Chugchilan (I´m surprised we made it alive)

As we waited on the bus to Chugchilan, moods already low because Leif had been robbed that morning, the ecuadorian highlanders filling up the seats, we wondered what the four hour ride had in store. The bus was rickety and our shit was tied to the top. Leif got kicked out of his seat and we spent quite some time trying to get a somber, silent, indiginous mother to let him have the seat he was assigned. As we ascended into the mountains towards the famous Quilotoa loop, we all tried to avoid nodding off...to avoid more robbery. The view was probably fantastic, but we could barely see the side of the road because of a thick fog, we passed the town of Quilotoa and started our descent to Chugchilan. This is how lonely planet describes the bus ride:

"After the turnoff to Laguna Quilotoa, the road turns to dirt, and the bumping begins. The road zigs and zags through 22km of breathtaking Andean scenery..."

But really it should say:

"After the turnoff to Laguna Quilatoa, the road turns to washed-out dried mud, with huge tire-engulfing ditches. Your overloaded, top-heavy bus will tip to near 45 degree angles and the back tires may stray halfway off the under cut edge of the road. Below you the road will give way to a fog soaked drop off, and it will zig and zig through 22km of lifetaking Andean scenery..."

Thats all I think I need to say about that, I'm glad we didn´t plummet to our deaths.

However we had a very refreshing ending to the evening, we found the Hostal Cloud Forest, which for 8 dollars a night including breakfast and dinner, with an honor system bar and dollar hamburgers all day, was one of the coolest hostals we´ve found yet.

There is tons of hiking to do around Chugchilan, so the first day we ventured up a road towards a ridge and a viewpoint. Along the path we were constantly watched and yelled at by sheep and pigs (I wanted to steal the babies, they were picturesquely cute). We made it up to a highpoint and in the midst of goats and cows we had a great 360 view. In the west was a sea of fog and it was evident that there was a lack of mountains, we were on the edge of the Andes. To the east was a spectacular sprawl of patchwork green rolling hills, valleys, canyons, houses with epic clouds moving west. We continued down to a small town and at around 11 AM the fog rolled in and our view was erased. We wandered around while children on a recess break shot holas at us. I tried to match holas but was no match for their numbers. We ate some tuna and white bread (no mayo to be found in Chugchilan) and proceded to get somewhat lost. We took a trail that thought would lead back to the hostal but we just ended up in mud on someone else´s property. When we made it out a man showed us where to go (even though we knew, it was the same trail we came in on) and told us that he was homeless and needed a house. Once out we bade him farewell and good luck and headed back to the hostal.

The hostal provided dinner, which all of the travellers ate together, so there was a mish mash of spanish, french, english and german as we chowed down our pizza. After dinner (and before, well actually anytime there was free time) we played cribbage, we played with a french canadian, a straight up frenchie and a german girl and our games were communicated in four languages.

The next day we took a camioneta up to the Laguna Quilotoa and hiked around the ridge of the volcanic lake, but not before taking the wrong trail again...we seem to always take half hour to hour detours unexpectedly. The lake was beautiful but not much in comparison to the Laguna Cuicocha that we hiked around near Otavalo. This lake is much smaller and doesn´t have islands in the middle. We made it around the lake with a stop for more tuna and white bread and started down a trail that would lead us through valleys, across a canyon and up back to our town. I think this was my favorite hike that we have taken yet. We had amazing weather, the fog held off till we got back and the views were something else. Plus we found mayonese in a tiny tienda along the way! Mayo makes everything that much better. AND we didn´t even get lost on the way back.

That night we bought a bottle of whisky and played some more crib. Although after a couple drinks I was dead tired and slept hard. The next day Kelly and I woke up for breakfast and relaxed waiting for Leif to join us. After a couple hours though, I was curious...did Leif leave in the middle of the night? What happened, usually he is up bright and early excited, yelling, threatening me, and taking fake jabs at my midsection. No, he didn´t leave, but he did get some kind of bug, so we took the day off and rested our muscles in the sun, and played cards like all day.

Which brings us to today. We woke up at 2:15 this morning to catch the only bus...a 3 AM bus, que tonto, and after about 9 hours of travel we made it to Guaranda a city in a province that has the best chocolate and cheese, Ween would love it. Our next few weeks are up in the air though as we figure out when we are going to Peru for the trek. We do know that tomorrow we will head to a town called Riobamba, and maybe go to the volcano Chimborazo.