Week 21, Ecuador
24/10
Woke up too early, updated blog in bed, going to get some more sleep. Laterz...
Woke up again at 7.00, breakfasted , did the media and published week 20 of my blog.
At 10.00 almost everybody went for the city walk. Very nice and an enthousiastic guide. Pictures ...
After the tour i ate a 3 course lunch with Bijan. Costs: $2.25.
Back at the hostel, coffee, nap.
Dinner was a sandwich.
Said goobye to Lutz (he is going to the Galapagos islands with Bijan and then back to Australia), happy hour at the roof terrace and the last episode of season 1 of Humans completed the day.
Slept good.
25/10
7.50 Updating blog in bed again... laterz...
8.15, rose, breakfasted, did the media, chatted with Russ. Off to town now in the opposite direction of yesterdays. Laterz...
Found lovely parcs, ate beautiful local food, a comedian made fun of me in the parc, in front of a big audience , but in a really funny way ... to go short: lovely day.
Until 3.00 pm.... the daily down pour. Made it in time back in the hostal. Going to have a cofee on the roof terrace i think. Laterz ...
At 16.30 for a second time to town, sipped a corona, back in the hostel on the roof terrace sipping a coffee with Richard and Silene (from Ireland, just met). Tomorrow its back on the truck. First a shower now though. Laterz....
Spend the evening with a good dinner, a nice chat and some drinks at the rooftop.
Slept good. Nice beds.
26/10
Rose at 7.15, breakfasted, packed and took a cab to the truck. We found Kerry there, who had run out of budget... (just joking Kerrys mom!)
Then the drive to Banos. It took 2 hours before we could not see Quito anymore. We had to head north first and then drive all along Quito which is only 5 K wide (east to west), but... 55 K long (north to south).
Drive had great scenery again... Look...
Arrived in Banos around 14.30. Did a quick tour ...
... shopped and went to the camping place, about 17 K out of town. A bit inconvenient, but hey...
Up here we had a BBQ, and made music. I repaired the guitar and there was another guitar player too. All fun, but somwehow i did not manage to feel at ease and comfortable.... dont know why.... oh well, went to bed at 11. Slept good, despite creatures with 8 hairy legs, crawling on my inner tent. Big ones!
27/10
Richard woke me up at 7, wanting to go to town to bike.... a bit too early, so we decided to take it easy, have breakfast, at take a bus at nine....
Sitting outside the dining space now, updating my blog.
So, biking it is today .... laterz...
At 9.00 we left for town. First met this really nice bloke, Samluk, an asian brit, who was traveling for 1.5 years. And then i think im a real traveller... 😉. We had coffee and exchanged facebook accounts, becaus, he is going to be in Rio at carnival as well, so... we'll meet up there again.
Richard and i rented a bike and started the waterfall route. Some great scenes and views... take a look...
Met another bloke down the way. Paolo from Barcelona. Will be in Rio too at carnival, so... facebook account exchange again.
At the end we met a guy to take us back in his truck (it's 18 km down hill, and so, we could avoid to bike back the 18 kms up hill (which was the sane thing to do, since my calf muscle is not completely healed yet).
Back at town we had belated lunch, and took9 the bus back at 16.00 or so. On the bus we met Hogo and Dario too.
Arrived here at 17.00, and it started to rain, for like ... ever...
Anyway, we had a great lunch, with freshly caught trout. Well done Jono, Rus and Kerry.
At 8.45 i was so tired that i couldn't keep my eyes open, so went to bed. In a dry tent! That is ... not as wet as i had expected. Slept well.
PS: still don't feel good here. Its something i can't explain, but I'm not relaxed up here.
28/10
Rose at 7.30 or so, breakfasted and took 2 hours "me time". Played guitar (fingers are bleeding now) and updated blog. Going to town soon. Laterz...
The stroll through town was very nice and relaxing. A good coffee, wifi, all kind of cultural parades, ate a cuy (guinea pig), found the local waterfalls ... anyway, look...
Took the 4.00 bus back to the camp site to assist cookgroup. Nice meal, some community singing with the guys who run the campsite, and an early night again, starting with an episode of humans. At midnight it started to downpour ... everything wet, but slept through it.
29/10
Rose at 5.45, apacked my wet stuff, breakfasted, and did my job as member of the packing team.
We left the campsite at7.00. Glad we left there. Never had a good feeling about it. Do not know why, but something was not ok there...
Anyway, the ride to Cuenca was fabulous. Stunning scenery .... here's pictures....
Arrived in our hostel at 5.30. Installed my stuff at a top bunk (hate those), sipped a beer at the roof terrace, waiting for our food now... (we ordered a meal for the whole group). Laterz...
Meal was ok. Richard was table host and held an (understandable!) speech.
Went to bed after dinner (9.30 or so). Slept like a baby.
30/10
Rose at 7.15, dressed and brought my laundry to the llavenderia together with Hugo. Had desayuno across the street with Hugo and walked downtown. Met Richard and Norm up there and decided to do a hop on/off bus tour...
<Richards pics here>
Bought some new underwear and socks.
Wanted to walk back, but without my phone .... well guess ... indeed .... i got lost. But after some poor spanish conversations i did manage to find it....
At the roof terrace of the hostel now. Updating blog. First attempt to publish week 21, but... wifi is poor, so let's see.
Went to town again, sipped a beer, strolled around and made some last pictures....
Showered, did the media at the hostels roof terrace. Getting some food now. Laterz....
The food was too much. 5 dollars is a lot up here apparently.
Paid my bill here at the hostel. Last part of week 21... will be published tomorrow. Gonna sleep early. Long day, done a lot.
Here's the view from the roof terrace ...
Going to sleep now. Bye.
See you all next week.
Woke up too early, updated blog in bed, going to get some more sleep. Laterz...
Woke up again at 7.00, breakfasted , did the media and published week 20 of my blog.
At 10.00 almost everybody went for the city walk. Very nice and an enthousiastic guide. Pictures ...
After the tour i ate a 3 course lunch with Bijan. Costs: $2.25.
Back at the hostel, coffee, nap.
Dinner was a sandwich.
Said goobye to Lutz (he is going to the Galapagos islands with Bijan and then back to Australia), happy hour at the roof terrace and the last episode of season 1 of Humans completed the day.
Slept good.
25/10
7.50 Updating blog in bed again... laterz...
8.15, rose, breakfasted, did the media, chatted with Russ. Off to town now in the opposite direction of yesterdays. Laterz...
Found lovely parcs, ate beautiful local food, a comedian made fun of me in the parc, in front of a big audience , but in a really funny way ... to go short: lovely day.
Until 3.00 pm.... the daily down pour. Made it in time back in the hostal. Going to have a cofee on the roof terrace i think. Laterz ...
At 16.30 for a second time to town, sipped a corona, back in the hostel on the roof terrace sipping a coffee with Richard and Silene (from Ireland, just met). Tomorrow its back on the truck. First a shower now though. Laterz....
Spend the evening with a good dinner, a nice chat and some drinks at the rooftop.
Slept good. Nice beds.
26/10
Rose at 7.15, breakfasted, packed and took a cab to the truck. We found Kerry there, who had run out of budget... (just joking Kerrys mom!)
Then the drive to Banos. It took 2 hours before we could not see Quito anymore. We had to head north first and then drive all along Quito which is only 5 K wide (east to west), but... 55 K long (north to south).
Drive had great scenery again... Look...
Arrived in Banos around 14.30. Did a quick tour ...
... shopped and went to the camping place, about 17 K out of town. A bit inconvenient, but hey...
Up here we had a BBQ, and made music. I repaired the guitar and there was another guitar player too. All fun, but somwehow i did not manage to feel at ease and comfortable.... dont know why.... oh well, went to bed at 11. Slept good, despite creatures with 8 hairy legs, crawling on my inner tent. Big ones!
27/10
Richard woke me up at 7, wanting to go to town to bike.... a bit too early, so we decided to take it easy, have breakfast, at take a bus at nine....
Sitting outside the dining space now, updating my blog.
So, biking it is today .... laterz...
At 9.00 we left for town. First met this really nice bloke, Samluk, an asian brit, who was traveling for 1.5 years. And then i think im a real traveller... 😉. We had coffee and exchanged facebook accounts, becaus, he is going to be in Rio at carnival as well, so... we'll meet up there again.
Richard and i rented a bike and started the waterfall route. Some great scenes and views... take a look...
Met another bloke down the way. Paolo from Barcelona. Will be in Rio too at carnival, so... facebook account exchange again.
At the end we met a guy to take us back in his truck (it's 18 km down hill, and so, we could avoid to bike back the 18 kms up hill (which was the sane thing to do, since my calf muscle is not completely healed yet).
Back at town we had belated lunch, and took9 the bus back at 16.00 or so. On the bus we met Hogo and Dario too.
Arrived here at 17.00, and it started to rain, for like ... ever...
Anyway, we had a great lunch, with freshly caught trout. Well done Jono, Rus and Kerry.
At 8.45 i was so tired that i couldn't keep my eyes open, so went to bed. In a dry tent! That is ... not as wet as i had expected. Slept well.
PS: still don't feel good here. Its something i can't explain, but I'm not relaxed up here.
28/10
Rose at 7.30 or so, breakfasted and took 2 hours "me time". Played guitar (fingers are bleeding now) and updated blog. Going to town soon. Laterz...
The stroll through town was very nice and relaxing. A good coffee, wifi, all kind of cultural parades, ate a cuy (guinea pig), found the local waterfalls ... anyway, look...
Took the 4.00 bus back to the camp site to assist cookgroup. Nice meal, some community singing with the guys who run the campsite, and an early night again, starting with an episode of humans. At midnight it started to downpour ... everything wet, but slept through it.
29/10
Rose at 5.45, apacked my wet stuff, breakfasted, and did my job as member of the packing team.
We left the campsite at7.00. Glad we left there. Never had a good feeling about it. Do not know why, but something was not ok there...
Anyway, the ride to Cuenca was fabulous. Stunning scenery .... here's pictures....
Arrived in our hostel at 5.30. Installed my stuff at a top bunk (hate those), sipped a beer at the roof terrace, waiting for our food now... (we ordered a meal for the whole group). Laterz...
Meal was ok. Richard was table host and held an (understandable!) speech.
Went to bed after dinner (9.30 or so). Slept like a baby.
30/10
Rose at 7.15, dressed and brought my laundry to the llavenderia together with Hugo. Had desayuno across the street with Hugo and walked downtown. Met Richard and Norm up there and decided to do a hop on/off bus tour...
<Richards pics here>
Bought some new underwear and socks.
Wanted to walk back, but without my phone .... well guess ... indeed .... i got lost. But after some poor spanish conversations i did manage to find it....
At the roof terrace of the hostel now. Updating blog. First attempt to publish week 21, but... wifi is poor, so let's see.
Went to town again, sipped a beer, strolled around and made some last pictures....
Showered, did the media at the hostels roof terrace. Getting some food now. Laterz....
The food was too much. 5 dollars is a lot up here apparently.
Paid my bill here at the hostel. Last part of week 21... will be published tomorrow. Gonna sleep early. Long day, done a lot.
Here's the view from the roof terrace ...
Going to sleep now. Bye.
See you all next week.
This looks a great place to visit and explore Jan, really enjoying your adventures and humour.
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