Colombia to Equador

  Quito, Ecuador
Sunday, January 27, 2008

Friday - 8.30ish and time for stage to of the trip to Quito, county number 10, can you believe it?! I meet Clare on the collectivo to Ipiales, the town nearest to the border - the best thing that has happened in days - she has vegemite. OK its not quite marmite, but its pretty close, so we have a fantastic marmite breakfast as we cross the border!!

Welcome to Ecuador!

In no mans land as we are wondering how to get into Ecuador and we hear US shouts across the way ´OTHER BACKPACKERS!´. Here we met Alicia, the crazy US, hilarious Chica! She pointed us in the direction of immigration and the 3 of us set off on the bus to Quito (Otavalo for Clare 2 hrs sooner).

Ecuador is a stark contrast to Colombia - its is shocking how one border crossing can make all the difference. The landscape is still spectacular and dramatic - Quito is also very high altitude, but now the rolling hills are bare and chalky looking compared to the tree covered mountains the other side of the border. Also nearly all the people on our bus have softer looking indigenous features compared to the Spanish features of Colombia.

Arriving in Quito

Alicia and I arrive in Quito and check into Secret Garden hostel which is excellent. The top floor has incredible views of the city and old town.

quito by night

Saturday am and we realise that all of our dorm are going to Otavalo - and then a little  research and we realise its meant to have one of the best markets in south America - and the main market is Saturday - how could we not go too?! So sheepishly in case we bump into Clare we get back on the bus for the couple of hours back for a day trip shopping. We were so glad we returned the market is HUGE, and full of great stuff.

Shopping timein otavalo

Not so good for my aim not to purchase anything with still 6 months to carry it, but there is fruit, textiles, jewelery, bags, anything we could want. So you guessed it we returned with some purchases. 2 huge bags of fruit for $2, a hammock, earrings, bags, oh dear - but all bargains!! It was are last trip back to the fruit before we returned when we walked straight into Clare! She looked a little surprised to see us back!!! Returning to the dorm for a fruit feast (first of 3 evenings!) and the Liverpool girls get in. We were a bit surprised not to have seen them at the market, and apparently they never made it. They were on the bus to leave and someone posed as the bus conductor to distract them while someone else  ran off with one of the girls bag with money etc. The girls shouted and the distracter was caught by the public and apprehended by the police. The other with the belongings got away. So they had spent the day with the Quito police instead of shopping. They were amazingly cheerful about their day with the police rather than the losses which was great. Apparently one of the policemen had called his younger brother in the middle of an exam to request him as an English translator! He did come alter and drove them around Quito for a bit!

Us at Equator

Today and a visit to Mital del Mundo - the middle of the world - or in other words the Equator line.

Dancers at Equator

Very touristy but awesome fun - when we finally got there via 4 buses and food stalls! We met Eric from our hostel on the bus so the 3 of us explored for the day. There are 2 sites, the original line, and the newer GPS measured one 250m away! the older site is bigger with all the tourist attractions, and local music and dancing put on for us. Also providing the opportunity of a photo shoot which was slightly mad but hilarious as we tried cartwheels etc down the line.

Mital de mundo acrabatics

Then onto the newer site which was fantastic. We got an English speaking guide for about 2 hrs.

Shooting a dart

She showed us traditional Ecuadorian village life, example huts, burial chambers and the drug plant used for chief´s wives to be buried unconscious with their husbands, to die of suffocation..., one real old hut, skull shrinking, and of course the real equator line. Here she showed us tricks either side of the equator. She had a movable sink which when drained spun clockwise to the south, anticlockwise the north side and straight down on the line - a bit too good i think...she then took Eric and told him to lift his arms while she tried to pull them down. She did this to the side of the equator and then on the line, and he had far less force on the line - we all tried it - it really worked - weird! We also saw the sun dial which had the right time!

Correct time on the dial!

All very interesting before returning for a beer, popcorn and movie!