27th October

We caught seven buses today for our epic adventure to Otavalo.

Getting up at the normal time we walked down to the bus stop where, after asking the lady at the cash office, we caught an Ecovia bus to the end of the line. Although we don't really understand the different types of buses, one of the idiosyncracies of these buses is that they have their own separate "track" which runs down the middle of the other roads in Quito, thus eliminating any delays caused by traffic jams.

Despite it being before 8am on a Saturday morning the bus was packed and we had to stand for the duration of the journey.

Arriving at the terminal and again asking to be absolutely certain we caught an alimentador (feeder bus). After 20 or so minutes of riding through the suburbs of Quito this bus stopped outside yet another bus station leading us to rapidly exit as buses tend not to stay stationary too long.

Spying a line of people who we guessed were tourists like us we joined the line to get our tickets to Otavalo. While queuing I was tapped on the shoulder by a friendly American tourist who was pleased to hear some English-speaking voices and a conversation ensued.

We bought our tickets and were directed to a waiting bus where we had the back row seats alongside our new American chums, Peter and his wife Renee who were celebrating 25 years of marriage despite their youthful outlook.

During the two hour journey we had a good chat pausing often to admire the amazingly beautiful scenery through which we were riding. From snow-capped mountains in the background (Cotopaxi and Cotocachi volcanoes among them) to green hills, fast-flowing rivers and deep valleys in the foreground. The sky was a deep blue with bright sunshine and only wisps of cloud enveloping some of the bigger peaks. The road didn't have a single flat stretch as we wound ourselves up, down and round the amazing landscape. It was simply a stunning drive!

Once at Otavalo and having swapped details we wished our new friends well as they went off to their hostel and we explored the streets a little. We stopped for a coffee and hot chocolate for the princely sum of $2 - extremely reasonable considering the place is a tourist trap - before with great excitement we made our way to Plaza de Ponchos and to all the market stalls.

The market didn't disappoint exploding into neighbouring streets with the sheer volume of stalls. It was not as bustling or noisey as I expected but that made for a far more enjoyable experience. We spent a good amount of time taking a look around both at the tourist offerings and the more local stalls together with a stroll to Plaza Bolivar, a second square with a local church.

We then tactically retreated, finding a local eatery and took stock of what we'd seen and what we wanted to buy. Thinking we'd made some clear decisions we headed back to the market, getting a little bit lost in the multitude of stalls. From one man I nearly bought some trousers but he was too slow to come down to my asking price before we both bought something from the same stall, eventually Kirsty bought a smock/hoody after much much deliberation (there simply was too much colour choice!) and I did finally buy some trousers. See the photos for more!

Pleased with our shopping we then took a taxi to nearby Cascada de Peguche (Peguche waterfall) an 18m high waterfall set in some pretty, protected forest. Before entering the forest there were more stalls, one run by a very charismatic old man who Kirsty couldn't help but buy some earrings from before, in return, snapping his photo!

Walking through the woodland was great as we got to view the waterfall from the top, the side close up and from the front from a nearby bridge. We had a really enjoyable couple of hours.

Back in Otavalo, we caught the bus back to Quito arriving in the dark. At Terminal Carcelen we had a little wait before getting another feeder bus, this time to the Trole bus system.

Still in Northern Quito we jumped on the Trole bus, again with what felt like half the population of Quito before alighting at Parque Ejido. A quick stop at McDonalds on the walk home (far too late and tired to cook back at the hostel) made a good end to a great day!

28th October

Another early start as we grabbed one of the ubiqutous yellow taxis, a little way away from our hostel. Our destination was TeleferiQo, the world's second highest cable car and we could tell already from the car journey how high it would be as we kept following the road upwards.

When we finally arrived there were many locals hanging around outside the ticket office although it appeared no-one actually in a queue so we walked up to the desk, bought our tickets and got ready to board our cable car.

We shared our cabin with an employee from one of the cafes/shops and a young Spanish couple but nevertheless the ride was a good experience. The views of Quito were amazing as we rose higher and higher and even the strong wind rocking the cabin couldn't distract us from the views.

Eventually at close to 4,100m above sea level the ride came to an end and, after a friendly warning from the employee about banging my head (most Ecuadorians are not as tall as me!) we got out to admire the views from the top. We were so early many of the shops were shut and there were few people around. After purchasing a drink we decided to explore the countryside taking many photos as we walked.

Passing a lone-standing church and some horses to rent we had reached the extent of the area known as Cruz Loma. To our left was a trail up Volcan Pichincha (an active volcano) and, although we were in no way prepared for a serious hike, we thought we would follow the trail for an hour or two with it being such a lovely day. The view of Quito with the snow-capped mountains once again in the background made it even more magical.

Two hours later and having huffed and puffed our way upwards through the oxygen-deprived altitude we decided enough was enough and retreated back down to the relative comfort of 4,100m. It was noticeable how many more people were about on the trail as we were coming down and how many of them asked us how far it was to the top! (A lot further than you've walked so far being the reply!)

After returning down the TeleferiQo we got in a waiting minibus and, after a couple of minutes wait for some other passengers, we were off back down to Quito. We got dropped off in La Mariscal and with both of us pretty exhausted from our busy weekend we decided to treat ourselves to a meal out. Kirsty opting for a delicious chili-con-carne and I had a local dish of meat, rice, beans and chips.

29th October

Having heard from our American friends that it was difficult to book the train journey El Nariz del Diablo, we decided after class today to pay a visit to the tourist information office in town.

We went for lunch at our regular Monday haunt (although the old man who usually serves us wasn't there) before walking for an hour to reach the office of tourist information. When we arrived, apparently only one woman was able to help us and she wasn't back in for half an hour. While waiting we frequented a nearby cafe for a coffee and some cake.

When we returned the lady we were waiting for had still not shown up so we sat and waited until one of the other employees (no doubt annoyed by us hanging around) rang the booking line and passed the phone to me. My first phone conversation in Spanish!! It was nerve-wracking but having successfully reserved two seats in our names, the woman returned to the office and was able to bring up our newly-made reservation on her system. I then paid in exchange for two tickets for a week on Friday. Felt good to have something tangible to show for the Spanish lessons!!

We then returned home, both of us still a little fatigued from our exertions at the weekend. We made it back to the hostel just as the afternoon rains came, deciding it was the perfect weather outside to stay indoors for the rest of the day.

30th October

Class today was very hard work. A broken night's sleep made it difficult to concentrate and when I met Kirsty at La Mariscal we decided to drop any plans for the afternoon. Instead we went to a touristy restaurant for lunch, sitting out on the pavement watching the world go by as we ate Llapingachos (Ecuadorian potato cakes) and hamburger.

We then chilled out for the rest of the day, once again narrowly missing the thunder and lightning together with heavy rain that arrived in the afternoon. Since Quito is positioned close to the Equator, the days are the same length all year round which means it gets dark at the same time every evening. The concept of a bright summer's evening or a dark December rush-hour was completely incomprehensible to Alba, my Spanish teacher.

31st October

Following class I returned home and after doing little and being very indecisive we decided to go out for some lunch. As nice as it is to stay in one place and adopt a slower pace of life, I think we're both outgrowing our current place and starting to get itchy feet to pack our bags and move on.

At lunch I selected Menu del Dia, a cheap filling meal consisting of a starter and a main and then either a drink or sometimes a desert too. The various constituents vary from establishment to establishment. Lunch is the main meal of the day in these parts and Menu del Dia provides a big meal to satisfy the hunger at an affordable price. This one was composed of a delicious fruit juice (unfortunately we don't know the english translation for the fruit in question), "meat" soup (make of that what you will...) and pork in sauce with rice and beans. True to its origins it was delicious and filling!

As it was such a sunny day we decided to do the touristy thing and went to Plaza Foch, hanging out with locals and tourists alike, doing a spot of people-watching while supping a coffee.

1st November

I met Kirsty outside Espiral Centro Commercial and we walked to the Old Town for one final time. We ate in a favourite eatery which was pretty busy with all the seats taken (always a good sign of good food!). A toothless local old man offered us the chance to sit with him and his granddaughter but we politely declined and chose some recently-vacated seats instead. As he left he smiled at us, we may not necessarily be fluent in Spanish but we're all humans together and this old man was another example of Quiteños and their friendliness.

Afterwards we wandered the old town briefly stocking up on items we'll need for the rest of our trip before returning home via the market at Santa Clara.

It was another sunny day which meant it was quite hot, which takes a bit of getting used to at this altitude. At Santa Clara we bought some flowers for Alba as a token of my appreciation for her help. We were both amazed how much cheaper flowers were to buy here rather than back home.

Back at the hostel, the sun had caused me to start developing a headache but fortunately it was very quiet, no idea what had become of the other guests.

2nd November

After four weeks of studying five mornings a week, an emotional last class with Alba this morning who seemed to appreciate the flowers. It was difficult to concentrate for the last 30 minutes or so and she said some nice things as I left. Now all I have to do is practice my new-found Spanish skills.

Kirsty was waiting for me and with it being Day of the Dead and an annual holiday here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day_of_the_Dead#Latin_America) , the streets of Quito were incredibly quiet. There weren't many pedestrians nor much traffic with many of those who hadn't travelled out of the city instead spending their time at the cemeteries.

To commemorate the day everywhere serves a local speciality known as colada morada, a hot juice drink made of black cornflour, blackberries, blackcurrants, pineapples and spiced with cinnamon and other spices. It is served with guaguas de pan, breads shaped into the form of babies, filled with jam, which we discovered most people dip into their thick colada morada. After class, armed with a recommendation from Alba, we visited a local bakery where we partook in this local tradition.

From the bakery we headed home drawing sufficient cash to pay for our stay at the hostel. And then after four weeks of spreading ourselves and our stuff, it was time to pack up our bags. It took a little time as we were out of practice and couldn't remember the most efficient way to pack our stuff but eventually we were good to go.

As a last day treat we decided to go out for an evening meal selecting a restaurant not far from Plaza Foch. It was a good evening, only ruined by the rain which accompanied our walk back. Sheltering in the nearby supermarket we took the opportunity to buy some chocolate and ice-cream which we enjoyed in front of the tv. Lastly we settled our bill with Mario, returning a set of keys before donating our left over food to other guests.