ECUADOR REVISITED A record of 4 weeks travelling around the countryside of Ecuador and Colombia - February 6 to March 6 2003. Prologue " I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, From whence cometh my strength “ Psalm 121 My breathing was decidedly ragged. Each step was accompanied by hacking and wheezing. My entire vision was filled with the loose, red grit upon which I was attempting to retain some semblance of balance; no easy task on a 45-degree slope. Thighs screamed in silence. My calf muscles threatened to cramp. My thumb, where I was gripping my white stick too tightly, was blistered. I stole a glance upwards. The refugio looked so close and attainable; yet in the tunnels of my mind I knew from past experiences that euphoria at altitude (and great depths
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