Land of opportunities

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It´s coming up to 7pm here and already it´s dark outside. Being on the Ecuator and all that the sun tends to rise and set at pretty much the same time each day.

¿Where to start?

It´s been a busy week. Think of my blog "28 hours in Quito" extended to 10 days. That doesn´t quite work, does it. It´s been a busy 10 days I guess would be more temporally consistent. I can´t remember where I left off and at the moment the server is down (hopefully temporarily) so I´ll just give you the highlights.

I was up at 3:45 this morning (when most sensible people are going to bed) to climb my first peak in Ecuador - the local volcano Guagua Pichincha - a hefty 4795m according to recent measurements or 4800m according to my GPS. Quite a difference to the modest 2810m of Quito. The ridiculously early start rewarded me (and guide Lenin and la niña Saya) with a wonderful view of the sun rising over the city and gave the snow-capped peaks of the Andes that beautiful glow. After setting off in the car at 4:20, we reached the refugio (4500m) at about 6:00 (with plenty of stops for photos on the way). Many more photographs later, we set off on the short hike to the summit at about 7am. After about five minutes, Saya had a headache and was experiencing difficulty breathing. Surprisingly, despite the massive altitude difference, I was fine (using the technique of heaving breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth) and, taking our time, and after a short final scramble, we summited at 8:15.

The altitude might not have been breathtaking but the views certainly were. Below us lay the still active crater (last erupted, albeit ash only in 1999). To the south, across Quito, lay the major volcanoes of Ecuador, with the perfect snow-capped cone of Cotopaxi dominating the skyline. Also of note (to me) - Illiniza Norte (5126m) and Chimborazo (6310m). Why of note? Because on the morning of 12th July I shall (I hope) have climbed them all. More of that to come.

Back to the present, and past - Ecuador really is a land of possibilities and desires turned into reality. Para ejamplo, I was walking down the street the other day and, the sun being strong as it is here, was desirous of some form of protective headgear. A few minutes later I was in possession of a fine Adidas cap for the princely sum of $1! After the England : Sweden match I got chatting to a couple of people about Salsa. Within a few minutes we had organised private salsa lessons (and we had our first last night). After deciding that I needed some more jeans, I went into a shop that sold jeans and was able to purchase some just like that! (OK, perhaps the last example is not so good, but the jeans do at least according to the label "make my legs look good", not that they need any help to do that.

Well, I will leave it for there for now. There is so much more to say (mostly involving Spanish and dancing), and so much more to come.

In the meantime, take care.

Tim

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Photos

Chuquiragua
Typical parámo flower

Quito and Cotopaxi
Dawn - looking across the south of Quito, with Chimborazo dominating the skyline

Guaga Pichincha
Lenin (el guia)on the summit