Ride to the devil´s nose
Trip Start
Mar 18, 2007
1
14
101
Trip End
Mar 16, 2008
Riobamba,
Ecuador
Monday, April 23, 2007
Yesterday we took a train ride south of Riobamba down a stretch of track called La Nariz del Diablo (the devilīs nose). This section of railway is the only part of the track that is still functioning of the trans-andean railway which once ran from Guayaquil to Quito.
La Nariz del Diablo is a series of switchbacks that allows the train to descend 1000m from Alausi to Simbambe. In the past you were allowed to ride of the roof of the train making the views all the more spectacular, but the decapitation of two tourists two weeks ago has stopped this (donīt worry mum!). The views from inside we still pretty good though, see the attached pics.
When we were in Riobamba we bumped into Jon (one of the gang on our Galapagos trip), who was on a tour going the same way. After this we kept bumping into his group everywhere and had to promise we werenīt stalkers, however perhaps we should set up Tom and Rhona tours, because with the help of our lonely planet we were able to take the same trip as those on pre planned tours!
We are now in Cuenca, the third largest city in Ecuador and a very picturesque one at that. It has alot of spires...a little like Oxford, perhaps! More on this later as Tom is laid low today after suffering from some local cuisine.
Bye for now.
