Week 2: Climbing High and Hard

San Juan bushcamp, moon rising.

San Juan
After our jungle interlude we got back to the business of climbing rocks. Gaining 3000m is slow going in the truck... the 250km drive to San Juan took nearly 8 hours! It was worth it when we finally reached the sunny gorge and indulged in a quality mix of sport/trad.

The "highway" to San Juan

San Juan Crag

Chimborazo
Having skipped the iconic Cotopaxi, Toby and I decided we couldn't let Ecuador's highest peak Chimborazo (6310m) pass us by. The extinct volcano is technically the point furthest from the centre of the Earth, and we were camped practically in its shadow.

Chimborazo

Alpine sacks and diamox packed we hitched up to the 4800m Carrel Hut in an Italian tour coach! After a short (but slow) walk up to 5000m, we reached the Whymper Hut with heads feeling only a little odd. We napped in the near empty refugio ready for a midnight departure. Long and unpleasant night short, our summit attempt was abandoned when I spewed my dinner onto the dorm floor. Lessons: 400m to 5000m in 3 days is rough. Diamox doesnt work.

Sunset from Chimborazo, 5000m

Paute
"Eat, Drink, Sleep, Climb. Repeat"
Four full days at "Ecuador's best sport crag". Plenty to go at across the grades, the superb climbing was interrupted only by beer/food/water runs into town, or when guarding the truck against the more "inquisitive" locals. By the end I'd done over 20 climbs, including my first clean 7a lead - chuffed!

Seb explaining the beta for the 7a

 Many of us made use of the (suspect) river water to wash hair, clothes and body after our extended bush camp. This was actually warmer than a lot of Ecuadorian showers...

Should probably have a photo of me...

Cuenca

In our first city since Quito, everyone has been catching up on showers, eating and internet. I've settled comfortably into the Hot Rock mentality. My home is now red and mobile, and Edinburgh life is a pretty strange and distant concept. Next proper stop is Cajamarca, 5 days away. The truck may be slow but its comfortable. Plenty space to move about, play cards, read, or pass the time with a bottle of Pilsner. We'll be travelling along the coast into Peru, which hopefully means some pacific beaches and maybe even surfing along the way.

Week 1: From Rock to Hot

A quick catch up on what has happened so far...

Leaving the sanctuary of the Secret Garden Hostel we headed north out of Quito. The wrong way you might think... but we're tourists as well as climbers and there is a great big equator monument to be bagged. Photos snapped, we about-turned and headed for Cuyuja, a nearby sport crag. Ernie squeezed through narrow streets with wheels rubbing the kerb left and right, then panted her way up through the mountains.

Cuyuja
On arrival in the small village, first priority was procuring a couple of crates of beer. We cleared out one shop and moved on to a second.

First bushcamp at Cuyuja

The climbing was on 50m of overhanging flowstone of some kind. Routes didn't normally reach the top, but that was just as well cos they were generally quite hard. At least they were dry in the rain and the falling drops helped to keep you cool!

Cuyuja Crag

The second day was leader Tom´s Birthday, so naturally a truck party was initiated... but not before he had got together with driver Chris to catch (pay for) and butcher a chicken for dinner.

Driver Chris, with Henry Dinner

 Tom, the Birthday boy and trip leader

Misahualli

Heading east for a taste of the jungle, the temperature rose steadily as we dropped. When we arrived at "Banana Lodge" we just about managed to get our tents up before having to dive in the river (free from crocodiles we were assured).

Keeping cool in the jungle heat

The next 2 days were spent chilling out with some natives,  bobbing down the river on inner tubes and taking a guided jungle trek. Plenty of bouncing around in the back of pickup trucks... and lots more swimming.

Shooting blowpipes with local tribesmen of Misahualli

Hello World

As hard as it is, I've decided its worth trying to keep some sort of record of my post graduation travels in South America. If you're reading a recent update you can be fairly sure I'm alive, but don't assume the converse is true! I'd disappointed to return to a baggins-esq auction of my (few) possessions left in Edinburgh...
Anyway, I'm currently on board "Ernie" the big red TRUCK (not a bus!), and am traveling south for a leg and a half of Hot Rock "The Ultimate Climbing Adventure".
11 of us took over from Ernie's northbound crew in Quito, Ecuador - the 2nd highest capital in the world. The truck will retrace its tracks over the next 7 months back to the tip of Argentina. My journey will end at the highest capital in the world - Bolivia's La Paz.
I'm learned a few things already: knackered white spanglish speakers pay gringo prices for airport taxis, but it beats getting mugged or having incompetent airlines lose your climbing kit! My spanish vocabulary is growing frustratingly slowly, and I'm learning right now that blogging from a phone equally slow. More tomorrow, with pics. Hasta luego!