Páramo

After a good rest I am ready to continue the chronicle of my journey.

We left on Sunday morning on a journey to the volcano Cotopaxi. This volcano is huge with a total height of about 19,000 ft; during our hike we were able to get to the outpost (15,000 ft) located at the base of the glacier. Our hike started in a huge highland valley with a leisurely walk, the effects of thin air didn’t really bother me at this time. After the short walk our bus driver came to pick us up and we continued to the upper parking area. It was here that we began our ascent of the volcano. It was only a total of 300 meters elevation gain to the outpost but the lack of oxygen made it that much harder. It was a pretty incredible feeling, not being able to hike at my normal pace. While hiking a group of us came to find that when you pass gas at high altitudes, the scent is dispersed much faster than you would think.

The midway outpost was nice; there were no views as we were stuck in a hail storm cloud. While at the outpost I was able to catch my breath and have a quick power nap. The descent of the mountain was the best part by far. The soil that we were hiking on had the consistency of sand so if you frolic your way down the mountain it feels almost as if you are skiing. I was able to do this most of the way down until I almost planted my face on the ground. After the hike we went to get a huge lunch, which proved to be extremely overfilling. After the lunch everyone on the bus was feeling well below his or her game and so we were a bit late to our next destination.
That night we arrived late to an indigenous community where we were to spend the night. They had a very nice establishment with plenty of beds, nice people, and great food. The night was very cold so we decided to pile into one room so we could harness the power of body heat. This strategy proved to be all too effective because our room became a sauna. That night I did not get much sleep for many reasons: the heat, the loud snoring, lack of space, and the fact that I was having a hard time regulating my breath while sleeping.

The next morning we bid farewell to our hosts and embarked on another hike through the Páramo of the highlands. This hike was beautiful with rolling grasslands and a unique feel. The prize at the end of the hike was this wonderful forest located on the side of the mountain. This forest was special because it was one of the last remaining ecosystems of its type, this was due to the demand for lumber and fire wood. That afternoon we traveled to the city of Riobamba where we were given a tour of the area, and a chance to visit the local university. That night we all agreed to help with the local English students by facilitating a conversation session which was set up like a speed date service. We asked questions, answered questions, and helped them with their vocabulary.

That night we stayed in a hotel with heat and hot water, which was a wonderful thing. On this entire trip I have only been able to take cold showers, with the exception of a single luke warm shower. At the Riobamba hotel I was able to take a steamy hot shower, which was most refreshing. The next morning we packed our things, had a short class period then headed back to Quito. We leave for the Galapagos Islands this Sunday so my time on the mainland is dwindling. My professor told me that there is a large amount of trekking In the Riobamba area so I have decided to return to Riobamba after the program so that I can experience more of the mountains. As of right now I have met the photo limit of my Flickr account so I wont be able to post my photos until the 1st of Febuary.