Advertisement
Published: April 7th 2007
Edit Blog Post
It was Matt's birthday so we all went to wish him happy birthday in our pyjamas which prompted several very weird looks from people in the hostal foyer. Pity we were on different floors but no need to stare just because five strange gringo girls are wandering around in their pyjamas!
Went out for a fantastically good breakfast all for the amazing price of $2. Can't really argue! And gave Matt his presents before returning to the hostal so the others could get changed for biking (Lou looking great in hiking socks, Timberlands and shorts - very Lara Croft) and we left for horse riding. Love how close the town is to the mountains. Only had to walk five minutes before saddling up and off into the hills. Bel insisted on checking the horses first - they didn't seem in bad condition at all although I was really not happy about our guide making them canter on the roads. No wonder their shoes were in poor condition. We stopped at some waterfalls before moving on to look at rapelling. One guy doing it must have been incredibly embarrassed. The twelve year old girl next to him managed it easily
while he fell more than abseiled! Still, looked fun and is defo something I want to do if we come back.
Had a really good time though the saddles took some getting used to. They had European style stirrups so I start rising to the trot and then get told off. The saddles were Western so we had to ride Western style which is incredibly uncomfortable until you get used to it! My horse was called Samurai and whilst being absolutley gorgeous didn't quite manage to live up to his heroic name!
Th other guys had a very long and muddy bike ride although Jack and Sophie G did stop to do a bridge swing! Again something I want to do if we come back. A pity we couldn't do it as well but we didn't have time. We met the others and went for a late lunch. As we were walking we started to see huge clouds coming out of the volcano. It had been on yellow alert when we last looked before we came but no mention of huge smoke clouds! The locals didn't seem at all bothered so we just went and had lunch. Then
we went to have coffee and cake at another cafe owned by a crazy Danish woman who told us off for not having come in to eat yesterday and spent ages explaining how she was off to Argentna to go shopping as they had normal sized people there! Now I'm all for agreeing that the sizing here is a little off but she was absolutley cuckoo! Really good coffee and chocolate cake though!
We intended on then going to the baths (which is what Baños is all about after all) but turned up to find a mile long queue outside so gave up (another thing for next time!). The boys went back to the hostal while we went shopping (making up for lost time). We were supposed to be on a lime mission but ended up spending three hours around the markets where Bel bought a sword and Lou and Sophie were told by one trader that they had been a hot butterfly (yes that is the correct translation) and a princess in former lives respectively. So trying to make a sale! Rounded off Matt's birthday by going out in the evening. The town was packed for Semana Santa
but it was good.
Slighty more worried the next day as, after our last wonderful breakfast on the roof-top terrace, we were leaving to find the volcano was now emitting huge black smoke clouds (we later found out it was on orange alert). The other bus passengers were very excited about it so it can't be an everyday occurance. Had to change again at Ambato for Cuenca and ended up on a seven hour trip with a coach load of the most annoying college students ever who decided to scream in peope's faces to wake them up and sing very loudly the whole way home. There was even one who decided to set up camp (complete with sleeping bag) and go to sleep on the aisle!
Advertisement
Tot: 0.045s; Tpl: 0.01s; cc: 7; qc: 24; dbt: 0.0253s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1mb
Anna
non-member comment
Gee-up
Well I have to say you look very relaxed on your horse... you've obviously taken to western style after all. How come you two are the only ones who ever get on horses? Do you have to already be riders? I can't quite imagine they seriously let you ride alone in the mountains! You take a guide with you don't you???