What an exciting first day in Quito!

We are in Quito and we have had the most amazing first day!!


After a very early start of the day, we met at the airport - OMG we were so very excited and still not believing that it was for real. It took 24 hours of travelling to get to Quito and by the time we got to the hostal we were tired beyond words, the really warm reception that we got from Luis was extra special, we were shown to our room and before we could say goodnight we were dead to this world.


Today has been an amazing day - after a hearty breakfast with some fruits we had never heard off - tree tomatoes made juice! we set off to sort out the final arrangments, get the double plastic boots we need to climb Cotopaxi and Chimborazo and find out more about he bikes. It is all becoming much more real now. We walked through Quito, everything is new and different, people walking everywhere about their day, street food vendors, fruit sellers, long queues outside official looking places, masses of what looks like private hospitals, buses, cars and motorbikes that seem to be coming from all angles...

In the shop where we tried the boots we heard from mountaineers who have been to Chimborazo that it is snowing, that is really good news for us as without snow it is more difficult to make it - only 20% of people make it to the top on those conditions. Taking this into account we discussed with Javier going up to Cayambe if the conditions in Chimborazo make it unlikely that we will make it to the top - it feels good to have plan B.

The bike shop was a surreal experience - we had a look at the bikes - had a test of the breaks and thougth: They need a service! Kath really understands about bikes and asked a question to one of the guys who shrugg his shoulders and said: Mmmm, I don´t know much about bikes,  then him and a second guy proceeded to turn the bike upside down and started to spray it with four in one!!!!!! 

Kath and I looked at one antoher in disbelief and explained to them where we were going and why we needed full reassurance that the bikes will be properly serviced (one of the days we will be climbing to 4,200mt). To our relief the bikes are going to be serviced by experts before we collect them next Monday.

After the bikes - lunch in a busy equivalent to the local caf (we were the only two gringas there) to try the local fish fare (seriously cheap and yummy, if you are happy eating sea creatures which I am), followed by a ride in a crowded bus which made London tubes in peak time spacious, a long walk in the Quito Metropolitan park shrouded in mist and surrounded by the most delicious smell of eucaliptus.

Time to get back home to rest and pick up some fruit from street stall on our way - those were our good intentions when suddenly we heard some music, that needed to be explored...we found ourselves in the middle of a parade celebrating the day of inocence. 

We followed the parade and ended up being dragged by locals to dance with them in the street - young and old everyone was dancing - this little girl  was a groovy mover!!

Tomorrow we are off to explore our first volcano crater and continue with our acclimatisation.