A bumpy loop
Trip Start
Jan 13, 2006
1
14
34
Trip End
Jul 15, 2006
Where I stayed
Quillatoa, Ecuador
Monday, March 27, 2006
Of course this was to be a mental weekend, so having got in fairly late, it was up at 6.30am to go catch a bus and embark on the mighty 'Quillatoa loop'. This was really travelling: the first bus journey was simple, two hours down the road; The next: four hours crammed into the back corner of a typical ecuadorian bus, loaded with all the customary smells of the farmyard and then some more. We were the only gringos on the bus as it bounced (literally) around the loop. We didn't realise quite how bad the road was until we had got off the bus and seen that half of it had, well, never been built in the first place! The views were spectacular, and the ride not so bad, probably because the effects of the previous nights exursion kept me half asleep and therefore numbed the pain.
We arrived late afternoon to 'Chugchillan' where we were to discover the Black Sheep Inn and rendez-vous with Owen, Tamie, and Naomi. This inn was fantastic - expensive, but the price (at $20) included two massive meals and a great lodging, as well as some other travellers to meet and greet.
Now this became a 'missionary' day. Up at 5.15am the next morning to catch the 6am bus to Quillatoa (right next to the mighty 'Laguna Quillatoa'). This bus ride was franky epic - it made those crazy crazy rides in Bolivia (even the ones to Sorata) look tame. The drop off beneath us was enormous, and the road was sliding away beneath the bus as it turned corners. At times I genuinely felt like we were falling off the edge (but what a way to go eh?) The rain the previous day made the road even more treacherous, and predictable we got stuck: The bus was slipping and sliding up a particular stretch, where there was a biggish drop off, but fortunately just as it seemed the inevitable would happen, an extra (supernatural?) bit of traction kept us on the road, only for us to get stuck another 10m further on. This wasted a good 45 minutes to 60 minutes of the journey, and we all got out, and lumped various rocks, sand and bits of tree under the wheels in the hope that we could get out of the rut. After much time and struggle (including an attempt by all of us to pull it out by a rope - which ripped my hands apart), we got moving once more and were able to breathe some kind of a sigh of relief (not a great one, because the situation in terms of crumbling roads and drop offs worsened). Eventually we would arrive at Quillatoa, and begin the epic trek around the crater.
Laguna Quillotoa is essential a volcanic lake, that is to say there was once a massive volcano here that blew its top, and now all that is left is a crater that has become filled with water (allegedly the volcano is still active). The hike around the crater was spectacular, but probably the hardest hiking I have even done (thats right boys, even harder that Laguna Glacial). We started merrily, heading down the crater a little, then Dave says to me 'Hey let's go down the the lake'. This was a long long way down, but I was like 'hell, go for it' (I have become more American recently). Without a path to follow, we ran down this ridiculously steep crater wall to the beach below. This was nice enough: the lake was a sort of greeny colour, with yellow edges, presumably cause by the sulphur of the volcano (very surreal looking). Of course the problem with our route down was that inevitably there was no path back up. Thus began the biggest mission ever, and something I would never recommend: climbing out of the inside of the crater of a volcano. It was a good halfway up until we struck a path and even then it was absurdly steep. But we manned it up there, and along some more to reach the highest point of the crater for lunch. This, along with the salt flats in Bolivia, is probably one of the most magical and mystical places I have ever visited, a surreal serenity about the place as you admire the beauty of the setting and it's absolute remoteness. And yet even within the slopes of the crater itself, there were indiginous folks tending to their crops (and as we would find out, setting their dogs afer us, slowing our progress down massively.) We still had the harder ridge of the crater to hike (though the morning had been made harder by our excurion down and back up from the lake). So it really got tough. Tough, but enjoyable, as is the way. We were doing ok for time, figuring we could be finished between 2 and 3 o'clock, but alas, problems would hit! The clouds descended on and engulfed the lake, and before we knew it there was no visiblity, and with only maybe 20 minutes of hiking left to go as well. So we got lost in the clouds, dehydrated, and suddenly everything started to go wrong. The local family we asked for help wouldn't do anything unless we gave them their 5 dollars charge. Which of course we didnt. Fortunately I was able to use my (flawless) memory to retrace our footstep and chance upon another path I had seen, and before too long the crisis was averted. Downing water and fizzy drinks worked a treat and we were lucky enough that a bus right back to Latacunga pulled in to take us homeward.
Sleeping here was easy after the excersion of the day, and when back in Quito a trip to 'Mongo's all you can eat' mongolian restuarant was fantastic, especially given that we had only taken one meal all day. And a celebratorial beer whilst watching football highlights to round it off: The end of a short but sweet weekend, before I would leave Quito forever (until the next time...)
