunset and then started walking just after dark with head torches. Classically, when I got out the boat and scrambled up the muddy bank in wellies, I slide back down and fell on my hands and knees, getting mud everywhere! We carried on and went bug hunting. One of the girls in the group had had both an assignment and a job searching for frogs and spiders in the jungle so she had a really sharp eye and managed to find even more insects than the guide did. I managed to spot a small snake, and we saw many spiders, including a couple of tarantulas, as well as cickroaches, crickets and other things.
After a long night walk of a couple of hours, we headed back to the boat to go back to the guest house for a late dinner. I hit the sack earlyish again! My tummy had become dodgy!!
16/2/23
Pretty much did nothing today. I was due to leave, but that seemed like a bad idea, so I stayed another day and just stayed in my room and close to the loo!! I tried to eat breakfast, which was quite the mistake and then spent the rest of the day suffering. The guide did however, bring a snake he had found on the jungle to breakfast, which was quite the adventure! Afterwards, I Netflixed, read and slept. The rest of the group were going on a day jungle walk, so I had the place to myself.
At lunchtime, Martha came to call me for lunch. A new group had arrived and they wanted to question me, all the usual travel questions (where had I been, how long am I travelling, where was I from etc..), but I just ate my soup quickly and returned to bed. I wasn’t in the mood!
I read in a hammock for a bit before my group returned and I had some tales of the day. They had gone fishing for piranhas and the guide had had some of his finger bitten off in the process. There had been a lot of blood! I had a herbal tea, made especially for me and my dodge stomach and then chilled. I skipped dinner. Just another day.
17/2/23
Today was moving day! We gt up early to go birdwatching. I reckoned my tum could take it, so off I went. We saw a fair few birds, and the morning mist was beautiful. Then we headed back in the boat for breakfast. I managed most of breakfast minus the eggs and then we grabbed our stuff and got back on the boat to head back to civilisation. Oooft.
The boat took a couple of hours and then there was apparently a tourist bus which could go to Lago Agrio, where I needed to change bus. I waited around for it for a bit since it was the bus the rest of my group was taking only to be told that the bus did not stop in Lago Agrio and went straight to Quito. At this point, I’d already missed one local bus – annoying! I headed to the road and waited for the bus with tow girls from the US. It wasn’t too long before a bus came and two and a bit hours later, I was in a raging terminal, full of people with places to be in time for carnival the following day. I re-bumped into the two Banos Americans on my Amazon tour and we ended up getting the same bus to Ambato. Sadly, the bus was in four and a bit hours so we set up shop together in a cafe for the foreseeable and eeked out buying food and drinks between us to last the four hours of sitting. We chatted, chilled and read.
Eventually, 7pm came and it was time to find our night bus. We got on and with my earplugs and eyemask on, I slept almost immediately. We arrived in Ambato at the delightful hour of 5.30am where I said my goodbyes to Dakota and Will and headed to my hotel to meet Aisling, my uni friend.
Today I was starting a three day hike, the much talked about Quilotoa loop, starting in Sigchos and ending in Quilotoa after walking by the infamous turquoise lake. After checking out, I headed to the bus station alone. I knew a few people were probably going from the hostel, including my German roomie, but I needed to grab breakfast on the way and maybe a few snacks. I stopped for a traditional breakfast halfway to the bus station and grabbed a couple of bananas. Then I got the 09.30 bus to Sigchos, the beginning of Quilotoa Loop. The bus ride was a good few hours and after buying some snacks from a panaderia, I headed off, with only three cakes, a lone banana and a bottle of alarmingly green pop to fuel me – I had hoped the bus station would have had more snacks and sandwiches, but alas, it was not meant to be!
Cake #1
After gathering snacks from about the village, I bumped almost immediately into the German guy who had been in my dorm (and Banos), with another German guy who he had decided to hike with. The new guy looked confused at our casual greeting and asked if we knew each other. We did all the introductions and I learnt that dorm guy was Max and new guy was Tim. We started walking together, which was nice although they had decided to walk two days in one so had to walk at a fair lick! The views once we left the outskirts of town were beautiful almost immediately. We chatted and walked until we hit a steep down hill. I told them to carry on and not to wait for me, because we were already starting relatively late – most people start at 11.00 as supposed to 12.30 – and I was worried about them going double the distance in the light! I lost them quickly on the down, but when I got to the final slope, they were there waiting at the bottom eating snacks, trying not to laugh at how shit I was at going down slidey steep stuff! I told them they should’ve have but they said they didn’t want to leave me walking all alone. Cute! The were some more mad views, another steep downwards slope with Max and Tim patiently waiting at the bottom! Awhile later came the parting off the ways – I needed to cross the river and go up the opposite side of the valley and they just needed to plod on along the road some more. We said our goodbyes, got a selfie for the blog, and I headed off down, down, down!
Walking by the river was quite a boggy affair, which quickly turned into a slightly scrambly boggy affair! It was steep up for quite some time! I was slightly relieved that I could do the uphill at my pace without worrying about stopping, so after the bog, I enjoyed a snack stop with a view. Afterwards, I headed onwards, upwards, along a track with beautiful flowers and into a field with some cows, and a bull that somehow snuck up on me and flared it nostrils as I was looking at the route! Aaarghh! I got out of that field pretty quickly after that! After some new mad views across the valley, I turned onto a track, which I continued on until the village I was staying in. I passed a tractor and a woman with her sheepdog and flock. (Most shepherd’s seem to be women here, which is cool, though I don’t know why men don’t farm much here. Who knows?!)
At the hostel, I was shown to a four bed dorm, just for me (luxury!), showered and then went back out to a viewpoint before returning to chill on the veranda in a hammock, reading my book with a cup of tea. I was looking out at the view when a woman brought three alpacas/llamas (I can’t tell the difference despite someone who worked on a llama farm telling me!) into the garden. Glorious! Once it got cold, I moved to sit by the fire and read and chatted a little to two German brothers. For dinner I sat with the Germans, a Dutch girl, an American gal and a Canadian guy. The other young table was made up of French speaking tourists. The final table at dinner was two Brits from down south who had sold up and had been travelling for the past ten years to enjoy their life and their love and from what they said to prevent them from getting bored of each other! Fair play. We were brought the best soup I’ve eaten in Ecuador, a glorious pumpkin soup with homemade cheese scattered on top for starter, followed by a standard meat and rice main and pud. I went to bed fairly soon after that as did most people, but did spend maybe an hour playing guitar by the fire first as the German brother dutifully worked away at their already very good Spanish.
12/2/23
Today, everyone got up early for the pre hike breakfast and then I jumped on the English speakers hike. I joined Meryl, Greta, Connor and another guy Owen from another hostel who we waited for for a fair while (over an hour) after breakfast to start our hike. Luckily, we had plenty of time, so it really didn’t matter and he was a useful hiker (balanced, not scared, with two good knees, and happy to help), so it was worth the wait!! We set off as part of a herd of tourists, but quickly we spreaded out. We became our pack of five for the day. The views were beaut, the hiking nice in parts but with more significant boggy sections than the previous day, mixed in with having to slide down the bog instead of scramble up it, it became a challenging day. We were a group with four bad knees and one wuss (me) so down was not ideal and took plenty of time. Everyone made it down through the bog before we had to start the steep hike back up the other side of the valley.
We stopped for lunch at a random point in the valley only to be attacked by flies! We moved on quickly and retried slightly later with more success. A wiry old solo man passed us, at quite a pace! Fair play! We stopped at a viewpoint tree house over the valley which was pretty insane, after a super steep, breath stifling climb! It was worth it! Eventually we made it to the edge of town and slowly dropped people off at their hostels. We had lost Meryl at some point on the final road as everyone was so exhausted they needed to walk at their own pace! Then Owen left for his hostel, then Connor and I to ours and then Greta.
Cloud Forest hostel was pretty nice. Because Connor and I arrived together we were given the same room and lucked out with getting a double bed each (luxury for any backpacker!). We showered and then Connor and I went on a snack hunt in between and found the village to be a bustling place! On returning, I chatted with other hikers in the hostel, including a Dutch guy who sounded more British than me (good afternoon to you sir) and an 18 year old who was here to teach trombone to kids in Quito (think McCall Smiths Bertie!), played pool and table tennis with Meryl and then eventually had dinner. I even had a beer – wild!
Dinner was a family affair. Everyone sat together on long tables. I had the pleasure of sitting opposite Mr USA, who was everything American and couldn’t bear to miss the Superbowl. Despite his best (and loudest) efforts, he didn’t not have success streaming the Superbowl live to a small wooden house on the mountains. After our three course dinner, pretty much everyone went to bed to prepare for the next days hike. I went to bed with the best intentions to be asleep by 9pm, but was tossing and turning until 2am. My roomie and hiking bud Connor was the same. The morning would be a nightmare! The only plus side was stargazing at midnight was pretty stunning. The milky way was OUT!
13/2/23
After a night of little sleep, the alarms went off too early! We wanted to leave around 06.30 to have the best chance of seeing the lake in all its turquoise glory, before the inevitable afternoon cloud settled in and muted it to a more solumn blue-grey. We were down to three hikers. Meryl’s knee were too injured for continuing to be a sensible decision and Owen had sacked off the early start so he could enjoy his breakfast. So off we went, Greta, Connor and me. Again, as soon as we left the town, the views were beaut. We hiked down passed a lot of kids in uniform, making their ways up the valley to school. Some steep sections again, but thankfully, today was pretty much all up!! Good for wimps and knees, but quite a hit of cardio, especially in the altitude! We went up and up, and met some people on the way going down and down (rather them than me!).
At some point, the old wiry man appeared, right towards the end, on the very steepest section. We had all spread out to tackle the airless climb at our own pace and the man was gaining on me. Nooo! I managed to keep going, getting dizzy passing some llamas, stopping to drink and snack and managed to reach the lake just before the wiry old man. Yaaaas! We got a squad pic at the top, where the others were waiting for me. Niceeee. A Dutch couple from the hostel and trombone Bertie were already at the top, having set off even earlier than us! Not long afterwards, a lady came to open up her cafe. I went in to order coffee and she offered me some coca tea to try which locals use to help with the altitude. It tasted bitter, but with a bit of sugar, it was alright, and perhaps it worked, because my head was fine for the final part of the hike!
We had a long (and much needed) chill at the lake of an hour or so, before heading onwards from Quilotoa lake to Quilotoa village. When we made it to the village, we were all ready to eat and rest. Absolutely, well and truly exhausted. We tried to find the bus times but couldn’t, so gave up to search for food instead. The place was very sleepy and most places seemed closed! Eventually, we found a place that did empanadas, but the woman wasn’t keen to cook for us. Eventually, she brought five out of our six empanadas and looked annoyed when we asked for our final one. More shockingly still, she had no salsa (a freshly made chilli and onion sauce, integral to Ecuadorian cuisine). What was this madness?! We ate quickly before hauling ourselves up and out to search for the bus. A few taxis tried to convince us that there were no buses, but luckily Greta said no and we found the bus, on the edge of the dual carriageway. We collapsed onto the bus and tried to sleep. Greta napped, but still I couldn’t sleep and nor could Connor. Argghh!
When we got back to Latacunga, we all tried to sort our buses to leave for our next destinations, which was a little complicated. My bus did not go from the terminal, nor did it go from any terminal. Instead, it went from a very small shop, which I failed to find. After checking all the terminals, with kind pals in tow, I said my goodbyes and walked back to my hostel (in the sketchy part of town!). There, I showered, got my clothes that I’d left there and repacked all my stuff into my big backpack. I had been messaging one of the hostel workers who was helping me to organise my Amazon tour. He came looking for me while I was in the shower, so I had to answer soaking wet in a towel, a film cliche, I think! Shortly after, I went down to reception and found out about my tour. The guy, Eduardo, had kindly went to purchase my bus ticket to the Amazon (or as close as a direct bus could get you!) and had a printed itinerary for me. Afterwards thanking him, I went to meet Connor for a meaty dinner in my favourite burger joint on the sketchy side of town (a short walk from my hostel)! Aha!
We had burgers and fries with glorious sauce and then headed back to my hostel to get my bags. Connor hopped in the taxi to avoid walking the sketchy part and after dropping him in a more seasonable part of town, I headed to the pick up point for my night bus. A night bus on four hours sleep and a lot of hiking was not sounding like a fun idea, but it was the only way to see the Amazon before Carnival began! Sadly, the bus was an hour late, so I spent over an hour sat on the roadside with other fed up passengers. Almost as soon as I got on the bus, I was asleep, fitted with my Frida Kahlo eye mask and ear plugs. Sleeeeeep.
Today I was meant to cycle to the waterfalls. It was meant to take a few hours, but I woke up exhausted and really didn’t fancy it. Instead, after I enjoyed a slow breakfast of avocado on fresh bread from the bakery and my coffee that I still had left from Galapagos, I headed to my coffee shop from the night before to do some Spanish. After I did my Spanish and had finished my flat white and cookie, I went for a wander, first mooching round the town, before deciding to go to a nearby viewpoint on the way to a popular tourist destination, a tree house.
The beginning of the trail was mainly paved with bits being dried dirt path but nothing dramatic. The view looking back over Banos, with a waterfall in the background was beautiful. I continued onwards to the tree house. My first choice should’ve been telling. The route it wanted me to go was a very steep and very muddy track, which looked very slidey, particularly in my poorly chosen shoes. I had done lots of outdoor stuff recently and just wanted a day off hiking boots/trainers. So of course, I chose my pale grey Toms with absolutely no grip. I waited for a couple to carefully pick their way down the path before deciding to go a slightly longer (hopefully better) route. I made it a fair way over mild mud, poop and up some steep slopes with only mild difficulty.
The next difficulty came the dogs. I had watched a guy on a motorbike carefully navigate a steep windy hill, only to be met by dogs barking. I was aware, but nothing came. Later two huskies came out of nowhere at the top of a hill, looking down at me – one was wagging, one dead pan. Thankfully, they kept going. I moved quickly, not wanting to stop to drink in case I was on one or another dogs’ territories!! I carried on, navigating a few more boggy bits and then bumped into an American guy who asked what I was looking for. (I wasn’t looking for anything, I was just carrying a stick for safety, so I could be ready to fend off any dogs). He said he also worried about dogs and that even though he had lived on his finca (a small house with farmland) for six years, the local dogs still did not accept him! Once I left him, I headed up a veryuddy path, only for it to get steeper and muddier!
Scrambling up with sticks and vines and sliding back down 🤦🏻♀️
Eventually, I made it to the entrance to the tree house where the was a Mancunian girl posing in the road with a large wooden stick. They had walked some of the way up and were also worried about the dogs! When we got into the grounds of the tree house and it’s gardens, it was pretty but was sadly lacking a view. All that could be seen was white cloud. I bumped into Maga, an Argentinian girl in my room and sat with her a little, after swinging on the swing, before I headed down to ensure I had a seat on the only bus back. I sure as hell wasn’t walking down!! The ride down took a surprisingly long time! As soon as I got off the bus, I got a meal from the market, because I was starving. Then I went back and chilled in the hostel and chatted with Nadja. Later she went to get food and I went for the mooch. My card was declined in KFC so I took that as a sign not to get an orea ice cream sundae 😂😂.
Market food
9/2/23
Today was rafting day. After a breakfast of avocado on bread, with my (still going) coffee bought for Galapagos, over half of the hostel set off for rafting. We were kitted out with dapps, a wetsuit and a helmet before we got a minibus to the start. We had quite a serious briefing and by the end, a fair few of us were wondering if we wanted to raft at all!! We were put into groups and we practiced paddling to the different commands. Then we carried the boat down to the water and we were let loose!
It was pretty fun!! We did a few different rapids and I got a chance to sit on the very front of the boat! This meant I was tipped up the highest and then had the furthest to fall! It was bouncy but very fun and if I was going to fall, it would be backwards and into the boat, so it wasn’t too bad. We did a category five rapids which is apparently fairly high – that one was super fun and I wished there was more of those! At the end, I was sad it was over. Time had flown! We changed and then had lunch on the way back in a roadside restaurant. We sat with a young German couple that were also in our boat, Sophie and her boyfriend.
Once lunch was over, and we arrived back at our hostel, I arranged with Sophie to go to the hot springs later, for the evening session. We swapped numbers and then I showered. After showering, Nadja and I went to check bus times to Latacunga for the next day. Then we headed to the chocolate factory. On the way there, we had to turn back. I needed to use the loo – my bowels were not happy!!
Second time lucky, we made it to the chocolate factory. It was a big space with only a small section for making chocolate. Most of it was a cafe and photo place. We did the tour and tried some chocolate – the praline sauce was incredible! We got ice-cream and headed back. I had chocolate and almond with chocolate sauce and hazelnut fresh cream – it was glorious!
I went to meet Sophie and boyf later, along with another girl Sophia, who was from the US. Then we went to the hot springs together and went between two hot pools, one icy pool and one boiling pool! I got chatting to another Londonder while we were there and saw another guy from our raft. After the hot springs, I went to cook something simple at home but told Sophie, we’d meet her for drinks after dinner.
After my dinners of scrambled eggs on bread, Nadja and I dressed up and headed for cocktails at a rooftop bar. You could see the waterfall from the bar and it was quite lovely. Sophie and her boyf came to join us for one drink after dinner and then we headed home.
10/2/23
Today was waterfall day. I had been meaning to go to the waterfalls since I had arrived but hadn’t got round to hiring the bike and frankly I didn’t fancy cycling. Sophia, from the hot springs messaged me to see if I’d fancy going on the bus, which seemed like a much more appealing idea, so we did that. I chilled in the morning, packed, went for lunch, and then checked out and then headed out to meet Sophia and the bus around 13.30.
The bus was a colourful, wooden thing, which made me think of India. We got on and the party songs were blasting! We stopped at various waterfalls on the way, each of the stops with something to sell us. At the first one, we paid to cross a bridge but this bridge was the only way to see the waterfall well. We did it while the rest of the group waited (oops!). At the next stop, we went across a canyon to see the waterfall on the other side on some kind of pully system. Thankfully the whole group did this. Then, finally, we made it to the most epic waterfall. It was huuuge, with loads of steps going from near the top of it to near the bottom. At the bottom, some rapids quickly twisted into a wide, calm river.. How strange. It didn’t look natural! Afterwards, we caught the party bus back to Banos.
After saying bye to Sophia, Nadja and I went to buy our bus tickets to Latacunga. As we were there, a lady said the bus was leaving on three minutes! We asked her to wait five minutes so we could get our bags! She said she would and we raced to get out bags! When we returned to the bus station, the bus was pulling out into the road! We called and someone waved us over to the bus, despite the fact that the bus was still moving! Reluctantly, the bus stopped just long enough for us to scramble on and for the ticket guy to throw our backpacks into the store under the bus. Then we were on our way. Weirdly, the ticket collector waved for two people to move so we could sit down. This felt awkward, but we hoped that they were getting a free ride..
Bus views
Three or so hours later, we were dropped at the side of a dual carriageway, without a moments warning! A taxi was waiting for us and ran to get our bags from the roadside. Since it was dark and the road was big and busy, we were fairly glad the taxi man was there. Sadly, the taxi driver was also happy he had landed the tourist offload and charged us too much for the drop. Thankfully, it wasn’t loads too much, just not the regular price! I drops Nadja at her central hostel and then headed to mine, via many a dark and quiet street.
On arrival I was in a bad mood. I’m not a fan of bus rides and navigating the taxi to the correct place had been tiring. I decided I was going to go out for nice food. Supposedly, there were nice restaurants nearby, but I didn’t really find them. I went to one where you had to send a message to a random WhatsApp number to see the menu, but it didn’t work and all the staff were to wary to try and speak Spanish to me. I left and headed to a burger place playing bachata music. The inside looked like a shitty diner, but the garden was cute. I ordered a burger and fries and shortly afterwards, a group of police came to order their fancy kebabs on sticks. Afterwards, I headed back.
It turned out I was sharing my room with a German guy who I had met in Banos. He was wondering about doing the Quilotoa loop (traditionally a three day hike) over two days. That seemed too hardcore for me and I wasn’t in a rush. I repacked my bags so I only had what I needed for hiking in my big rucksack and then headed to bed.
Today I had my final glorious breakfast at the Guillerminas hostel, but decided against the eggs since I think it was the eggs the day before that had made me ill. I had avocado toast before packing and resting and ensuring I was psyched up for my bus. On the bus, I gazed out the window, partially watched some films and blogged a little. When I arrived at the bus station, I got a taxi to my hostel and ditched my stuff in the room. It was half six ish since the bus had been six hours, so I got out the remains of my cooked pasta with sardines and ate with a British guy, a German guy and a girl from the US. We chatted awhile and I made plans to hike the volcano Chimborazo with the girl Sophie in the morning. I went to bed fairly early, since I needed to be up early for the hike.
6/2/23
I woke up to my alarm and my tummy felt slightly worse than the day before. I decided that I didn’t want to be hiking at 5000 metres when I wasn’t feeling my jest, so I told Sophie I wasn’t coming, and headed back to bed for a bit before getting up for the free hostel breakfast. I managed to face the eggs this morning, and a hot choc! Afterwards, I chilled on a sofa and read my book, ‘The Unexpected Return of Josephine Fox’, which I would definitely recommend. After finishing it, I headed out to a coffee shop to speak to catch up with Georgia on the phone. Sadly, the coffee shop I fancied was closed, so instead I ended up with a mammoth portion of banana pancakes and a very weak coffee. After a nice catch up with Gi, I headed out.
Banging pancakes (not featured piss poor coffee)
I wandered the streets and found a pretty church, a park with great views of mountains on all sides and a few squares wwoth pretty colonial buildings. I also found a market, with hot food as well as fresh fruit and veg. I bought a mild chilli, a tomato, an avocado and an onion ready for my next pasta dish. Then I headed back to the hostel. I cooked my food and chatted with the British guy, Martin, who also wasn’t feeling so well! I went to bed early ish again to have a hope of hiking in the morning.
7/2/23
Today was the day! I was going hiking! I had my breakfast at 7am sharp and the got a taxi straight to the bus station. Then I got the local bus to the side of the road, near Chimborazo, where there was a small visitors centre where you had to register – maybe slightly alarmingly, I was the only one on the list, the first of the day – was there something I didn’t know?! After registering, I got a 4×4 taxi up another 1000 metres or so to the first refuge. This was one, to not push myself too much and two, because I needed to get back to take a bus to a different town after my hike. Even the views from the car were beautiful, with some sort of wild llama/alpacas roaming free.
I hiked from the first refuge to the second one in less time than it said, despite needing or stop every fifty metres or so to try and breathe. My heart was beating so fast, and all because I’d walked a couple of paces! Altitude is wilddd! I filled my LifeStraw water bottle in a nearby stream before carrying on to the refuge and past it, to a silly, small ‘lake’. The small pond was frozen over as were some of the paths. The cloud came over Chimborazo and it looked a little ominous. I walked down as some donkeys were on their way up with local tourists in tow. On my way down, after going past the original refuge, I past a guy that was walking the whole way up. He reckoned it wasn’t as long as they predicted. This was great news to me because it meant I could walk the whole way down without worrying about missing the final bus to the next town I was staying in.
I took the cycle path down which was beautiful. It had stunning views in all directions, and I saw a few more wild and roaming llamas/alpacas. I was glad, however, not to be biking down since the path was steep in places with lots of loose stone on top of the dried and bumpy, so it would’ve taken me soooo long to go down wb with a bike, and probably would’ve ended up with my dragging the bike down as supposed to riding it! At one point, the wind really picked up and the sun dropped and suddenly I was in a sandstorm. I could barely see, even with sunglasses shielding my eyes in some way, feeling a r all the sand flying into my eyeballs from the sides – yowwww! Once, I had reached the bottom, there was meant to be a local bus in fifteen minutes. What that actually meant I wasn’t so sure since time is a little stretched here! I waited more or less the fifteen minutes in a fluctuating sand storm before a guy in a car passed and beeped the horn as if to ask was I okay. I stuck out my thumb, with a shrug and he pulled over.
Luiz (another one!), was a 27 year old student who was heading to University in Riobamba. He had an older sister who was a nurse and a brother who was also still studying. We spoke about carnival, my travels, my job, his studies, siblings and of course the amazing countryside in Ecuador and Ecuador itself and what’s more, it was all in my bad Spanish, which he kindly called ‘fluid’. He dropped me off at the bus terminal before heading the short distance back to his uni. I asked could I take a photo with him for my blog and he agreed cheerfully. What a guy!
Lovely Luiz
Back at the bus station, I bumped into Erodian, the Russian from Cuenca who was off to Chimborazo briefly, just to see it. We had a quick chat before I booked my bus and he got his. Then I went to get my bits from the hostel and chill a little. I chilled in a hammock until it was time for my bus. Then I headed to Banos, which was only a couple of hours ride.
When I arrived in Banos and got to my hostel, who was there but Nadja, who I met about three weeks ago on the coast! Wild! We caught up and then she recommended me a place for areas, a corn based bread which I had filled with pulled beef, black beans, cheese and caramelised onions. Damn, it was glorious! Afterwards, I went for a coffee (a strong flat white no less!) in a very nice coffee shop. Then it was bed time!
Today I had breakfast at the hostel and got talking to an Aussie guy, Robert, who had Italian family, for quite some time. I didn’t have any real plans for the day apart from the walking tour, but the tour hadn’t got back to me to tell me where to meet. Robert said he’d show me a great cafe, so I figured why not?! He gave me a quick tour of Cuenca’s centre, via beautiful park, courtyard and flower market and then we went to the cafe. It. Was. GLORIOUS! It had views over the park and the famous church behind it with the blue domes and the decor was fabulous. We ordered coffee and the torta del dia (cake of the day), which was a delightful rich chocolate sponge with salted caramel sauce and ice-cream. Mmmm.
Afterwards, we split ways and I went for a mooch and a bite to eat before joining the afternoon walking tour. I had exchanged numbers with Robert as he had mentioned going to a market the following day and I was keen to join. The tour was of course from the main pretty courtyard and it was surprisingly quiet, just me and a Czech/Chilean couple that had of course met travelling, but were now happily married in Czech Republic. Cute. We had a tour guide and a trainee which meant the guide were nearly as many people as the tourists – lol. We wandered through many a pretty place, and past many an old building and eventually ended up at a market where I tried a traditional drink agua de flores (flower tea with lemon). It was surprisingly nice. The we headed to a viewpoint overlooking the river where there was another election event going on.
After the tour, I went to sit by the river awhile before going to buy some bits to cook. Then I headed back to the market to try tortilla de yuca, a fried potatoey dish which was pleasant but not exciting. On returning to the hostel, I went to rest a little. I planned to go out for salsa after cooking. I settled in my private room to watch some Netflix. A few hours later, I hadn’t moved, the rain was hammering down on the tin roof and I wasn’t hungry. I sacked off dinner and salsa and headed to sleep.
2/2/23
Today was market day. I’d told the owner of the hostel that I didn’t need breakfast and that I would be back to collect my big rucksack later. She was quite happy with this so I showered and left early, leaving my bits in my room. I walked across the river past some fab street art and under some umbrellas past a stadium to meet at a flower shop. There I met Robert and the Paul, an American, who also had Italian family and we headed to the market. It was a typical markets filled with fresh fruit and veg and with some hot food stalls too. At one end, there was the organic Market that we were here for. While I’m not a massive believer in organic, the fruit and veg looked glorious and the tomatoes I bought were very tasty. Robert bought a bit but Paul was essentially doing his weekly food shop for a family of four so came out with oodles of stuff. After the market, we got a taxi back to Paul’s and I met his wife Marie and their two shy kids (age two and four), and we all drank coffee and chatted. Paul and Robert prepped breakfast and we had a glorious quiche. Mmmm. Close to 12pm, I had to leave to collect my rucksack to take it to my new hostel. I said my goodbyes and headed out. We planned to meet again for a day at a hot springs and also maybe for a classical concert that Robert fancied.
Glorious quiche
I collected my bag and headed to the new hostel, which was right near the main church, square and park. I was changing hostel because my old one was pretty sleepy and I was hoping to find someone to walk in the Cajas National Park with. The new hostel, Guillerminas, was faaaancy! I left my stuff and then headed out to the modern art gallery, which my Quito pal Kai had recommended. It was pretty cool. Afterwards, I stopped in a cafe which ground its own coffee and smelt glorious when I walked past, plus, it had a beautiful courtyard which I had clocked the day before. I ordered a strong cappuccino and a fig cake and settled in. I blogged and chilled and even read a little. Then I headed back out, stopping at another smaller art gallery just past the flower market. Then I headed home to cook. After eating, I got chatting to a guy from Jersey, Chris, while I was doing some Spanish. He was also travelling for a few months and fancied doing Cajas, so all good! I went to bed earlyish so I could be up and ready to go straight after breakfast.
3/2/23
I got up, packed and was raring to go. Breakfast was glorious and over breakfast, Chris and I got chatting to another girl, Aura, from Dominican Republic, who was also planning on doing Cajas today. We decided to go altogether. We waited for her to finish breakfast and then we were gonna head. Another guy, a Russian I had talked to earlier the day before and who was mates with Aura also decided to join us, because, why not, so soon after we headed to the bus station. We picked up some extra snacks/lunch and then got the bus to the entrance to the Cajas.
We arrived around 11am and after registering, we set off on the recommended route. To start with it was like bloody Picadilly Circus, but soon the people spread out and we had space for ourselves. The landscape was mad pretty and somewhat reminiscent of the Lake District back home, but with different greens! We walked through an amazing woods, with trees I’d never seen before and stopped at a cave before heading out the other side of the woods, back into the open. We went a little off piste to stop for lunch by a lake. We were wondering about swimming, but in the end decided against!
After lunch, we had to pick up the pace a little as both me and Erodian, the Russian, needed to be back in Cuenca for 4pm ish. The route was oh so pretty and we enjoyed it as we walked. We made the 3pm bus and were back in Cuenca before 4pm. This gave us time to stop in my fave courtyard for coffee before heading to a place Aura and Erodian had been recommended for pan de yuca (more or less like cheesy dough balls) and yoghurt to drink. The dough balls were glorious and the banana yoghurt (think milkshake) was also very tasty. Then we headed back to the hostel. I managed to get out of my 5pm commitment – I was meant to be going to hire a car with Paul for the hot springs but Robert had got jack before so said he could go instead. I confirmed this before hopping in the shower and getting ready.
The classical concert we were going to go to had be rearranged to the day before because of the elections so we had missed it. Instead, I went to meet the others at the car rental because they were having problems, but by the time I got there, they had decided there must be better option. We would taxi and bus perhaps, or see if one of Paul’s friends could take us. We headed back into town for pizza and had a longggg chat with wine. We ended up being the last people in the courtyard. Afterwards, the guys walked me home.
4/2/23
Today was hot springs day! After a hostel breakfast, of a scrambled egg roll along with the granola and yoghurt, and the fruit, and the toast, I headed over the river to Paul and Marie’s house. There, we chatted while they had grits (kind of like porridge, and I tried some), and then we left. We got a taxi to the town near the hot springs and then got a 4×4 taxi the rest of the way. We had hired the whole hot springs for the six of us and it included lunch and glorious hot chocolate and brownie afterwards too. I pretty much chilled and chatted with Robert while the others tended to their kids! On the way back, O’Ryan wanted to sit on my knee and fell asleep. Marie and Paul invited us to stay for dinner, which we did. We had shepherd’s pie, which they were familiar with from their time living in Ireland, followed by banana bread which Paul and I prepared. I also spent some time playing lego and then an improvised version of air hockey on the floor using lego with O’Ryan and with Aurora playing colouring games on an app. My tummy was a little dodge from something but I think I styled it out pretty well. I also tried canelazo, a hot spiced drink made from cana (sugar cana spirit) and spiced with cinnamon sticks, cloves, brown sugar and maybe a few other things. It was strongggg, and not quite how I was expecting it to be! After dinner, I said my goodbyes and left. Both children burst into tears on my announcement that I was leaving, which I guess was quite the compliment!
I headed to the bus station to buy my ticket to Riobamba, the place which has a volcano which is the closest place to the sun, because of its location on the equator. I got my ticket in between toilet trips, and hoped I’d be well enough for the six hour bus ride the next day!! Then I headed back to the hostel to sleep, since it was pretty late.
Today was my final day in Galapagos and I planned to make the most of it. After a lie in, I headed out around 9am and first got a scrummy breakfast, in a cafe where I drank good coffee, watched the finches bob about and ready my book a little. Then I bought a cookie (galeto) and then went to hire a snorkel for $3 after some negotiation. 😉 The lovely guy at the rental place recommended me a beach near the Darwin research centre since it was nearly midday and would be hot to walk to the other Tortuga Bay, plus he said the sea will be churned up there so visibility would not be so good. I was convinced, since I had chatted to the guy a few times before and had got tips before. I headed the back shady route to Darwin’s place and chilled on the beach with a book for a good few hours before braving the ocean. I was having a lazy day, and I couldn’t kick the slob feeling! I snorkelled once I had got hot in the sun and there were plenty of the usual suspects of fish there, many colourful chaps! Sadly, not turtles, but all good. I went back to the beach, chilled and read before I got chatting to an Ecuadorian guy who was a flight attendent, who brought his mum and girlfriend on holiday to Galapagos with his cheap flight perks! He was from Quito and gave me tips for carnival and other things. I said hi to his girlfriend and mum and then they left, and I went back to my book.
Once the sun was lower in the sky, I headed back to town to drop off my snorkel and then went to enquire about handmade jewellery at a stall I had been looking at earlier. The stall owner, Luiz was a super cool guy who had lived in China, India and Nepal and had learnt his craft as he went. He was from Otovalo, a market town in the North of Ecuador and gave me lots of tips for what to do near there. I picked out my stones and left him to construct me a pendant necklace,while I headed to the recommended Art Coffee cafe that had been recommended to me a few days ago, but which I hadn’t been able to find before! I ordered a pina colada (last night and all) and then chilled with my scrummy drink. Afterwards, I went for dinner at a proper locals place with a menu del dia for only $4 and the food was so much better than on the tourist street. Afterwards, I went to collect my handmade jewellery, which was beautiful. Then I went to get the bus back to the clinic that I was couchsurfing in.
When I got back, I couldn’t get in. I wondered if I wasn’t meant to take the key and maybe Dr Carlos had had to lock the door from the inside. Damn! I rang him many times but there was no answer. I started asking people in the street if they knew where he lived but most people thought he lived in the surgery. A man with an angry dog knew where he lived but waved me away. I waved over a taxi to help me, and he helped ring. Eventually, he asked if I wanted to check at the political election event but I didn’t, so he left. Normally, I could just check into a hostel and come back in the morning when the surgery opened at 7am, but sadly all my stuff was inside and I needed to leave the island at 7am, so it wouldn’t work. I asked a couple more people, before I hailed a truck with ladders in the back. I knew Carlos left the back door open and so if I could just get over the fence, I could open the door from the inside. I first showed the men that I had the correct key si they would know I wasn’t breaking in, and then they would let me use their ladders. After I showed them, one took the key and lo and behold, opened the door first time! It was a bloody miracle! I hugged the bemused man and off they went! Wow, I am blonde sometimes! 😂😂😂
The beautiful van My beaut necklace
31/1/23
Sunrise over the clinic
Today I was off. I got the bus at 06.30 to the port, grabbed some baked goods and a fresh coffee before getting the 07.15 bus to the airport, via water taxi and followed by another bus once we arrived on Baltra Island. I arrived much earlier than I needed to with two hours spare in the airport, but better to be safe than sorry with airports I think! I read, ate snacks and did some Spanish before it was time to board. The view from the plane was of course beautiful again but soon I was lost in my book. On arriving to Guayaquil, I got a taxi straight to the bus terminal and got a bus to Cuenca. I had ten minutes until it left so I grabbed an empanada and a yoghurt and made the bus in time.
Water taxiiii
Seven hours and three violent films later, we arrived in Cuenca. Its such a thing to play violent, bloody films in buses here and I’ve no idea why! I was knackered when I arrived, so I got a taxi to my hostel, ditched my stuff and went for a curry. I ordered a chai too which was pretty good! Then I headed to bed! The lady had given me a private room because she didn’t want to put me in a dorm with only three guys and no gals. I found it a little strange to think that when running a hostel but was glad to have my own cosy private room. I slept well.
Today I got up early voluntarily because I wanted to go to Concha de Perla, a mangrove bay, to snorkel solo. Alberto (the bar owner) said that early was better to beat the crowds. Pia was also interested so we walked down together. I borrowed a snorkel from the hostel and checked that the mask was sealed well before we left, since I had had an issue with this before. When we arrived, we were the only souls there. I prepped my snorkel and mask only to find that the mask strap didn’t tighten. I knew my dad would’ve been able to fix it somehow so I persevered and managed to wrestle it on in its overly tight form. Sadly, once it was on and I tested it, I realised that there was no seal on the nose as my nose was too big – the mask was only suitable for those with a cute button nose. Frustrated, I went to the nearest hotel to hire a snorkel. Luckily it was easy and close and then I was finally ready to snorkel.
I snorkelled along one side of the bay, skirting close to the harbour only to wander across a turtle swimming along. It was amazing, just me and the turtle. At times, the current became pretty strong and it was hard to stay close to the turtle and not be pulled out into the harbour. It was some consolation that the turtle also looked as if it was struggling to make gains. Eventually, I decided to leave the turtle to get back to safer waters. Another guy had joined us in the waters and I snorkelled past him to discover that he too had found another turtle, a smaller one, probably a female. Next I bumped into Pia and we decided to get out and warm up out of the cool morning waters before going back for round two.
We warmed up in the sun and I got chatting to a guy from Ecuador, the one who had also seen a turtle. I asked him if carnival was good in Ecuador and he suggested a place called Guaranda where you can see many traditional forms of celebration, between Quito and Cuenca. He was also from Quito. We chatted awhile before I headed back into snorkel. I have the phone a rest and just went alone along the other side of the bay, into a smaller more sheltered area. Inside, there were plenty of different fish, some very shallow parts where I had to very carefully float through and at one point a very playful sealion coming at full speed towards me. I quickly swam away but they did plenty of twists and turns in front of me, they were playing. Sealions are called the dogs of the ocean here, always wanting to play! After the excitement, I headed back and walked back to the hostel with Pia. I showered quickly and was soon painting again, though this time it was craft painting with Fiorella. I made a large photo booth frame out of cardboard and then we decorated it together. I was pretty chuffed with how it turned out to be honest!
I went for lunch and then returned to do my usual white wall painting in the afternoon. Today I was catching up my hours! After painting, I went for dinner with Pia and an American guy, Joe, who was also in our room. We got the usual menu for $8 and then went in search of something sweet (of course because I’d brought it up and then everyone wanted something!). We settled on churros, kindly bought by Joe, who wanted to be a film maker and was in the process of making his first film with his brother. Afterwards, we strolled back and chilled in the room. I blogged a little as I was super far behind!
27/1/23
I had booked onto the Tintoreras tour for today. I had weighed up my options and had decided that I wanted more than anything to see penguins. So I picked the best tour for that! I had a lazy morning with granola and coffee in bed before heading to my tour. It was me, a Spanish speaking couple who had a separate guide and ten Danish people, all travelling together – how cute! I learnt plenty (lots more than on my volcano tour) and we saw penguins swimming from the boat, loads of sharks in a narrow rock pool style area as well as a turtle. Apparently most sharks can’t breathe when they are still in the water, but white tip sharks can, by wiggling there gills very slightly as they chill. Other sharks have to swim to allow gaseous exchange to happen, but they can sleep while they swim. Who knew?!
Sharks and a turtle!!
We walked to a different part of the island and saw sea lion pups that were less than a month old – they had their fluffy coats still and were adorable! We also we shown the difference between the sea iguanas – the small ones weren’t babies but female. After all the learning, we watched a penguin coast around the small bay before we got the boat to the snorkelling area. It was soooo cute! I loved it!
The snorkelling was good! Saw lots of fish and maybe three turtles, two of them together! We also saw two penguins swimming at the speed of light more or less past us! We tried to get closer to them for a better look but they disappeared in seconds! Amazing though! We also saw plenty of coral and starfish too, some of which were bright red! Afterwards, we got the boat back to Isabela and dried off in the sun, with a snack. 😋
After my tour, I had had a quick lunch of pasta and was pleased to discover that the ATM was FINALLY working – only five and a half days later!! Then it was time to work, my final day Alberto had told me I only needed to work six out of seven days which was a nice surprise. I painted and had some watermelon midway. Mmm.. After work, I went for empanadas with Pia, a free woman. Then we went to see what was going on in town because apparently there was a fiesta starting at 20.30 for one of the election candidates. Bizarrely, each candidate puts on music, often live, does a raffle and provides food for the public, all in a bid to win votes! Some kids did a rehearsed dance too, which was cute. After the raffle, came a speech and we wandered off, coming back in time for the dancing. Then we headed back to the dorm.
The ATM has ARRIVED and is FUNCTIONING!!!!
28/1/23
Saturday. Beautiful chilled Saturday with no plans. Glorious. I tried to lie in but instead got up at 8am and had coffee in bed and then headed out for a pancake breakfast. I blogged and chilled and got chatting first to the waiter and then to a young guy, Axer, eating his breakfast. He was studying in Quito, but was back for the holidays and worked as a fisherman sometimes. He also used to be a surf teacher on a different island and invited me to surf. I warned him that I was rubbish but he wasn’t bothered. We went to get boards – he got mine free because he was friends with the owner of the rental place and then we went first to get my swimmers and ditch my phone, and then to get his. He lived with his parents in a quieter part of town, away from the main tourist strip. When we arrived, he said he was hungry and invited me for lunch. His parents were chilling together in the same hammock in the shade of the trees, whiling away their Saturday, drinking fresh lemonade, which was yummy, but not as yummy as my Auntie Sue’s! I tucked into veg soup (Ecuadorians love soup so much), with beans and white corn in it and then had some rice with tuna. Then we headed for the beach.
He gave me a quick surf refresh on the sand and then we headed in. Sadly, I was rubbish (I blame the waves and the fact its not a beginners beach), but I did manage to stand up a few times, before we gave up and went to eat pineapple on the beach, freshly prepared onto of the surfboard! Various other local surfers came to introduce themselves, chat and share the pineapple. After awhile in the sun, we headed back as I had Fiorella’s birthday to attend (she was turning 26),and I needed to get ready! Axer told me he had a daughter in the Netherlands whom he had never met because of visa trouble. He said that the mother’s parents hated him, but that his parents were aware but were not bothered, because its pretty normal in Ecuador. So the Latin Lover thing is true I guess!! We said a quick ciao and I rushed to get ready.
I was turned around in ten minutes and of course rocked up with wet hair to find only one other person arrived before me. Latin time, perfect! I didn’t feel so bad for being a bit late! We had drinks and fresh choux pastry with a chocolate cream filling (bloody glorious) and then we started the card games. The first one was in Spanish but luckily for me half the group was pretty bilingual so once I had understood the question, I could answer in English and they could translate. We paused the games when the tapas board arrived with jugs of tinto de verano. Mmm! The tapas was pinchos – bread which you could top with either creamy mushrooms and leek (maybe), sausages with caramelised onions (my favourite) or chicken with green peppers. After we smashed the food, which was delicious, we played a game similar to cards against humanity, which thankfully for me was in English. A couple of people used Google translate to pick cards but otherwise we were good to go! The tinto was drunk and then we sang Happy Birthday and ate cake.
Awhile later, the bar filled up with other people and the music was turned up. We bought a bottle of rum and enjoyed it together. We danced in a circle but I danced with some other people as well when the salsa came on. Of course, there was also a lot a reggaeton which people seemed to dance like meringue! Later on, I went with one of Fiorella’s friends to try and see the plankton in Concha de Perla. I wanted to see them light up and apparently it was the best place. We first went by the main beach where you could see the a little. Then we took the motorbike to Concha de Perla. I told Fiorella’s friend (we didn’t do names because there were like ten new people for me to remember all at once!) about my volcano hike and the bad guide and he said he knew the bad guide and he was notorious for being terrible but he owned the main tour company which did the volcano trip so he was always there and they couldn’t get rid of him! Interesting!!
At Concha de Perla, it was pitch black, but luckily, our friend had a diving torch. We made it to the end of the track before turning it off once we were at the waters edge. There was some plankton shining in the water, but less than I had seen in Mompiche and loads less than Cambodia – somehow nowhere compared to that place on Koh Tong Samloen. ♥️ After realising that the planktons glean was limited, we headed back to the final song of the night. I danced a final salsa before heading to bed around 3am – wildly late for me!
29/1/23
Today I didn’t rush to get up, but I did have to check out around 09.30. I showered and packed and was pleased I didnt feel hungover after so many drinks were passed round the dance floor the night before! I had a granola breakfast before going to get my snorkelling tour photos. Then I read my book in a hammock with an iced coffee on the beach front. Afterwards, I went to see the flamingos and then went to eat the remainders of my pasta for lunch. Then I went to chill in the hammock in Bar de Beto until I needed to leave for my boat back to Santa Cruz, where I was flying out of a few days later. While I was chilling in the hammock, Fiorella invited me to eat more lunch, which I did. We ate the remaining pincho toppings with rice and salad overlooking the ocean. Afterwards, I said my byes to Fiorella and her family and walked the sunny road to the ‘ferry’.
Typically, when I arrived on the dock with my ticket, after having my bag only searched minimally, I found that my ticket wasn’t registered anywhere. I passed from pillar to post for a good fifteen minutes before someone gave in and added me to a ferry’s guest list. We got a taxi boat to the ferry and then set off. I was prepared for the rough crossing this time, having taken an anti-sickness tablet in advance and I managed to bag a seat at the back of the boat so I could see out. What a winner. The wind was strong and I felt gloriously alive (while holding my hat tightly ony head)!! I had made it back to Santa Cruz!
I got dinner on the $5 Street, which was sadly only average and then got the local bus to meet my couch surfing host Dr Carlos, which was a little out of town. He greeted me at his surgery and showed me in. We walked through the surgery to some tired rooms at the back, one which was allocated to me. It was big enough, but needed a good scrub! Carlos went to get me sheets and gave me a key for the main door, and then I made the bed and decided I needed to start cleaning the bathroom a little if I was going to stay there! Carlos said he was going out but he would be back. When he returned, he showed me to a different room, with still damp but freshly cleaned floors. The room was massive with a strange machine for tipping people upside down at one side but the bathroom was also spotless. Perfect! Carlos showed me the kitchen and then left me to it. He was going home and would be back at 7am for work! I showered and painted my nails and chatted to Clare on the phone and then slept. Everything turned out well in the end!
Today I was moving to Isla Isabela to begin my first ever workaway. I had an early ferry to catch so naturally woke up every hour to check I hadn’t missed my alarm, despite only going to bed at 2am and having to be up at 6am.. NICE. I skipped breakfast, since I was more concerned about finding the correct boat at the right time and headed to the harbour, where there were loads of people queueing without knowing what exactly they were queueing for (myself included). Everyone loves a queue, aye?! Eventually, I made it to the front of the queue, just about made it through security after being made to scrub my trainers (that were a little muddy post turtle farm). Each island is its own delicate ecosystem, so they don’t want anything being brought from one island to the next. We got a taxi boat to the ferry and had to pay a dollar for the privilege. Then we set off. Two long hours in the bowels of a very bouncy boat with no windows. Gross. We then got another taxi boat from the ferry to the harbour requiring another $1 (which I paid with a $20 note, my final one as it turned out!). I was SUPER excited to see a penguin swimming in the dock – eeeep! We landed, paid our island tax ($10) and then headed off to walk into town.
Posing on the pier
It was a hot walk along a road with not much but a couple of houses and a dog and cat sterilisation centre. In town was a cute square and plenty of restaurants. I made my way to Bar de Beto, a bar and hostel that I was going to be doing my first ever workaway for a week, 4 hours of work a day in exchange for free accommodation. Shout out to Kevin who I met years ago in Laos and who told me about the workaway (as well as everything else I could do in Ecuador!). I ditched my bag in the room and went to meet Fiorella, the daughter of the owners and the previous workawayer, Camille, a French girl, equally cool to the Camille in Emily in Paris! They did a little video with the beach in the background of the bar on coco locos, an Ecuadorian drink consisting of coconut water and cana, a sugar cane spirit mixed inside the coconut. It tasted pretty nice and we enjoyed it after the video was done.
Then began my first mission, trying to get cash! Stupidly, I hadn’t realised how low on dollar I was, so rocked up to the island with one ATM with basically no money. Of course, the ATM was broken, and so begins the ATM check ups! Edit(h), the owner of the bar suggested a shop on the other side of town which sometimes gave money out like cashback. I wandered around looking for it, passing some flamingoes on the way, asking various people for directions there, but then not understanding exactly what they said. Eventually, a kind elderly man who was sat in the street chatting with his friends cycled halfway with me and pointed me in the correct direction of the shop. When I got there, they said they could only do it for Ecuadorian banks – typical! I went back to the hostel/bar and chilled and the owner Alberto said he would give me cash if I paid card with some tax. Sorted. I watched sunset while painting from the beach bar and then went for empanadas with Pia, a Danish girl in my room and we met another woman Marilyn from France there too. I had a prawn empanada with gloriously spicy salsa and we had a good long chat before Pia and I headed back to chill.
23/1/23
Today I got to work early, starting to paint by 8am after a quick breakfast of granola and freshly ground coffee. I was of course painting again, on the top floor which had a beaut view. I finished by 12pm, was given watermelon by Edith, and then after some more snacks, I headed out snorkelling at concha de perla – I tried at least! My snorkel’s seal around the mask was broken so it wasn’t long before I gave up. After a swim, I headed back to town. On returning back to the hostel, I realised that $50 had gone from my purse which was sat in the dorm room. The only people who had been in there were the cleaners and I was pretty sad. I told Edith and she investigated, but with no luck. Afterwards, I decided it was a less traumatic way to ‘spend’ $50 than to have to spend it on rabies shots and maybe I should be grateful it wasn’t in a armed robbery.. Its all swings and roundabouts I guess.
ATM update – its gone!!
Literally couldn’t tell you what I did next! But I watched the sunset and cooked pasta. Then I chilled! Time has flown here in Isabela!
24/1/23
Today I was up early to go to the Wall of Tears, a wall built in the 1940s and 1950s by prisoners, who were sent to Isabela as punishment. They had to make a 25 metre wall in the blazing heat. Of course many died in the process and there was a memorial for them.
I cycled there and started early to avoid the sun. I biked all the way there, stopping only for one viewpoint before hiking the final bit to a beautiful viewpoint. Wowwww. On the way back, I stopped at various beaches and lakes and trekked another few kilometres to a volcanic black beach with only me, the iguanas and the pelicans. It was very cool. On returning back, I ate the rest of the previous nights pasta and set to work painting again.
The wall
In the evening, I went for dinner with Pia again, and another girl from Germany who was heading back to Santa Cruz in the morning. Both of them had lived in Auz and had enjoyed it…
Not as good as the first one I had in Puerto Lopez, but still pretty good!
25/1/23
Today I had booked to go on a tour of two of Isabela six volcanos with Pia. Pia had kindly lended me the money so I wasn’t counting my pennies until the ATM worked again. I had an early breakfast and then we were collected nearly an hour late (classic), before heading over to Sierra Negra. When we got there, there were heaps of people! Maybe thirty five or so! After being given a lunch box each, we all set off together as one big group, and at quite a pace! Me, Pia, two German girls, one older German lady, and another German girl (whose boyfriend likes to walk really quick), all ended up at the back of the pack. When we arrived at the first viewpoint, we were told, there was no time to stop for photos and that we could stop on the way back if we wanted. We carried on walking past, bemused. At the second viewpoint, we stopped briefly to be split into two walking groups. They tried to put some of us (the people who had arrived last) in the first group. The guide even shouted at the older German lady that she needed to move now, when she had literally just arrived, and had a lung condition, we were later told. How ridiculous. I said it was ridiculous and thankfully, a British couple volunteered to go in the first group instead.
We set off again in our supposed groups and within minutes, our guide was nowhere to be seen! For people that walk with me, you would know, I’m not a slow walker, so this guy was really in route March in sweltering heat territory! I was sure, he just wanted it to be over as quick as possible so he could return to his house with AC and watch Netflix for the remainder of the day – typical! Sierra Negra is one of the biggest crators in the world and its still fairly active. I learnt on my snorkelling tour that Isabela is the biggest island in Galapagos because it has six volcanoes. Originally, it was six separate islands, each with their own volcano, but overtime, with the lava from the volcanoes, the islands joined together to become one mass. I chatted a long time with a German girl whose boyfriend was ahead. She had travelled extensively through South America and now had a year sabbatical from work (an NGO).
We stopped to take pics (when we were allowed), meeting back up with Pia and the two other Germans in our hostel, Tamara and Duygo, as well as the older German. We then walked over cooled lava flows and past a cooled lava waterfall to reach the second volcano, Volcan Chico. We caught up with a better guide and listened to him for a bit before we reached the summit and our guide rounded us up threatening to leave without us if we didn’t run along side him. Pah! When we returned to the car park, he was still trying to leave without people so we refused to get on until everyone was back from the walk. Utter madness! On the bus back I got talking to an Israeli, whose ears pricked up when I was telling Pia about my trip last year which included Israel. He had been travelling for ten years after selling his business at home. What a life!
On returning to the hostal, I showered and then got straight to work painting on the verandas. I watched the sunset over the sea from the rooftops and then headed to get empanadas at a local place near the market. Strangely the empanadas were nowhere near as good as the ones on the main street aimed more at tourists. Lesson learnt (a one time only thing). I called in at the pastelleria (bakery) to get a lil sweet snack and checked in on the ATM too. Then it was bed time.
wanderingwelshie2 travels 