Amazing view of Cotopaxi

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Our real trip was starting today. We figured out a plan to take the bus to get to remote area of Chugchilan. We packed our bags, left some luggage at hotel, took a local tram to the bus station. At the bus station we had an amazing view of Cotopaxi (unfortunately our only clear view of the mountain even though we were on it later!). We walked around, finding the bus that will take us to our destination towards Latacunga. On the way there we saw a nice village market where people were doing their daily shopping, but there was no time to get down from the bus and get anything. Finally our small hotel in Chugchilan. It was nicer than I imagined, clean, spacious with hammocks to chill out. There was no plan for rest of the day except to cill out there.

August 2:

Next day we met a group of girls who were heading out to a cheese factory + hike nearby. We tagged along with them. The journey to cheese factory was in back of a truck. It was as bumpy as it can get, all of us sitting in the back like cattle. The factory was not much to see, just tonnes of milk getting converted into cheese. We hiked back from there. The group also had a guide for the hike. It was a nice pleasant walk, not strenuous at all. Weather was also nice, somewhat cold due to elevation. We also saw 2 nice twin peaks, some flowers sheep yadi yada, the usual stuff. Tired and hungry we came back to the hotel and had our food. Next day will be big.

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