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Saturday, 18.05.2002: Cuenca - Baños
We left Cuenca at 8am. Due to a few hangovers it was a very quiet day on the truck. We drove through beautiful mountain scenery - very green.
Close to Baños we passed Mt. Chimborazo - the highest volcano in Ecuador with 6310m. Shortly afterwards we could see the beautiful snow capped cone of Mt. Cotopaxi (5897m) in the distance. Baños is an idyllically placed small town with 18,000 inhabitants living in the lush green valley on the slopes of Mt. Tungurahua (5016m) - the 10th-highest peak in Ecuador.
In 1998 increased seismic activity was detected. After an Australian climber and his Ecuadorian guide were burned by a gaseous eruption on October 5, 1999, the volcano was set on orange alert (90% chance of major eruption over the coming weeks).
Over the next two weeks, Tungurahua pumped clouds of steam and ash into aerial columns many kilometres in height. By October 17, Baños and nearby villages were evacuated. Weeks turned into months, and by January 2000, there still had not been an eruption large enough to cause substantial damage to Baños. So the people finally returned to their homes and businesses although the volcano is still on orange alert. We were told to follow the yellow arrows on the streets in case of emergency.
Tungurahua volcano erupting
We got to Baños at 5-15pm. Most of the people from the two Kumuka trucks stayed at the Hotel El Marquez. Only Vicky and Richard and the two of us had to stay next door at the Café Cultural. The rooms were much smaller than in the El Marquez but we had a superb little restaurant downstairs and enjoyed the much quieter place.
Baños is definitely a party place. And it didn´t take long for the Kumuka lot to join into it. It started of with many drinks in Grant, Paul & Greg´s room followed by a ride on the Flintstone train (open train for kids which goes around town all day) and a hot and late night at the local Hard Rock Café.
Sunday, 19.05.2002: Baños
The breakfast at the Café Cultura was absolutely yummy this morning - fresh orange juice, muesli, omelettes and home made bread. We walked through the small town and did our internet stuff (very expensive here with 2$ per hour!).
At 4pm we had our Salsa lesson with Flo, Carole, Zoe, Laude, Amanda and Gavin. It was really funny and hot and we sweated a lot. We learned 5 different steps and put them together into a dance.
Hilarious salsa lessons
We went out for a nice and relaxing dinner with Amanda and Gavin and later on watched a video at our hotel.
Monday, 20.05.2002: Baños
After breakfast we looked for an ATM. We could get the maximum of $250 out - but it all came in $5 dollar bills! So we got 50 notes in a large wad and went straight back to the hotel to drop them off.
At noon we walked up a steep hill to the viewpoints and got a great view onto Baños. On the way up we got stopped by a bloke who tried to sell us a piece of land on San Christobal (Galapagos) for $25,000!
It was hot and sunny and we enjoyed our 3-hour walk. We took lots of photos of the beautiful flowers along our way.
Tuesday, 21.05.2002: Baños - Tena
Half the truck left at 7am on a mountain bike ride along the mountain roads to Puyo. We drove through a beautiful green valley, stopped at waterfalls and the most crazy ones among our group did a bungee jump kind of thing from a bridge which was more like a swing on a fixed rope.
At around 10am it started raining and by the time the truck caught up with the riders they were filthy dirty and soaking wet! Fortunately the little newsagents where we all met had a shower!
Bike ride with lots of action
