Today we drove from Cuenca to Guayaquil via Cajas National Park. We passed village houses and farms perched on the steep hillsides, even high above the road, with locals simply walking on the highway to get anywhere, at times. When Sylvia said OK, we walk from here, we donned coats as we were very high up, it looked a bit cold, and rain imminent. It was like walking over the tussocks and tarns of our South Island mountains, but with Ecuadorian flora and fauna. Stunning and rugged mountain scenery surrounded us as we walked at 3000 metres through the tussocks, towards a hut we could see in the distance, and - hot chocolate! Every time I took a photo and held my breath to avoid camera shake, I had to stop and put my head down due to oxygen depletion! We did notice the elevation but just took it quietly.

Cajas National Park is spectacular moorland park, containing more than 250 lakes separated by rocky ridges and small forests of quenua trees. Situated at 3,000 metres above sea level, the region shows remains of intense volcanic activity and glaciation.

We arrived at Guayaquil, Ecuador's largest city and the focus of the nation's economy. Its economic prowess is due in large part to its location at the convergence of the Daule and Babahoyo rivers, just 70 kilometres from the Pacific Ocean.

Walked to see the main attractions of the port of Guayaquil, starting with the Centennial Plaza that honours the heroes of Guayaquil's independence, and then along 9th of October Boulevard to the heart of the business district of the city with the Plaza of the Administration and the striking Government and Municipal Buildings.

The Moorish Clock Tower and Bolívar Park, with an equestrian statue of South America's liberator, Simón Bolívar, is really famous for being 'the park of the iguanas' ! And so, our first land iguanas, and quite a spectacle they were, roaming about fighting over vegetables to eat, not caring too much about the humans!

Ted wrote:

'Today was again an early start as we travelled from Cuenca to Guayaquil. We went for about an hour hike at 3900 meters elevation......that's right, higher than Mt Cook.... And again spent lots of time looking at vegetation flowers and towards the end of the hike birds we hadn't seen before. Hike was about 2 kms and we had a hot chocolate before it was back in the van and climbing again. The saddle was at 4200 meters then down hill all the way to Guayaquil where we are in the Hilton Hotel at sea level. Our guide made the point that it you measured mountain height from the centre of the earth we would have been only 200 meters lower than the top of Everest. Because we are basically on the equator. Last 40 kms we were on flat land with coco tree plantation, bananas, rice, sugar cane. So it's been a great 4 days with our excellent guide and driver and we have a full day here tomorrow with a new guide before flying to Galapagos.'