Baños, Ecuador

Well, things didn't go exactly to plan on our first day in Ecuador. Without going into too much detail (I've already relived the events when writing in my personal journal and by recounting the tale on insurance documents) our camera, additional lens and money was stolen from my bag while on a bus. We were travelling from Mancora in Peru to Baños in Ecuador, the long journey involved three buses and a couple of stops and was knackering to say the least. At some point on the second bus while I caught a few winks my bag was dragged from under my seat and our camera, lens and money (nearly £1000 total value) was taken. The thief was clever enough to leave the purse and camera bag inside and placed a water bottle in the camera case to mimic the weight of the camera and bulk it out so I wouldn't notice, which I didn't until we arrived at our hostel several hours later. Upon realising that the camera was missing I felt a wave of emotion, my heart sank and of course tears welled up. I was just so angry at myself for letting it happen. Why didn't I padlock the zips on the bag? Why didn't I keep the bag on my lap instead of by my feet? How could I let this happen in broad daylight? Craig was brilliant and consoled me, reminding me that of course they are only material things and can be replaced. Thankfully the thief had left my credit card and passport inside the purse, surely realising that stealing these would provide too much hassle to profit from. We were passed from pillar to post in finding the correct place to file a report but eventually with the help of a local man able to translate we obtained a police report and the bus company were notified. In the evening Craig treated me to a lovely dinner to try and cheer me up, despite realising that we no longer had a camera to photograph our trip he was surprisingly positive and didn't for one second let the events bring him down. 

The following day was devoted to printing and organising insurance documents. We each spoke to our families which cheered me up as it always does while we are away and we ate pizza in our hotel room with a view to the hills of Baños and a distant waterfall. Our beloved friends Sarah and Lee surprised us by depositing £100 in my account to make up for some of the losses that we'd incurred which made me cry happy tears. It's in moments like that that you wish you could magic yourself home to give the people you love big hugs.

Flying High at The Swing At The End Of The World, Baños in Ecuador

Craig on The Swing At The End Of The World, Baños in Ecuador

The next day fed up of (my) moping we decided to catch a bus to the 'Swing At The End Of The World'. The bus wound its way up the narrow roads to the top of a hill and we paid the $1 entry fee. The swings are attached to a rickety looking tree house which is set just over a cliff edge, when swung out you hover over the edge and can see amazing scenic views. I was a little apprehensive at first, I could see people being swung erratically by the men employed to push you manually and the only thing holding you in was a tiny piece of rope. Despite the fears I decided to go for it and even managed to hold my arms out. It was scary but exhilarating and just what I needed to take my mind off everything. Craig went so high on his turn and loved it. We embraced the beautiful surroundings before returning to town where we were reunited with our buddy Carl for dinner. In the time since we'd last saw him in Lima he had flown to the Galapagos while we had trekked Santa Cruz, it was lovely to catch up.

La Casa Del Arbol, Baños in Ecuador

Together at The Tree House in Baños in Ecuador

We had planned to go cycling with Carl the next day but Craig woke up with a tummy bug and was feeling really poorly. Typically it was a beautiful sunny day outside and I couldn't help but think how our luck had been particularly bad since we entered Ecuador. We spent the day indoors while Craig tried to sleep it off. As we were now on a tight schedule we couldn't spend any more time in Baños which was a shame as it looked like just our sort of place, beautiful landscapes abound, fun outdoor activities and a characterful town. The following morning we met Carl and caught a coach onwards to Quilotoa, I spent the majority of the journey munching on colourful sweet taffy brought at a market stall. 

When I shared what had happened on social media at the time I got some very heartwarming responses and was surprised to hear so many stories of theft while travelling. It really helped me to feel like I wasn't alone. Have you experienced anything similar personally? 

A Few Words and A Little Advice;

When travelling on coaches and buses for long periods of time you can easily let your guard down, especially if like us you have been travelling for multiple months. Staying vigilant can be difficult when you're exhausted from several long journeys in a row. I'd suggest buying a small lock for your day bag to lock the zips together to make life harder for any thief. Also, never put your day bag in the overhead storage shelf on a bus. If possible keep your bag on your lap or on the floor but with the straps wrapped around your legs so it can't be sneakily dragged away. If you are wearing a jacket or trousers with pockets that can be zipped up then I'd suggest keeping your purse with passport and money on your person* and possibly your phone/iPod too. 

*since going through the insurance process I learned that all the cash that was stolen from me wouldn't be covered as it was not 'on my person'. I received a payment of £250 from my insurer for the camera and lenses and was the maximum amount that they could offer. Make sure you have excellent travellers insurance and read the small print thoroughly. If possible buy additional insurance for valuable items such as a camera as the £250 we received didn't go very far at all in buying a new DSLR. 

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Mancora, Peru

After a thrilling month in Peru our time was coming to an end. We decided to go to Mancora; a beach town in the north of Peru to relax for a couple of days after our demanding trek in the Andes. Unfortunately we weren't able to travel directly by coach, we had to break up the journey with a stop in Trujillo. We arrived in Trujillo in the morning after an overnight bus journey from Huaraz. We had to wait in the station for the ticket office to open, once it did we snagged the last two seats on a bus leaving in the evening for Mancora. We had a day to kill in a random town with our bags in tow. It was hot, as we were at low altitude again the heat was intense and it was a bright sunny day. We made our way to another station where our night bus would be leaving from and we were able to leave our bags there. We strolled into the town past a huge mosaic mural along a university wall snacking on some cinnamon buns that we had picked up along the way. The town was experiencing a power cut and so many of the shops and restaurants were either shut or relying on noisy generators for power. We got some breakfast in a nice looking cafe but without air conditioning and only a few futile fans we were boiling. The town was fairly quiet and we whiled away the hours by sitting in cafes and on the square's green reading and watching the world go by. When it was time we walked back to the bus station and boarded.

The coach arrived in Mancora in the early morning, it was still dark. We stopped in the sweaty and fly-ridden coach office for a while before deciding to take a tuk tuk to our accommodation. The drive was short and despite agreeing firmly on a price beforehand the driver still tried to overcharge us. We remained firm and simply walked away until he eventually drove off. Our room looked on to a central garden area with colourful hammocks swaying slightly in the breeze. We made use of the hammocks and only went into town for food, once for a vegan seitan sandwich and again for a very sloppy but delicious vegetarian burger at a place owned by an American. 

The next day I woke up to hundreds of insect bites all over my left side. Despite using my own personal mosquito net something had got to me and I'd had a reaction too so the bites were huge and very angry. Undeterred we wandered into town and to the fruit and vegetable market where we bought lots of salad vegetables to make our own fresh lunch and dinner. We strolled along the pretty beach and treated ourselves to a delicious milkshake at a milk bar overlooking the sand. 

Our last day was again pretty uneventful, our coach would be leaving in the late evening so we checked out and left our bags in storage while we relaxed at the hostel. The highlight of the day and probably our entire time in Mancora was dinner. We stopped at Green Eggs and Ham a restaurant right next to the milk bar that we went to the day before. We shared a Mexican omelette with beer battered fries and a Mexican salad topped off with a chocolate brownie and vanilla ice cream for dessert. The food was divine and we had the whole terrace overlooking palm trees and the beach to ourselves. We watched the sky turn blush pink at dusk and talked about our time in Peru and how fantastic it had been; from peaceful convents and epic canyons in Arequipa to the majestic Sacred Valley and Cusco. From awe inspiring Machu Picchu to the mysterious Nazca lines and relaxed oasis of Huacachina. Even the bustling capital of Lima was a joy thanks to our wonderful homestay hosts. It truly has been a fantastic place to travel and has reignited our love for South America after a difficult time in Bolivia. 

You may have noticed the lack of photographs in this post and apologies for that. I will go into detail in the next post but in summary our camera was stolen just after our time in Mancora and the photographs that we had taken were not yet backed up, therefore I only have a handful of  iPhone photographs of our time there.

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Huaraz and the Santa Cruz Trek, Peru

We found ourselves sat in a tourist office in the bustling highland town of Huaraz. The air outside was crisp and the weather changeable, from bright sunshine to a biblical downpour in a matter of minutes. Opposite us was a man with shoulder length black hair named Marco. Marco had been telling us about a few of the treks in the region, some sounded hard, others sounded impossible. Somehow we were persuaded to sign up for the Santa Cruz trek; a 31 mile, four day, three night walk through Peru's Cordillera Blanca. It sounded hard but Marco assured us that it was manageable and gave us rough estimates of how long the daily walks would be, his estimates sounded fine and we'd hoped to be able to do a multi-day hike in South America. I used the trek as an excuse to buy as many bars of Cadbury Dairy Milk as Craig would let me for 'sustenance' during the walk.

Turquoise Lagoons and Mountains, Peru

Our Santa Cruz Trekking Group, Peru

The next day, with butterflies in my tummy we woke and packed a small loaned duffle bag with a few essentials, chocolate included. I was feeling apprehensive, it had been ages since we did any proper walking and we'd never done a multi-day hike before. Even as a keen camper at home I wasn't sure what camping in the complete wilderness would be like or what the bathroom situation would be (spoiler alert; there were no bathrooms or toilets for that matter at all throughout the entire trip, cue lots of people ducking behind boulders). Our minivan coasted around Huaraz picking up more people and then we set off. The drive was a couple of hours and as we gained altitude the views became more and more picturesque. The landscape was awash with vibrant green hills, lake water bluer than I imagined possible and winding dusty tracks. We stopped for breakfast and to pick up our park tickets and enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about the group that we'd be trekking with. Finally we made it to Vaquería the hike starting point. Another van load of trekkers arrived making our group much larger than the maximum suggested but there was no turning back now.

Peruvian Life in the Andes

Sheep on the Trek, Peru

On we walked and I was pleasantly surprised to see that the path headed downhill. It was lovely to walk through tiny villages; men in groups greeted me as I passed and sleepy pigs napped on the path edge, a little boy witnessed me slip a little on the rough track and giggled. After a while the track levelled and then inclines began to appear. The thin air started to take its toll and I gradually fell behind the group, I lost sight of them altogether at one point and had to wait for the guide and walker behind me to catch up to point me in the right direction. Waiting behind set me back even further and my morale started to drop. The donkeys, driver, cook and her daughter all passed me in quick succession. In the back of my mind I remembered reading about the trek and how day two in the Huaripampa Valley is notoriously difficult due to its uphill nature all the way to the pass. I kept thinking if I'm struggling with this then what will I be like when the terrain is so much harder? I found myself feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of the longs days ahead and began to feel tearful. Craig had stayed behind to urge me on but we were still only half way to camp. The rough estimate that Marco had given of around 3 hours on the first day was completely out. The thin air and uphill track slowed me right down and made me doubt my abilities.

Through Rock and Cloud I Walked, Peru

Mirroring the Mountains, Peru

Finally after what felt like an eternity the camp came into view. The small dining tent was overcrowded and as we were the second to last to arrive there was no room and I felt a little left out. I decided to sit in the kitchen tent with the cook and her daughter, the donkey driver and guides. The stove heated the tent nicely and I was given a lovely cup of hot tea and a seat with plenty of room to sit on. I listened as the guides chatted in Spanish, picking up as many words as I could and relished the relief of getting off my feet. The sky had turned inky black and torches were needed to navigate to our little soggy tent for our first restless night. As I lay in the cold sleeping bag on the hard ground I could hear the tumultuous river just metres away, how I wished I could magic up a little dinghy to take me back to the start and to civilisation.

Deepest Greens and Fluffiest White, Peru

Sharp Rock and Soft Cloud, Peru

Morning. It was cold, damp and I was feeling tired. With coca tea slowly warming my hands I thought about the walk ahead. I knew I needed to just take it step by step and so I tried to think positively. We started the walk and the rest of the group managed to zoom ahead with seemingly no trouble. I started to wonder if I was just completely unfit and irresponsible for taking on a walk I couldn't manage. I remembered Marco's words about how the walk was fine, manageable, not a problem even for those without experience with altitude. I started to feel completely duped. As with the day before I started to struggle as soon as the path turned uphill. The guides were supportive, praising me for every milestone I got to. At times the tight feeling in my chest and the nausea stopped me in my tracks and I struggled to walk more than a few feet without stopping. It was such an unfamiliar feeling, as someone who usually loves walking I was left feeling disheartened. Tears welled up in my eyes and even nibbling chocolate couldn't save me. With each step I edged closer to the pass, the highest point and most difficult aspect of the trek. At my insistence Craig rushed on ahead to photograph the breathtaking scenery, I didn't want us to miss having photographs of the landscape while the weather was clear. With me was Inbar an Israeli girl walking at a similar pace and the main guide. After hours of pain I was finally starting to develop a rhythm with my walking, I was able to notice the outstanding beauty surrounding me. It was quiet except for the wind and Inba's chatter. The peaks were snowcapped and seemed to shimmer in the sunlight. The sky was in a continuous state of flux, blue sky, then fluffy white cloud, then grey sky filled with hail and rain ready to litter the hills and path. The trail turned rocky and steep but I was able to manage it, my breathing was still laboured but somehow more manageable and the tightness in my chest had subsided. With great effort Inbar and I reached Punta Union pass at 4750 metres and hugged. It was an amazing feeling, I was full of elation. Craig was in his element photographing everything he set his eyes on. At the pass we could see the long path we had walked and the long path still ahead, but thankfully downhill. We drank in the view of the glacial lagoon and white peaks before walking on.

Punta Union Pass, Peru

Mountain Rock, Peru

Our guide walked ahead to help with camp and left us with route instructions. Despite being downhill and our pace being much faster the journey was still long. Halfway down the heavens opened and soaked us to our skin, even our waterproof boots were full of water as the rain ran down our legs. We reached camp completely soaked only to be told off by our guide for leaving the pass too late, in reality we'd not stayed long at all. The rain would have caught us even if we'd left at the same time as the guide, our pace was just not quick enough. We huddled into the kitchen tent where the gas stove could take the chill off and we removed our sodden boots. The lovely cook gave us cinnamon tea and fried cheese pastries which were perfect. At bedtime we found that the sleeping bags had got wet so we layered up as much as possible and miraculously I managed to sleep for most of the night.

Punta Union Pass, Peru

Craig Just After Punta Union Pass, Peru

By morning everything was still drenched so we had to put on wet clothes and boots. As the sun rose the heat intensified which was only a good thing to help dry us all out. At breakfast I could see that my damp legs were steaming in the warmth. It had been decided that we'd all complete the walk in a day, it meant an extra couple of hours of walking but once we'd finished we could relax until pick up the next day. The walk took us through the valley and along the rivers edge, the terrain was relatively flat and easy. We were able to sit and enjoy the surroundings at various points with less pressure. In one spot cows grazed on the bright green grass, some hid behind boulders and birds danced in the sky. After several hours and very tired feet we made it to the final camp and received a cheer from the rest of the group who had already arrived.

Wildflowers in the Valley, Peru

A River Runs Through It, Peru

We sat in the sun with a refreshing drink and petted the dogs that had walked the entire route with the guides. Once Inbar had arrived we jumped in the van and trundled down the road to the natural hot springs. We jumped in, soaking our tired limbs in the hot water. In the evening we listened to a local man sing and play a string instrument, he was a little intoxicated so his voice wasn't entirely in tune but it made for a fun experience. I managed to get a really good nights sleep and for our last breakfast we were treated to pancakes with sweet dulce de leche, a favourite that I've missed since we left Argentina. The van was packed and after a slow start we made our way back to Huaraz stopping at an artisanal ice cream shop on the way. Once back in Huaraz we recovered in our hotel room and then met the group in the evening for a pisco sour. A few of us decided to treat ourselves to a delicious meal at Chilli's; a place that Craig and I had been looking forward to eating at since we discovered it on TripAdvisor.

In It Together, Us at Punta Union Pass, Peru

With the trek behind us I vowed internally never to sign up for a multi-day hike again but in reality I'm proud that I stepped outside of my comfort zone. I questioned myself at so many points, and only made things worse by comparing myself to others and putting pressure on myself to walk faster. I learned that altitude and I aren't the best of friends but with perseverance and belief in myself I can achieve anything.

Conquering The World In My Own Small Way

Apologies for all the moans and groans during that post, never have I ever felt so physically pushed to my limit. Have you ever stepped out of your comfort zone and embarked upon a physical challenge? Let me know in the comments.

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