Salento and the Cocora Valley, Colombia

The three of us left Bogotá and made our way to the countryside town of Salento. By the time we arrived after a taxi, a coach and a minibus the light was fading. We found a hostel with a pretty central garden and Craig managed to negotiate a good price for all of us. Once rested we walked up the steep hill to the towns square and found a small local restaurant. Craig and I each had a vegetarian platter and it was truly delicious. A large plate of rice and beans, egg and avocado, fried peppers and onions with tomato relish and a crispy bread made us very happy especially after another day of travel.

Tall Wax Palms in the Cocora Valley, Colombia

Riding in the Cocora Valley, Colombia

The next morning we had a really tasty breakfast at the hostel, we could understand why the hostel price had been high as there was so much choice including cereal; a luxury we haven't seen too much of in South America. We walked to the main square and found a spot in a jeep to take us to the Cocora Valley a short drive away. The plan was to walk the trail through the valley but after a few minutes Carl said that it looked like a great place to go horse riding as there was a separate bridleway. We asked the man at the park entrance gate who made a call and ten minutes later three horses arrived with a wrangler. The horses were in great condition, something that I insist on before riding anywhere. The horses responded to the wranglers whistles which was incredible to witness, they'd turn or stop based on different whistle combinations.

Carl and Craig in the Cocora Valley, Colombia

Grey and Bay; the Three of Us Riding in the Cocora Valley, Colombia

The trail started fairly flat but gradually as we ascended through the valley the terrain became rocky and more challenging. In the distance were extremely tall wax palm trees rising above the canopy silhouetted against the white cloud. We crossed the river several times, sometimes having to duck under rickety looking rope bridges that the walkers would have to use. The horses hooves clattered on the rocks and splashed water all around. Every now and again the horses would jostle for front position, making me jump as they momentarily sped up along the rough ground. At a few points on the hack I felt out of my depth, the ride was more challenging than I'd experienced before but I tried to remain as confident as possible breathing deeply at the particularly difficult sections. We made it to the end destination in the dense forest and tied the horses to a tree while we walked on foot up a pathway to a wooden shack and hummingbird garden. Included in our park entry price was a drink so we opted for a hot chocolate not realising it included a chunk of cheese too. We were told to put the cheese in the hot chocolate as its a Colombian tradition but it seemed odd so I enjoyed mine separately. We watched the hummingbirds, there were several varieties, each one looked totally different to the other. Without our DSLR we weren't able to capture any especially good photos but the scenery from the shack was beautiful. I always mentally note the variety of plants, trees and leaf shapes I see as inspiration for future drawings. We returned to the horses and rode back; down the valley, over rocks, through rivers and onto the open trail. With just minutes to go rain started to spit spot and so the wrangler whistled and the three horses began to canter up the hill in an effort to return to the stables before the downpour. The horses were home and dry but we weren't, we waited for the downpour to desist to no avail so we made a break for it to the jeep stand. Suddenly we noticed dozens of walkers all arriving to catch a jeep and we all knew we'd have to battle it out for a place. A jeep arrived and a huge group swarmed around it claiming it as theirs as they had a bus to catch later that evening. A second jeep arrived and we decided to stand up at the back and cling on for dear life. The rain was pouring but despite getting drenched the ride was fun and felt adventurous. In the evening we ate dinner at Brunch a quirky place with writing all over the walls.

In the Butterfly House, Colombia  

The following day; was my 29th birthday. The lady working at the hostel must have spotted the date in my passport at check in and surprised me with a stack of birthday pancakes. After packing up our bags we set about getting to the botanical gardens which turned out to be a difficult task. Once finally there we learned that the entry fee was actually pretty expensive although when Craig mentioned that it was my birthday I was given a complimentary ticket. The gardens were also by guide only which seemed unusual and so the leisurely stroll I had imagined for my birthday would not be happening.

In the Botanical Garden, Colombia

In the Botanical Garden, Colombia

We were led around the garden which was more of a well maintained jungle and saw a huge owl perched on a branch in the trees. We climbed to the top of a rickety metal tower to see views of the treetops and butterfly shaped butterfly house which we also visited. One of the butterflies kept flying at Carl's face which Craig and I found hilarious and we managed to entice one onto our finger. We left the gardens by bus and made it back to Salento where I called my mum for a chat which was lovely. On our last backpacking trip five years ago we were in Fiji with no wifi or phone service and I remember feeling so sad that I couldn't speak to my mum. We picked up our bags and walked down the road to a peaceful location where we'd booked a private room for a couple of nights overlooking fields, forest and horses. We went out for dinner and then drinks at a tiny bar with memorabilia all over the walls and ceiling and were recognised by a couple who remembered seeing us on a walk in Chile.

Little Coffee Seedlings in the Cocora Valley, Colombia

Coffee Plants Sheltered by Banana Trees in the Cocora Valley, Colombia

We spent the next day learning about coffee as the region is famous for it. We donned little wicker baskets tied to our hip and went out picking coffee beans, we then crushed them and watched as they were sorted by quality. The workers came at sat down for their lunch, wearing overalls covered in mud. They work so hard for such little cash but you wouldn't catch them complaining. At the end of the tour we were given a cup of pure, fresh, aromatic coffee to taste, it certainly wasn't your average Nescafé.

Freshly Picked Coffee in Baskets in the Cocora Valley, Colombia

Crushed, Dried and Sorted Coffee in the Cocora Valley, Colombia

The landscape around the coffee farm was lush and green, as is everywhere in the Cocora valley. We jumped in a jeep back to Salento, this time I managed to nab the front seat and spent the afternoon swaying gently in the hammocks with a peaceful view of the garden and birds.

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Otavalo and Mindo, Ecuador

Quito had been another whistle stop trip where we managed to see many sights in a short space of time. Ecuador being such a small country in South America and our goal to reach Mexico by May 1st meant that we were whizzing by and not wasting any time. We took a bus to Otavalo; a town north of Quito and famous for its huge weekend market. As we walked through the streets looking for a place to stay we saw that a parade was going on. Children dressed in bright sparkly costumes danced in formation behind cars blaring super loud dance music. It reminded me of Glastonbury Carnival. Spectators shot foam at each other from cans costing $1, inevitably some foam came our way. We found a hotel and Carl checked in, the hotel owner explained that the price was per person not per room which meant that it worked out to be too expensive for us. Slightly disappointed we walked along to the next block and found somewhere else. It was in no way up to the standard of Carl's hotel, the room we were assigned was up some dirty stairs to the top floor. The bed took up practically the whole room and was dingy to say the least. The shared bathroom was just along the hall and looked like a shower in a shed with a door that didn't lock and bits of wood and metal sheeting to cover holes in the roof. The upside was that it was dirt cheap allowing us more spending money for market day. We found a Mexican restaurant for dinner and then made a mad dash for our hotels afterwards as there was a huge downpour and thunderstorm. 

Spices and Flowers at Otovalo Market, Ecuador

Fabrics and Fashion at Otovalo Market, Ecuador

The next morning we ventured out for market day. The streets had been shut off to cars and stalls were gradually being put up row by row. Everything was being sold, from spices and vegetables to textiles and antiques. The market was a maze of tables and tarpaulin, we wandered down each aisle until we felt we'd seen everything on offer. I ended up spending around $40 on souvenirs for loved ones and myself. The most interesting stall was owned by a gentleman wearing rainbow coloured clothes and two sets of glasses, he looked like a wacky scientist. He had with him an array of coins from all different countries and he'd painstakingly cut out with a tiny saw parts of the coin to reveal the coins pretty image. Craig found an Argentinian coin displaying the sun, the artist had cut out around the suns rays creating a beautifully intricate effect. The market was fun and lively and a great place to finally buy some bits and pieces after months of only buying the bare essentials.

Snack Stop at the BBQ Corn Stand, Ecuador

The next day Craig and I would be moving onto Mindo while Carl would stay behind in Otavalo and then travel directly to Colombia. Before separating we decided to take a taxi to a lake that Craig had read about. After paying the $25 taxi fare we realised that we'd pointed to the wrong lake on a map, the lake we ended up at was pretty mediocre and it was a bit of a miserable day to boot. We chalked it up to our bad luck in Ecuador.

Once back in Otavalo we said goodbye to Carl and boarded our bus to Mindo. I was excited to get to Mindo, a town in the cloud forest sounded magical and intriguing to me. Our bus was stuck in traffic as a car had veered off the road and off a cliff, a sobering reminder of how dangerous South American roads can be. We were dropped on a main road an hours walk from Mindo itself with no taxis in sight. Annoyed we started to walk muttering how difficult our travels had been in Ecuador compared to everywhere else. We managed to flag down a car which turned out to be a taxi and we paid a few dollars to be taken to the bottom of the hill. The town was bustling. An American man introduced himself and led us to his tour office where his glamorous girlfriend called hotels and hostels searching for a room for the night. I couldn't understand how every room in the town had been booked and started to feel irritated that the only places available were well over our budget. I couldn't be sure if we were being taken for a ride or not. With our only other option to catch an evening bus back to Otavalo a good few hours away we decided to accept an expensive room in a home stay. A lady walked down to collect us and led us to her place, it turned out that she was a masseuse that rents her spare rooms out to tourists. She showed us to our characterful room and then walked us around her garden. Pointing to various plants she explained which gave her fruit and which she'd inherited when she moved in. Hummingbirds hovered magically in the air, zooming from one nectar rich flower to the next. We learned that it was a national holiday which is why the town was so busy and felt foolish for not arranging accommodation in advance. After a mediocre dinner we retreated to our room early to watch some True Detective to cheer ourselves up from another challenging day.

Ending Up at the Wrong Place, Ecuador

The Cable Car in Mindo, Ecuador

We woke the next day and decided to pack our bags to leave in the afternoon. The $20 fee for the room was too expensive and we didn't feel like staying for another night. We watched hummingbirds in the morning and then walked into town to get breakfast at a tiny sandwich shop housed inside a quaint shack. The owner was super friendly and the food cheap and delicious. We caught a taxi to the open air cable car so that we could at least see the cloud forest that we'd endured all this trouble to see. There was a huge queue as the cable car can fit just six people at a time and we found ourselves waiting in line for over an hour. Once in the cable car we whizzed over the tree tops to the other side of the valley, we could see dense forest all around and cloud covering the tips of trees in the distance. At the other side we walked down a steep slope to a waterfall. It started to rain causing the path to turn into a slippery muddy mess, we decided after seeing a few cascades to return to the cable car befriending a stray dog on the way. It felt great that despite the steep uphill walk I was able to trudge on without stopping, a reminder since the Santa Cruz trek to appreciate when I can walk without difficulty. Luckily we didn't have to wait too long for a return ride on the cable car, we stood up which made the experience slightly scarier but fun and caught a taxi back to the town. After another stop at the sandwich shop to refuel we returned to the garden and relaxed in hammocks while we waited for our 6pm coach. We left the hummingbird garden and bought ourselves some barbecued banana and corn before boarding our bus. Thanks to more holiday traffic the journey was delayed and once we got back to Quito it was a late and wet evening. There were no taxis anywhere around and so we had to go looking for one in a part of the city that we weren't familiar with. Eventually we flagged one down but he didn't have a clue where our pre booked hotel was and despite seeing its position on a map we couldn't see it in real life either. Tired and frustrated we checked into a random hotel on the main road, yet again cursing our bad luck.

Flora at the Cloud Forest, Ecuador

Flora at the Cloud Forest, Ecuador

The next day was the last day of February and our last day in Ecuador. I mentally totted up all the negative experiences we'd had and felt relieved to leave the country, hoping that Colombia would offer us a fresh start and some better luck. In fairness the hotel we'd been forced to stay in was ok and actually cheaper than the one we'd booked. We popped down the road for a local breakfast and were approached by a local man and his daughter. On hearing our British accents he asked if we'd like to stay with his family to befriend his daughter and help her learn English. We were quite sad that we had to turn him down, our strict time limits meant that we hadn't the time to spare. Perhaps it would have made for a positive experience to end Ecuador with, the friendly chat alone was welcome.

We hailed a taxi, boarded a bus for a five hour journey, caught another taxi to the Colombian border, received our exit and entry stamps and then caught another taxi to our first Colombian hotel named randomly 'Hotel Las Vegas' in Ipiales. Finally, we had arrived in our last country in South America after six months of travel. 

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Quito and the Middle of the World, Ecuador

Colourful Quito in Ecuador

The journey started in Quilotoa in what felt like a quiet place up in the clouds and ended in Quito, Ecuador's bustling capital. The three of us arrived in the old town centre and set about finding somewhere to stay as we hadn't pre booked. Each door that we knocked on had availability but at a huge cost, well out of our modest budget. Walking up and down the hills was hard work with my 12 kilogram backpack and additional rucksack, my energy had waned and I was keen to find somewhere, anywhere so I could sit down. After a quick look at Craig's maps.me app we walked to Community Hostel who miraculously had space, was budget friendly and lovely and clean. We wandered across the road for dinner at a quaint but lively brewery and played Cards Against Humanity while we ate our delicious food.

After a tasty breakfast we all decided to tag along on the free walking tour which set off just outside our hostel. First stop was at the Central Market just down the road, our guide persuaded us to buy mora (blackberry) juice as she said a visit to Ecuador wouldn't be complete without a taste. We walked by several historical buildings and listened to stories of the city, it's tough times and it's important moments. At a stop by a confectionary shop everyone bought sweet treats to munch on as we walked, I opted for a small bar which resembled white chocolate but tasted like English fudge. I was instantly taken back to long weekends at my dads house in Cornwall, my stepsister Jo works in a fudge shop and always spoils us with the creamiest crumbliest fudge when we visit.

Fruit Stall at Central Market in Quito, Ecuador

Changing the Guard in Quito, Ecuador

After the tour I returned to our room to eat leftover pesto pizza from the brewery while Craig and Carl stayed out in search for lunch. I relished a little bit of time to myself in the peace and quiet. In the afternoon we walked to an imposing cathedral built in the twentieth century. After a walk inside the cavernous space we bought tickets to the towers. Up we zoomed in a tiny lift to a level with panoramic views over the city. We then walked across planks above the eaves and up a ladder to the roof above. My nerves were being tested, heights are certainly not where I feel most at home. The boys continued up another set of ladders which jutted away from the tower slightly and then back in again to a small opening. I decided to stay where I was, the fine misty rain caused the ladder to shimmer which looked a bit too slippery for my liking. While they took amazing photos from the tower I watched a brass band practising on ground level and enjoyed more of the crumbly white sweet treat. We doubled back, down the ladder and across the planks and up a different set of stairs to the clock tower. Somehow they have managed to fit a café in the clock tower so we stopped for a hot chocolate with pretty views over a rainy Quito.

Over the Eaves and Up the Ladder in Quito, Ecuador

Bell Tower Views at Quito Cathedral, Ecuador

The next morning we walked up the hill to the bus stop and rode an hour or so to the equator line. There's much dispute about where the line actually is and despite visiting two places I'm still not sure if we were ever actually 'on the line'. The first place we stopped at houses a huge monument with a yellow line dividing the north and south hemispheres. We had fun taking photos but it felt a little silly as we knew that the equator wasn't actually there. After lunch across the road we visited the Intiñan Museum and were taken on a fascinating tour of the outdoor museum. The guide showed us Amazonian artefacts including shrunken heads. She explained the process and that one collection of heads is at the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford, I was thrilled at the mention of one of my favourite museums. The guide conducted several experiments to demonstrate the science behind the equator line. She effortlessly balanced an egg on a nail head, walked perfectly straight along a line with her eyes closed and showed us how water drains differently dependant on which hemisphere you're in. There must have been some trickery involved however the tests were fascinating and helped explain the earths gravitational pulls.

Sculptures and Flowers at Intiñan Museum, Ecuador

Flowers at Intiñan Museum, Ecuador

The museum was more of a pretty garden than anything else and many of the flowers were in bloom which made for a lovely walk around, I spent ages retracing my steps taking photos of anything and everything. Before leaving Craig and I checked out the chocolate stand and watched a demonstration. Ecuadorian chocolate is world famous as it's such high quality. We parted with a few dollars to buy some vegan high cocoa percentage chocolate, I chose a rose flavoured bar which was pure heaven. 

Fun at The Equator Line

We jumped on a local bus back to Quito city and decided on another delicious dinner at the brewery.

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