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Main | Journal: Quito, EC | ||
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Quito, Ecuador (I'm not through with you yet) Wednesday, July 21 I have fantastic weather (70F and sunny daily); I have public tennis
and basketball courts; I have toilets with seats; I have hot showers;
and for the first time in quite awhile, I even have a job. No, I'm not
back in the States yet--I'm living the high life in Quito, which rhymes with mosquito.
Over the weekend, I flew to Quito from Lima to avoid having to hike
here from the border. Little did I know that the transportation
strikes had ended the day before my flight. As part of my itinerary,
I flew over Quito and into Bogota, Columbia then back to Quito.
Somehow, I survived unharmed in the Columbian airport for nearly an
hour without being kidnapped. I tried my best to look Canadian and
kept my passport well-hidden since an American is like a juicy filet
mignon for the terrorists there.
Upon my arrival in Quito, I changed money at the airport and found that
my 10,000 sucre notes were worth about ninety cents. Needless to say,
millionaires are made overnight here quite easily. I received a small
fortune of sucres when I changed a $100 traveler check. The bills were
bulging out of my pockets, and I really needed a briefcase to carry
around that kind of cash.
The highlight of my stay in Quito thus far has been my job as a
bartender at one of the better bars in town. The job interview went
something like this:
Back to Peru, my solo trek--albeit cut brief due to the freezing cold,
the fact that I went the wrong way, the steepest trail that I have ever
encountered, and the fourth installment of my stomach problems--was a
terrific experience. I followed the day trippers up a path to a lake
that has a similar name as the area I was supposed to go to. These
people were struggling mightily with the five pounds they were carrying
and laughed as they passed me while I had to catch my breath every ten
steps or so. I didn't realize that I would lose acclimitization to the
altitude after being out of it for only one week, but I certainly was
being educated as I ascended that mother of a relentlessly, vertical hill. I
reached a campsite just before the lake just in time to see a group of
people rock climbing their way up to the lake. At that point, I
decided that I would camp for the night and finish the climb the
following day. My campsite was at about 15,000 feet which is higher
than any of the peaks in mainland North America. I collapsed once I
set up my tent and tried to nap but could only gasp for air. The
camping area was serene and peaceful--surrounding me were a powerful
waterfall, jagged mountaintops, and colorful rock formations (as
usual). I happened to be the only person in sight for that entire
evening and enjoyed the quiet respite in contrast to the noisy city of
Lima that I had recently left behind.
The following morning, I reached the lake after a fairly dangerous half
hour of rock climbing without any equipment. The setting was fabulous
with a large, aqua blue lake, reflecting the snowy mountains that
guarded it on three sides. I made sure to stay there for an hour so
that I could get some value out of the ardous climb I had made to get
there. After the hour, I spent twice as long getting back down as I
did up, wishing that I had brought some rappelling gear along. On the
way back down to the pickup truck that would take me back to Huaraz, I
had to send my water bottle and backpack for a twenty foot drop in
order that the same thing wouldn't happen to me. Finally, I safely
reached the bottom and resolved that I had just finished the last trek
of this trip.
The traveler of the week award goes to the Alaskan fisherman that I met
on the way back to the city. He works in the number one most dangerous
occupation for forty-five days per year and travels the rest of the
time. He was heading back to town to be named the godfather of some
newborn in the town. I wish I had that much time...
Contrary to what I said in my last e-mail, I have decided to visit the
weirdo animals of the Galapagos. As a result, the current plan is to
be back in Boston by the 19th of August. Sorry if that throws off the
parade schedule but I can't quite leave yet. Also, I have not heard
from a number of you in quite some time. Another traveler made the
request that his friends give him a brief reply just to know that they
haven't been sent to jail, mauled by a bear or whatever else would keep
them from corresponding with him. Since I will be home in less than a
month, I would like to know whose names I need to keep in my address
book. So if you could take a minute to say hello--if you can--please
do so and include a current phone number, especially if you are on the
East Coast, because I will not have access to your number otherwise and
will not be able to see you otherwise when I finally arrive there. Or,
if you really would like to avoid having to see me, then don't reply,
have a nice life, and I'll probably wind up bumping into you somewhere
along the line anyway.
Thanks in advance for your cooperation.
Dan
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