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Not content with flying nearly 10000km from London we then managed to notch up another 1000km on our whistle stop tour of all things Ecuadorian. It was a lot of fun despite the tears at both the airport pick-up and drop-off but thats us girlies for you.
First up was Guayaquil where we packed in all the usual stuff. We then headed up the coast via Jipijapa (pronounced Hippyhappy which has to be the coolest name for one of the dullest places you could possibly imagine) to Puerto Lopez. I think Anthea's first taste of the Ecuadorian bus system was a bit of a shock. Not just the amount of people they cram in but all the hawkers.
We had a great couple of days at the beach drinking cocktails at the beachside bars, sunbathing and swimming at Los Frailes and then the trip to Isla de la Plata to see the blue and red footed boobies - seriously that is what these birds are called - and of course the Magnificent Frigate Birds. The highlight of the trip was seeing the Humpback Whales. It was incredible, enough to bring tears to your eyes!
Took a slight 12 hour detour up to Quito. At least we had a few days to recover whereas the driver and his gofer had only a three hour stop-over before they had to head back down the coast. Went to what has become part of the official tour the Military Map shop and the Equator to stand with one foot in each of the hemispheres.
Headed into the old town and the Basilica del Vota. There are seven ways to view Quito ranging from the 'Holiest' to the 'Most Breathtaking'. We opted for the 'Deadliest' as you literally have to hang onto your stomach climbing up the rickety ladders of the gothic towers. Just what you need to be doing whilst wearing flip flops which meant that some of us did not go quite as high as they wanted to! Inappropriate footwear was cited as the reason, not a touch of the heeby geebies. I ask you!!
Our next stop was one of my favourite places - Quilatoa - and its amazing crater lake. Not content with hiking down 400m to the lake shore and then riding back up on mules helped by Nancy and Blanca our 11 and 9 year old guides - I kid you not, who then proceeded to hold onto the tails of the mules to drag themselves up to the rim - we treked the rim the next morning. A hike of about 5 hours. It was quite a feat at nearly 4000m which probably explains all the breathlessness, head spinning and stomach pains which couldn't possibly be attributed to all the fumes we breathed in the night before from the bug spray. Bug spray I hear you say??? There certainly weren't any bugs at this altitude but how else where we supposed to keep our fire alight in our cabana because no amount of paper sticks or cardboard would do it. Very ingenious I thought!
After riding in a pickup truck, three buses and a taxi we made it back to Cuenca for a few days of r and r. Spent the last few days chilling out drinking red wine and Chocolate Zhumir, cocktails at Cafe Austria, catching up with friends, seeing the sights, shopping and two visits to the dentist but the least said about that the better.
No sooner had Anthea's trip started it was over. It was a lot of fun and a good time was had by all. I say this because every second word from Anthea was 'wow'! Thats why I love Ecuador!
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