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As a test, we carried our packs of some 20kg each the 2km from the casa Martha to our hotel. At an altitude of nearly 3000m we were pleased to do it without a stop and without getting out of breath.
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Booked into a comfortable twin room at the Chaletsuiss, before returning to the language school for our final lesson.
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At 6.30 we wandered down to the Hostel Jardin del Sol, a couple of blocks away, to meet up with our leader Linda, Gregg the driver, Jay a trainee leader and 17 other tour members. There was one person who was still to arrive, so we would be quite a full bus. Everyone else on the trip were much younger than us by at least 20 years. But no vegetarians. Agreed that if the missing person wad vegetarian we would kill and eat him.
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We were given a talk about the bus we would be travelling in and how to treat it, as well as a brief outline of the itinerary for the first section of the journey. This was followed by an adjournment to the bar, but as we hadn't eaten we found an Italian restaurant instead and then returned to our room.
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A bit of a disturbed night; our room faced on to the road and until the early hours was patrolled by taxis without exhausts and multi-tone hones. Even with double glazing it was still noisy.
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Returned to the same restaurant that we had eaten in the previous evening for a buffet breakfast.
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Had a mixed morning, our attempt to look around the Natural History Museum failed. The building indicated on the map was dilapidated and closed so we wandered back into the centre for a drink and a visit to an Internet cafe, where I was able to plug in my memory card and upload the diary.
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Returned to the hotel to finish packing and congregated in the lobby, with our bags, with everyone else. Outside was parked 'Kinda' the blue trek bus we would be travelling in for the next 8 weeks.
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Well on time we started loading, sleeping bags and mats inside, rucksacks in lockers on the outside. Then in we all climbed, cleaning our hands with an antiseptic spray as we boarded. We found seats in the centre, and off we went, leaving on time.
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Started to get to know the people sitting near us; Pete and Becky from Leeds, Steff from Guilford and Cedric from France. As we drove out north from Quito, past the airport, the overcast skies released a few drops of rain. Out in the open country the landscape became parched with scrub, cactus and rubbish lining the roadside. Deep canyons cut into the soft graywacke. Slowly we descended into the bottom of the canyon to cross the Guaillabamba River at an altitude of 2000m before climbing out the other side. As we progressed north on the E35 the landscape became less fractured and more fertile with occasional irrigation channels, eucalyptus and hemp gradually gave way to agriculture.
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At the equator we stopped for the obligatory photo before moving on passing some nurseries which included roses. The further north we drove the more prosperous the area appeared. Passed through rolling hills with green field with cows and crops, a very English view to reach the town of Cayambe. Still progressing north we came to a green valley with a lake backed by a mountain. Around the shore stood houses and on the lower slopes was a patchwork of fields, the upper slope was covered in cloud. This was Largo San Pablo, known to the local Imbas culture as Imbakucha . The view was totally unexpected.
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Otovalo Street
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At 4.15 we arrive in Otavalo, unloaded the bus and settled in to the 'Valle del Amanecer' (Valley of the Dawn) hostel, before taking a stroll into the market square to get a feel for the place. Even though it was getting late many of the stalls were still operating though others were packing up, with men pushing large trolleys with a hooter and a steering bar at the rear that turned the front wheels. Gently, we browsed around the stalls and tested out some of the prices before wandering up a side street and into a well laid out garden square with monument to Ruminahui, fountain and seating. After an hour we returned to the hostel.
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Rose at 7am after a good nights sleep. With a clear sky and strong sun we took a stroll around the market as it was being set up, looking for photo opportunities. After 45 minutes we returned to the hostel for breakfast and to pack before sallying forth again. Local Olavadians; the women in white blouses, blue split skirts over a beige under skirt and shawl, with multi string gold beaded necklaces; the men with gold teeth and fedoras; manned the stalls. Strolled around comparing prices and bought a few things on the market before visiting the 'The Shanandoa Pie Shop' for a blackberry pie with ice cream to top up before getting on the bus for a 5 hour drive.
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First of all we drove back down the same road as we came in on. South of Cayambe we turned off towards the Andes, through showers and on to rougher road. The area was still well populated and fertile. Passed through
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Quinche and Baeza as we climbed steadily up towards a pass at 4000m.
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Over the top clouds gathered on the Amazon side. Although fertile on the coastal side of the mountains on the Amazon side the flora was more abundant growing amongst large tussocks and increased as we descended with trees starting to appear in sheltered spots. Through the mist we could make out snow covered peaks.
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Entered the Parque del Condor and continued to descend to a lake which appeared to be a manmade reservoir for the town of Papallacta, to which we were heading. The road became rough and narrow with a steep drop on the right hand side as we made our final descent to 3200m, through dust covered vegetation.
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At Papallacta we turned off left for the final 2km to our campsite by hot springs.
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The first nights camping of the trip and so we had instruction on how to set up our tents and how the camp would be organised. I was on cooking duty for the evening so as soon as we had set up, together with Alex, Michelle and Anna, while the others went for a dip in the hot springs, under the instruction of Linda, our leader and a trained chef, we prepared the vegetables. The meal for the evening was lasagne.
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After we had finished it was time for washing up. To reduce the risk of bugs that breed in damp tea towels our utensils were first drip dried and then 'flapped'. A plate was held in each hand and flapped backwards and forwards to remove the remainder of the water.
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As we sat around after dinner a full moon started to rise, behind thin cloud, over a local mountain in the east. Slowly, as the moon rose, the cloud cleared and the moonlight lit up the snow on the slopes of Cayambe in the west giving a ghostly veil on the horizon.
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At 9.00pm we all felt it was time to turn in.
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As we had a long journey we were up and the tents packed away by 6.00, before they had had a chance for the dew on them to dry. A cloudy sky with occasional fine drizzle greeted us. Breakfast quickly followed and by 7.00 we were on the truck and away returning first to Papallacta then turning left to follow the river down to the Amazon basin.
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The road started off quite reasonable with occasional rough patches as we descended through a deep, narrow tree lined gorge to Quidas.
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Along the way we past occasional oil/ gas extraction and separating plant.
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After a while the tarmac finally gave out and we were on gravel with ridges and potholes. The valley opened out as tributaries fed the main river, the road crossed steel bridges, as necessary. Agriculture continued to be practised, usually from a small homestead every kilometre or so, with a few cows, with villages appeared every 10 to 20km. Beside the road ran a steel pipeline which we followed on and off for most of the journey. The vegetation included bananas, tree ferns, fuchsia, bamboo, long grasses, a shrub with a mixture of red and pink flowers as well as countless plants we couldn't recognise.
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Rounded tree covered hills stretched to the horizon. Even though the road was rough it was still well used with hardly a minute going by that we didn't meet a vehicle coming the other way.
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Crossed the Rio Salado and followed it down stream before climbing back up the hillside passing landslides and fording a river where the bridge had been washed away.
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Stopped for lunch by the side of the road but didn't linger when it started to drizzle. Continued on through small towns with the landscape broadening out.
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Then in mid afternoon we were back on tarmac, passing through the large, well-constructed township of Lumbaqui. We were now down to 600m, having spent most of the day at around 1500m, the forest again took on a different appearance the trees having higher spread canopies and less undergrowth.
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The landscape flattened out, the roads straightened and the temperature and humidity rose as the sun came out.
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Reached a check point, a bit of a pain as initially they wanted us all to produce our passports, but, after Linda had given them a passenger list we just had to walk through the check point whilst they gave the bus a cursory inspection.
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While at the checkpoint the sun was sweltering but soon after leaving we were in a heavy downpour, this was the dry season which in reality, in the rain forest, means less wet than the wet season.
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At on town the road stopped at a washed out or unfinished bridge across the Coca river, it was impossible to tell which but it didn't seem there had been any work on it for some time. Took a small regular ferry to cross over to the other side and we were on our way again through quite populated countryside, with homes of varying quality every 100m on each side of the road. And so it continued, along with the pipeline until, in the dark, we reached Coca (Puerto Franciso de Orellana), a surprisingly large city, with a short well-known name and a long official Spanish name. Pulled into our hotel 'Henry Paul' and took up a very comfortable room.
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The most surprising aspect of the day had been the higher than expected population levels. Although it was thin in the Andes, nowhere along the route was totally depopulated.
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For the evening we visited a restaurant by the river where we ate a pleasant meal of mixed meat, one of which was rodent of some form, before adjourning to a bar across the road. Accompanying us was Adonis, a large, well-spoken, local who had trained in the USA and was to be our guide in the rain forest.
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Wednesday 12 November 2003
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Thursday 13 November 2003
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All we were told about the evening was that we should bring our swimming costumes, passports (for road checks) and meet at 7.45.
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A bus arrived on time together with Adonis and some of his team and we were taken to a water park for Bob's birthday party. We didn't, in the end, go for a swim, though Bob and Alex did.
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After midnight, we returned to the hotel
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Saturday 15 November 2003
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During the night we had quite a heavy rainfall but by the time we got up at 6.30 it had finished.
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At 8.00 we were off on a long drive to Tena. As we left the sun came out and the temperature and humidity rose. At the start we were on paved road but soon, as we climbed and headed south into the western Andes foothills, it became unsealed. The area seemed to be involved in growing oranges, though we didn't see any orange trees, but many people that we passed in small villages and individual homes were in the process of packing oranges into crates. At one place four mules were by a loading point and so we assumed that the oranges were being brought down to the road from higher up.
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The road was rough in places, as well as having quite a bit of work being carried out at many points along its whole length.
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Prior to lunch rain started to fall and so we drove on until it stopped and reached a car park beside the road. As well as ourselves there were also three buses of soldiers who stood and watched as we prepared our lunch.
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We continued on in the afternoon with the sun reappearing and children by the wayside waving to us. The area, as we approached Tena, seemed more prosperous with better quality houses.
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At 4.30 we arrived at the Travellers Lodging Hostel and after first being given a room in the basement we were moved up to a better first floor room.
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In the evening we took a walk along Tena's main street to view the sights and find somewhere to eat. Tena is not a great tourist town and we ended up with a pizza at the cafe next door to the hotel.
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We thought we had a quiet room at the back, unfortunately the Saturday disco, that went on all night, was behind us, though they turned the volume down at 2.30.
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Up at 6.00 for another early start, breakfast and away by 7.30. A similar road to the previous day it also drizzled again, though it cleared up a bit around lunchtime.
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As we got closer to Baños the improved road took us by a prosperous looking town next to a tea plantation. Closer still and everything changed, first we were held up for over half an hour due to road works and a single track road. To improve the road up the steep sided valley a new surface was being constructed of concrete and some tunnels cut, but the work was far from completed. In places the drop down the left-hand side was precipitous. Across the valley was also a wire carrying a gondola.
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Just outside Baños we stopped for lunch at a bridge over a deep valley from which a rope swing was set up. A few of the group tried it and after watching how it went I decided to have a try. First of all I had to put on a full body harness to which 3 carabinas were attached then 3 individual climbing ropes were clipped on to the carabinas. All that was then required was to climb up and stand on the 20cm wide bridge handrail, a safety line was detached, the group counted down 3-2-1 and with a forward dive, arms out stretched and head back I launched myself into space. Within a couple of moments the rope was pulling me back as I swung underneath the bridge, and continued to swing for a minute or two until the swing had lessened and I was lowered to the floor of the canyon. Climbed a rough path back up to the bridge where I was congratulated on my style.
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I was the last on the swing and so when I was finished we packed away the lunch and completed our journey to Baños. The town was very busy with tourists and we weren't all able to get into the same hotel, though we were only next door at the Hostel Posada del Arte (formerly the Cafe Culture). We were allocated our room which we found to be very good, and settled in for three nights to catch up on some sleep and washing.
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In the late afternoon we took a walk into the town centre to have a quick look around and check emails.
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For our evening meal we ate at the hotel, the food was excellent.
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The day was completed with a visit to the Hardrock Cafe with the rest of the group but by 11pm we left them to it and returned to get some sleep
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Wandered into town for breakfast at a Danish/ Ecuadorian cafe, whose owner had accosted us in the street the previous day. The food and setting was fine but the owner's enthusiasm was a bit overpowering.
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Free to do our own thing in Baños, we picked up a leaflet at tourist information and decided to take a walk on the hillside behind the hotel.
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Returned to the cafe for some filled rolls for lunch, then back to the hotel to pack a rucksack.
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Walked to the western end of town to find the start of the footpath.
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At 10.35 we started up the 654 steps (and some slopes) that would take us up to the 6m statue of 'The Holy Mother of the Holy Water', built in 1987 by Father Acosta, Prior of Baños. The path gave good views looking north east over Baños and south to Tungurahua which could be glimpsed through the clouds, puffing smoke. After a climb of about 250m we reached the statue which should perhaps be called the Madonna with graffiti. It would seem the local practice for young men to make their marriage proposal by writing around the base of the statue and for the girls to give their response in the same manner.
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From the statue we headed east, climbing slowly with Baños below us, on our left.
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A few dwelling were passed as we made our way towards Runtún. The map we were following was only a sketch and so when we came upon a sign indicating the volcano lookout 800m up on the right we took it. After about 500m of steep climbing we came upon another sign saying 600 metres to the lookout, or with the angular carving it could be read as GOD metres. And so it continued with the distance decreasing but not as fast as we thought it should have done.
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The area through which we climbed was given over to either market gardening or as alpine pasture for cows. The path joined a track that we still continued to climb until at midday and 2500m we felt that we must have passed the viewpoint. Tungurahua was in front of us, mostly covered in cloud but parts of it cleared now and then so that we could catch a glimpse of the summit or the smoke billowing from the side.
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The side of the hill was a maze of paths and tracks, some signed, some not, and some confusing. Explored a number of routes around Runtún looking for a path to Bellavista but found no sign and so took a path to return us to Baños, which we reached around 2.30.
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For the rest of the afternoon we showered and did more laundry as well as relaxing before another evening meal in the hotel.
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For the mornings activity, 5 of us travelled to La Chamana waterfalls, just outside Baños where, with the help of Ecuadorian guides, we abseiled first down a 7m fall, then a higher one and finally over a vertical 41m fall. Returned to Baños for lunch and relaxation. At 4.00 we crossed the road to be put through our paces with an hours salsa session, before returning to the hotel for a leisurely evening.
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Di canyoning
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Wednesday 19 November 2003
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Because Linda considered the train ride at Riobamba to be a disaster waiting to happen (it regularly derails), we were persuaded that we should give it a miss and instead were given the option of an extra day at Baños or Cuenca. As everyone was enjoying Baños the consensus was to stay another night, unfortunately we weren't able to keep the room we had so we packed our bags and moved next door to 'El Marques Posada' Which was just as good.
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The sketch map that we had showed a path on the opposite side of the River Pastaza from Baños, so we decided to give it a try, walking west out of town and crossing the Pastaza near the zoo. Past the zoo was a track to our right, which took us down closer to the river with a view of the cascade where the muddy river water forced its way through a narrow gap.
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We had hoped that the path would continue past the cascade viewpoint but it stopped there so we returned to the road. A family was standing at the top of the path so we asked them about the path, they said there wasn't one, as shown on the map.
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Returned to Baños to complete our shopping and the Internet and then retired for a siesta. As most of the rest of the group had been busy partying until the early hours, they too were taking it easy.
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After diner walked into town to take a look to see if Tungurahua was glowing in the dark, as it wasn't we strolled back to the hotel for an early night.
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Thursday 20 November 2003
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Tunguraha
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An early start for a 380km drive south along the Andes. Rose at 5.40 for breakfast at 6.00 and away an hour later. Left Baños under a light blue sky with the sun catching the tops of the hills as we headed west up the Pastaza gorge. Behind us, as we curved around the bends, we were able to catch sight of Tungurahua, with smoke billowing out from the side, in the clear morning air. Across the wide valley small, hedged fields made a patchwork on the opposite hillside. As we made our way up to Ambato, we passed through small towns servicing the fertile area.
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At Ambato we turned south on the E35, the Pan American Highway, to climb to 3500m through countryside with dusty but productive soil. To our right stood the snow cover peak of Chimborazo, mostly obscured by cloud. At 6310m it is the highest peak in Ecuador.
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Continued on down to Riobamba, a cheap stone set in an exquisite clasp of rolling patchworked foothills.
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Just past Riobamba we ran into a protest; rocks had been placed on the road. As we didn't know whether we would be held up for five minutes or five days we turned around and returned to Riobamba to look for an alternative side road. The one we found took us through a fertile basin containing numerous market gardens and small farms with people tending small plots by hand or with the aid of a bullock. Climbed up the hillside on gravel switch back roads continually passing through small villages. Even as we crossed over the highest point at 3400m more fields stretched ahead right up to the mountain tops. Some of the fields contained round ricks with a thatch on the top.
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After stopping to ask the way a couple of times and travelling at times on roads that were little more than farm tracks, we regained the main highway and tarmac. And on down to Guamote, we knew it must be getting close to lunchtime as it started to cloud over and drizzle. Fortunately it was dry when we pulled up and a dozen children emerged from the hillside to watch us, together with two dogs. One of the girls carried her sister, not much smaller than herself on her back in a sling. As we ate the children formed a line and sat on the ground, watching.
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Children
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On to Alausi, dominated by large statue, then through more hills with deep vertigo-inducing slopes to our right, dropping 1000m. Yet parts had been cultivated. We could very easily imagine we were in an aeroplane as we travelled along at the same level as the clouds hanging over the valley.
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In places the hillsides were terraced, not level regular terraces but slopes without pattern. In places the upper fields seemed quite parched. Crawling along on the rough tarmac, every now and then a local bus would pass at twice our speed. Skirting around the west side of the mountains we gradually climbed back up to over 3500m, from 2500m, passing through more small towns and villages set in bowls in the hillside. As we climbed we entered low clouds and drizzle started to fall, but we emerged once again in to the clear, though stratus clouds still hid most of the blue. On through green rolling alpine pastures inset with Swiss style brick built homesteads, some up to three stories high, mostly in white or beige with red roofs, sometimes green, blue or grey, of tile or tin. In the fields cows were being milked by hand.
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Dropped down to the town of Biblian, with the church lit up in the dusk.
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As we entered Cuenca, just one more diversion before we arrived at our hotel, the 'Posada del Angel', at 7.30.
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After putting our bags in our room we immediately went out in search of food and found a small restaurant by the Cathedral Square where we both had the 'Plato Tipico', mostly good though the beans were a bit tasteless.
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The 'Posada del Angel' was a comfortable hotel, built in a colonial style. We had a large room with four beds looking out over a glass-covered courtyard.
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At 9.00, with the rest of the group, we took taxis out to the panama hat factory. After a tour of the works we ended up in the shop where a few bought hats.
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For the rest of the day we wandered around the streets looking at the architecture and walked by the river before returning for a siesta.
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Saturday 22 November 2003
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Woke early to the sound of voices but turned back over. When we got up discovered that a group, a mixture of all nationalities, was gathered around the reception computer reading the live commentary of the Rugby World Cup Final, so I joined them for the tense finish.
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Left Cuenca just before 7.00 and descended slowly through landscape similar to 2 days previous. After a while the hillsides became more arid until we were nearly at sea level and the land again became fertile in coastal mists. At last we reached the sea and turned to follow the coast, over rivers swollen by resent rains and through extensive banana plantations.
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Reached the Peru border and prepared for hassle, six in the group didn't have any entry documentation, the immigration officials having neglected to give them back the duplicate copies. But everything when very smoothly and we were through to the border town of Zarumilla.
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