Vilcabamba - oasis in the Andes

Before we moved on from Latacunga we spent the day chilling out in a great hostel we`d found. Wendy really bonded with a dutch girl who worked there and the atmos and food were great. After the Cotopaxi climb attempt it was a welcome rest for me.

We took an overnight bus from Lajo - a decision which isn`t made lightly as it`s not the best conditions to sleep under, however it does save the cost of a night's accomodation..
From Lajo it was just an hours bus ride to Vilcabamba where we`d heard of and seen a brochure for a nice looking hostel that was surrounded by beautiful countryside.

To be honest the place was a let down - so much for expectations! Although the venue was amazing and the food was too, it was full of stuck-up people without the manners to say hello or return smiles - such a contrast from all our experiences so far. We had planned to move to a hostel in the local town but then we met a lovely couple called Toby & Belinda who had been travelling for best part of a year at this point and had lots of info and suggestions to offer us as they are travelling northwards having passed many of the places we had in mind to visit, so we stayed a second night and had a meal with them and a very interesting chat.

On our final day we went on a walk that was suggested by the hostel - a supposedly easy walk that quite nearly knackered Wendy beyond repair! (Sorry babe). To be honest we got lost and spent best part of an hour longer than we should have. I did make it up to Wendy by buying her a beer in Vilcabamba town which I can only describe as a concrete version of a spanish spaghetti western town. It was really beautiful - the main plaza had a lovely feel to it. We saw many locals trot through the square on horseback.

The Cotopaxi experience

Well what an adventure to attempt to climb one of the highest active volcanoes in the world and the second highest mountain in Ecuador.
After Wendy and Clover left at around 5pm I was shown the ropes, pardon the punn, of using crampons and an ice pick for the glacial part of the climb. I was being guided by a geezer called Gary?! (american dad, ecuadorian mum) and was joined by an argentinian called Jose. After resting and then eating I tried to sleep at the lodge - but with so many people coming and preparing their kit it was noisy, not to mention the fact there was no heating. To add to the misery my head was pounding due to the altitude and breathing was hard as it felt like someone was sat on my chest. I'd need to pant to catch my breath regularly - an odd sensation of feeling like I was suffocating in a way.
It went quiet for maybe an hour at most, then at around 11pm it was action stations as parties prepared themselves for the ascent. We got up around 12pm with no sleep, had some light bites and hot drinks whilst a group of bible bashers sang hymns - very surreal.
It was windy and obviously pitch black when we set off at around 1am. Seeing other parties up the slope was magical but also indicated just how much work we had ahead of us - from then on I just looked down! After an hour of soft ash where you slid back almost as much as you progressed we reached the snow line. The wind was strong and cold and it was carrying snow - great. We put our crampons on and put a rope between us all for safety - Gary up front, me in middle, Jose following. The snow was easier going as the crampons do such a good job but the snow and wind weren't letting up.
A couple of people were coming back down for whatever reason. Not so good for your positivity. After 3 hours of climbing with my breathing labouring to the max all the way and an increasing sense of feeling sick to my stomach, we met a guide who was coming back down with his party and advised we aborted due to the extreme weather. To be totally honest it was a godsend as I was in no shape to carry on to the summit which is a further 3 hours climb followed by a 3 hour descent - it would have been suicide.
So we about faced and started our descent. It was only then did I realise just how steep the path was - we took it very easy. An hour later we were back at the lodge - 5am, 4hours of hard graft. We had tea and went back to bed and tried to sleep but it was freezing and noisy as others also returned.
We heard later that morning that only a few actually made it to the summit - and they were parties who left later when the weather had let up for them.
So I got back to Latacunga for around midday where I was met by Wendy who'd had a night of wine and nachos with Clover.
We are chilling out today in a lovely hostel / cafe we've found (pictured) - catching an overnight bus to Lajo, then making our way to a hostel that looks amazingly chilled for a couple of nights in Vilcabamba.
Then onto Peru and the jungle....

Latacunga and Cotopaxi Mountain

Although we were sad to leave our friends in Quito, we quickly met with Clover from Seattle, on our bus. She was also heading to Latacunga and wanting to climb Cotopaxi. So... as we stand at the moment, James is currently 4800m halfway up a mountain/volcano and Wendy in around 3000m in Latacunga... Clover and Wendy made an hours climb in very high altitude to the climber´s refuge, had chicken and rice and then climbed/slid down again as the path underfoot is all volcanic ash... however James´s adventure just begins as he is staying in the refuge and getting up around midnight to start the ascent to the summit.. 5897m...as we left he was about to practise with his ice axe and crampons, it will take him around 6 hours to get to the crater at the top, only 33% of attempts succeed... many climbers cannot make it due to the extreme altitude... Clover and I could barely breath at 4800m... literally deep inhalations and gasping... and feeling very sick also is normal... but we will see... Good luck James... xxx

Watch out for the most amazing photographs to come, unfortunately I am not able to upload any now as James has the camera... for obvious reasons...

Goodbye Quito and our new friends

Leaving Quito was quite emotional as we had made such good friends with the owners of our hostel...and also our favourite internet cafe... but onwards... we took a slow morning to say our goodbyes and of course enjoy our last spagetti bolognese here...

To save some dollar we decided to give the trolley bus another go but it is so so crowded that there is no way we could even fit without our bags so we shared a taxi with a very mental Ecuadorian/New Yorker... who flagged down an unofficial taxi and got us a good deal for our dollar! (By the way mum (Pat) he talked more than me or even Kathryn!!!)

Crossing into Ecuador and Quito

We met a French-Canadian at the Colombian-Ecuador border who spoke both English and enough Spanish to help us make bus connections. We travelled with him all the way to Quito, yes another bus! but only 4 hours this time. We lost him on a bus heading into Quito town cos we got off a stop too early..and he couldn´t get off as its sardines in a can... doh. We didn´t even know his name, but as luck would have it, the next day when we were walking around the old Colonial area of Quito, we bumped into him.. we´re hoping to arrange a trek together up Cotopaxi (the highest Volcano in South America).

We´re staying at a hostel that we found advertised in Bogota - a Mum, Marta and daughter, Fern, are our hosts in a beautiful house - they´ve made us feel very welcome - a true home from home. We keep getting lovely hugs from Marta and she officially makes the best coffee we have tasted so far...

Quito is certainly more developed than Colombia, it feels more wealthy with BMWs being driven around and lots more varied shops. However on a bus ride into town yesterday Wendy had her bag slashed by someone - we didn´t see who or to be honest when it happened exactly but the bus ride into town was packed and it was the only opportunity anyone would have had. Luckily the shits got nothing out of it - however it shook us up a bit that it had happened without us noticing. Don´t worry mummy (of Wendy) xxx I am fine and i have even stitched up the cut with a sewing kit that James has had since he travelled Thailand... even though he told me not to pack it as we wouldn´t need it! Marta wasn´t that impressed with the stitching however!

Quito old town is beautiful place, fantastic architecture, gorgeous foods, views, amazing. A real surprise. We have relaxed here easily and have even learned some new phrases in Spanish.

Unsure of when our next blog will be... heading south for Cotopaxi tomorrow or next day...

Love and kisses xxx James and Wendy