Adventures in the Andean High Country

We were picked up from our hotel in Quito by our ex-pat Swiss climbing guide. We checked into our amazing room which provided a panoramic view of the countryside including the 19,000 ft Cotopaxi volcano, at a 300 year old hacienda. The next day we toured Cotopaxi National Park and climbed to the Refugio at 15,840 ft. in a blizzard with high winds. The following morning we headed deep into the Andes, getting an amazing perspective for the indiginous culture eeking out a living at nearly 12,000 ft., then hiked around the Quilotoa crater lake, pictured at right. On our final day we headed to Saquisili for market day and experienced what is said to be the most important indiginous market in South America. It was an amazing few days, but the real adventure started shortly after we left the hacienda. Our market guide, Carlos, drove us out to the Panamerican highway, passed a small restaurant with cuy (roasted guinea pig) displayed outside, and just as he turned onto the pavement we noticed the bus we were hoping to catch was right behind us. At 70 mph he was able to flag down the bus. Our bags were quickly thrown underneath and we found ourselves packed into a standing room only chicken bus. No, literally it was a chicken bus. A few pick-ups later 4 bags each holding 10 live chickens were thrown into the same compartment as our bags. It was an eventful ride and we were grateful to make it to the resort town of Banos. Check out the link to our hotel. We plan to spend the next 5 days relaxing, getting $20 massages, rafting, biking, and waterfall rappelling.