1/10/18
Today, we were going to hike Chimborazo, which is the highest mountain in Ecuador. We would begin at a ranger post, walk to the next ranger post, and then head back down. The hike itself was probably only a mile, but it was the elevation that made the hike difficult. The second post was above 16,000 feet in elevation! While I didn't make it all the way to the second post, I'm still proud of myself for hiking above 16,000 feet; that is something most people will never do in their lifetimes. Even our mountain guide had only made it to the top of the mountain twice when he's tried 6 times. We had to be especially careful not to over-do ourselves on this mountain. We met up with the rest of the group at the first ranger post for doughnuts. That sugar really helped recover from the hike.
Chimborazo was special because it is a reserve for the protection and breeding of Vicunas. Their wool is even more soft than alpacas and it was often worn by royalty. Today, they are protected. Vicunas were probably my favorite animal we saw in Ecuador. Their faces were gentle and expressive. I want to go back to see them again.
Next on our list was to go to Quilotoa. We had spent longer than anticipated at Chimorazo, so by the time we were getting close to Quilotoa, it was getting dark. We decided to get up early to do do Quilotoa the next day instead. La Hosteria La Quintana Colorada greeted us with a charm no one expected. They had sheep and llamas and birds, along with a zipline on the front lawn. After settling in, Tait talked to us about energy use and alternative energy opportunities in Ecuador. As it is with any other country, each option has pros and cons.
After our discussion and dinner, we went off to bed. We'd be waking up around 4 am in order to reach our destination with enough time for the rest of that day's planned activities.
Chimborazo was special because it is a reserve for the protection and breeding of Vicunas. Their wool is even more soft than alpacas and it was often worn by royalty. Today, they are protected. Vicunas were probably my favorite animal we saw in Ecuador. Their faces were gentle and expressive. I want to go back to see them again.
Next on our list was to go to Quilotoa. We had spent longer than anticipated at Chimorazo, so by the time we were getting close to Quilotoa, it was getting dark. We decided to get up early to do do Quilotoa the next day instead. La Hosteria La Quintana Colorada greeted us with a charm no one expected. They had sheep and llamas and birds, along with a zipline on the front lawn. After settling in, Tait talked to us about energy use and alternative energy opportunities in Ecuador. As it is with any other country, each option has pros and cons.
After our discussion and dinner, we went off to bed. We'd be waking up around 4 am in order to reach our destination with enough time for the rest of that day's planned activities.