Quito and the Middle of the World, Ecuador

The journey started in Quilotoa in what felt like a quiet place up in the clouds and ended in Quito, Ecuador's bustling capital. The three of us arrived in the old town centre and set about finding somewhere to stay as we hadn't pre booked. Each door that we knocked on had availability but at a huge cost, well out of our modest budget. Walking up and down the hills was hard work with my 12 kilogram backpack and additional rucksack, my energy had waned and I was keen to find somewhere, anywhere so I could sit down. After a quick look at Craig's maps.me app we walked to Community Hostel who miraculously had space, was budget friendly and lovely and clean. We wandered across the road for dinner at a quaint but lively brewery and played Cards Against Humanity while we ate our delicious food.

After a tasty breakfast we all decided to tag along on the free walking tour which set off just outside our hostel. First stop was at the Central Market just down the road, our guide persuaded us to buy mora (blackberry) juice as she said a visit to Ecuador wouldn't be complete without a taste. We walked by several historical buildings and listened to stories of the city, it's tough times and it's important moments. At a stop by a confectionary shop everyone bought sweet treats to munch on as we walked, I opted for a small bar which resembled white chocolate but tasted like English fudge. I was instantly taken back to long weekends at my dads house in Cornwall, my stepsister Jo works in a fudge shop and always spoils us with the creamiest crumbliest fudge when we visit.

Fruit Stall at Central Market in Quito, Ecuador

Changing the Guard in Quito, Ecuador

After the tour I returned to our room to eat leftover pesto pizza from the brewery while Craig and Carl stayed out in search for lunch. I relished a little bit of time to myself in the peace and quiet. In the afternoon we walked to an imposing cathedral built in the twentieth century. After a walk inside the cavernous space we bought tickets to the towers. Up we zoomed in a tiny lift to a level with panoramic views over the city. We then walked across planks above the eaves and up a ladder to the roof above. My nerves were being tested, heights are certainly not where I feel most at home. The boys continued up another set of ladders which jutted away from the tower slightly and then back in again to a small opening. I decided to stay where I was, the fine misty rain caused the ladder to shimmer which looked a bit too slippery for my liking. While they took amazing photos from the tower I watched a brass band practising on ground level and enjoyed more of the crumbly white sweet treat. We doubled back, down the ladder and across the planks and up a different set of stairs to the clock tower. Somehow they have managed to fit a café in the clock tower so we stopped for a hot chocolate with pretty views over a rainy Quito.

Over the Eaves and Up the Ladder in Quito, Ecuador

Bell Tower Views at Quito Cathedral, Ecuador

The next morning we walked up the hill to the bus stop and rode an hour or so to the equator line. There's much dispute about where the line actually is and despite visiting two places I'm still not sure if we were ever actually 'on the line'. The first place we stopped at houses a huge monument with a yellow line dividing the north and south hemispheres. We had fun taking photos but it felt a little silly as we knew that the equator wasn't actually there. After lunch across the road we visited the Intiñan Museum and were taken on a fascinating tour of the outdoor museum. The guide showed us Amazonian artefacts including shrunken heads. She explained the process and that one collection of heads is at the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford, I was thrilled at the mention of one of my favourite museums. The guide conducted several experiments to demonstrate the science behind the equator line. She effortlessly balanced an egg on a nail head, walked perfectly straight along a line with her eyes closed and showed us how water drains differently dependant on which hemisphere you're in. There must have been some trickery involved however the tests were fascinating and helped explain the earths gravitational pulls.

Sculptures and Flowers at Intiñan Museum, Ecuador

Flowers at Intiñan Museum, Ecuador

The museum was more of a pretty garden than anything else and many of the flowers were in bloom which made for a lovely walk around, I spent ages retracing my steps taking photos of anything and everything. Before leaving Craig and I checked out the chocolate stand and watched a demonstration. Ecuadorian chocolate is world famous as it's such high quality. We parted with a few dollars to buy some vegan high cocoa percentage chocolate, I chose a rose flavoured bar which was pure heaven. 

Fun at The Equator Line

We jumped on a local bus back to Quito city and decided on another delicious dinner at the brewery.

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Quilotoa, Ecuador

The three of us arrived in the misty and atmospheric town of Quilotoa after a scenic journey through the verdant hills of the Ecuadorian Andes. Greeted by dogs we walked along the shimmering wet road to the nearest hotel. As we hadn't booked anywhere to stay we peered in to find the place deserted. After a short wait a squat and smiling lady in traditional dress wandered down and checked us in. The rooms were lovely and characterful, with wooden floors and an old cast iron wood burner. A local cafe served up hot chocolates which we savoured as the air outside was chilly and in the evening the three of us gathered around the wood burner in the huge hostel lounge. I relished having an evening to draw in my sketchbook and soaked in the wonderful cosy atmosphere which felt like being at home in the U.K. on a cold foggy night in November. 

Verdant Landscape of the Ecuadorian Andes 

A Donkey Hanging Out in Quliotoa, Ecuador

We hadn't had the greatest of sleeps. Feeling slightly chilly in our room we decided to light the woodburner only for it to fill the room with smoke. Worried about carbon monoxide poisoning Craig retrieved the half smoking log from the burner and took it downstairs (in his pants) to the large woodburner not realising that a local was sat in the dark on the sofa, what a shock he must have had! The morning was bright and so we made the most of it by hurrying out to the huge crater lake that we had come all this way to see. It was a mere few minutes walk up the road and up a little slope. The crater lake at 3 kilometres wide was huge and shimmered in the morning light. It seemed to glow an emerald green but was constantly changing colour depending on the sunlight and clouds above. The rich green hills framed the water and I could just about make out a little boat dock at the waters edge. We walked around part of the lake encountering locals with donkeys and tourists alike. As we walked the scene seemed in constant flux and clouds started to cover up all of the mornings clear blue sky. While Craig and Carl walked on I sat on a little piece of grass overlooking the sight, taking in as many colours as my brain could manage. The peace and tranquility was hypnotising. 

We stopped by the cafe for more hot chocolates and cheese toasties and then managed to run for the bus which had stopped just outside the town. Our fly by visit to the crater lake of Quliotoa had been well worth the journey, onwards to Quito!

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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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