Volcanoes, hot springs and arriving in Peru

Having decided that 3 days of walking wasn’t sufficient we took a bus out to Cotopaxi volcano. The bus dropped us off at the entrance to the park where we then had to haggle for one of the many Toyota Hilux’s waiting to take passengers on the standard tour of the area. We paid the small entrance fee and were soon whizzing along with our driver speaking to us in rapid Spanish about the area. Between us we got the gist! As the sun was out we headed straight up to the car park where we would start the hike to the refuge and then onto the glacier. It took us an hour to do a kilometre. We were at 4800m and we had to set ourselves little targets (big rocks etc) to aim for. We had to stop probably every 10 steps. We finally made it to the refuge where there was snow around.

After a hot drink we embarked on walking to the glacier. My legs could only do about 5 steps at a time before I needed a break and all I wanted to do was crawl along! The altitude made it really hard to keep going. It was not an enjoyable experience. Deciding we had seen enough we turned back and suddenly the fog came in. We followed the cut backs back to the car park but it was so foggy you couldn’t see the path below you. Back in the car I braved my first bit of food in 24 hours! You’ll be pleased to know I was ok!! Our driver showed us a photo he said he had just taken whilst we were walking. The first picture looked like a fox. The second a wolf. He said it was the same animal. We were not convinced that the second one was even real. With thunder rolling around us we went to the visitor centre (where we learned that they did have wolves in the area) and stopped at a lake. It had begun to rain and we just didn’t have the energy to walk around it. We headed back to the entrance to catch our bus back to Latacunga.

The buses just pull over on the motorway for us to hop on. It’s crazy. That evening we came across a new part of town which was really nice. We found a great place to eat with cheap wine. South America so far had only offered crazy priced wine. Feeling brave I had 2 glasses. Error. Clearly I was still ill! That evening I was back and forth to the bathroom whilst Alex slept soundly, none the wiser!

The next day we caught a bus to Riobamba and changed for Banõs, a town of thermal baths. The second bus driver drove so fast around the corners that when we got the Banõs the brakes were literally on fire. Smoke was pouring out from under it. We were very relieved that 1) we had made it and 2) we were not continuing with that driver. One lady got off to stretch her legs and I think she regretted doing that once she saw the state of the bus. We’d checked the hostel situation the night before and there was heaps of stuff free, so we’d decided to gamble and find a place once we arrived. 16 hours later and everywhere seemed to be full! We camped out in a cafe to regroup and Alex started whizzing around the town armed with a list of hostels to try. We were soon settled into a very new hostel which seemed nice. We headed off in search for lunch and, needing a break from ecuadorian food, we went to a Mexican place. It was so delicious that we we ended up going back for dinner too!

That afternoon we decided to treat ourselves to a massage which was a welcome relief after the kilometres we had put on our legs the previous week. The next day we grabbed a bus up the mountain. We wanted to do the big swing over the cliff at the top but it was very foggy and so we couldn’t see anything! We walked all the way down which really lost its appeal about half way down as it was pretty boring and our legs felt like jelly. Lunchtime took us to the central market where we got shouted at by all the individual food stalls. It’s pretty overwhelming and it’s all the same food anyway so you just have to commit and plonk yourself down on a plastic chair. The menu offered tripe which we swiftly avoided. Soon our table was full as they tried to squeeze more people onto it. Behind us one cook mixed water and oil. It didn’t go well as suddenly the pan burst into high flames. Instead of panic there was laughter and no one really batted an eyelid. That evening we decided to try salchipapas. It’s essentially a plate of chips with frankfurter sausages cut up! Its everywhere in Ecuador. As far as we could tell it’s the equivalent of a kebab for Brits….ideal after a few beers. When sober it just seemed like chips and cheap sausage. We had a long bus journey ahead of us the next day to Cuenca and so it was home to bed.

After a long bus journey we arrived in Cuenca. We checked into our hostel where we had an enormous but basic room. We walked past a curry house and decided that was on the cards for dinner. We had an incredible curry house near us where we lived in London (their peshwari naan is unbeatable) and we have often spoken about it on this trip when we talk about missed foods! Up there on missed foods are also my mum’s roast chicken and her macaroni cheese, and Alex’s mums roast beef and lasagne, and Devon tap water!! Even the bottled water here tastes weird. Anyway. Back to the curry house. It was ok but it wasn’t the same as our London one, but it filled a hole!

That evening we got woken up around 3/4 am by people talking SO loudly in the corridor. Alex had to walk out in just his pants to tell them to pipe down. It’s amazing what goes through peoples minds as to how they thought that was acceptable. As always, the next morning we signed up for the free walking tour. One of the first stops was randomly to a pharmacy and we could try some rehydration drink. Apparently it’s THE cure for a hangover and they sell about 200 litres of it on sundays alone! We soon decided that Cuenca was a very nice town. The flower market was incredible and they were very proud that they had provided the flowers in the recent Beauty and the Beast film. We also tried some absolutely rank water from a convent. Alex liked it but I thought it tasted of earth. It was supposed to have calming powers or something like that. The tour was good but not in the same league as other ones we have been on.

Yet again we ended up in the central market for lunch. Alex tried the famous roast pig. There were about 12 roasted pigs all lined up at the stalls. It’s essentially a hog roast. I opted for a veggie dish which was delicious. The afternoon was spent trying to get Peruvian soles ahead of our night bus and border crossing into Peru that night. It turns out only one place does the exchange and the rate they offered was laughable so we were forced to go into Peru empty handed and rely on US dollars. After some pasta and glass of red we headed for our 930pm bus. The bus was actually very comfortable and we both managed to get a bit of sleep. At the border you wait in one line to get the exit stamp then step about 5 metres to the next queue to get the entry stamp. You all then get back on the bus, drive a couple of minutes and the luggage gets checked. You then drive on again for about 2 minutes and a immigration official comes on the bus and checks everyone has an entry stamp. One guy, who looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights, hadn’t got an entry stamp. He seemed completely clueless. So he was taken back to the beginning to get it sorted. This was all taking place around 130am.

Eventually we were on our way again and arrived in a beach town in north Peru called Mancora at 0430. It’s known for its surfing. We got in a bizarre contraption to our hostel. It’s like a tuktuk but different. It’s a moped attached to a weird buggy. Anyway. We were too tired to care and we were hurtling along the bumpy roads arriving in less than 3 minutes. The hostel door was opened before I got off the buggy and as our room was already free we could sleep straight away. Magical! Alex can tell you about Mancora and beyond.