Moving on from the capital

We have enjoyed visiting different countries in the past by car, campervan, tow truck, and bus, and each have pros and cons. Buses in Ecuador tend to be on time and very inexpensive, but the lack of flexibility with time and itinerary are always present. Traveling in cities by bus can make life much easier, as driving in big cities can give you gray hair instantly. But, there is the never-ending feeling of anxiety concerning bags suddenly disappearing. Travel by car or camper in the countryside is a joy, and our desire to have plenty of freedom to stop as we please won out and we hired a rental car from Quito airport. A silver Chevy Spark that we now call 'Sparky' is our ride while in Ecuador. Please Google Chevy Spark to witness the grandeur of our transport. Before leaving the airport, our agent at Budget quickly showed us the intricate details of how to lock/unlock/able/disable the car and alarm system. While traveling in Ecuador it is common to hear many beautiful sounds including waterfalls and birds. It is just as common, however, to hear 10-20 car alarms going of at any given time. Getting on the highway and heading south, we very much enjoyed our departure from Quito. Our plan was to drive roughly 3-4 hours into the mountains to a famous lake, Laguna Quilotoa. This is a loop drive off of the Pan American highway. Proper road signs in Ecuador were non-existent for many years, but are now improving in many areas. After some discussion, we found our road from the highway and were on our way into incredible mountain scenery. A good portion of the road is unpaved, but after calling our hostal in advance, the proprietor assured us that the road was good to go, despite this being the rainy season. Go Sparky! We climbed from 9000 feet in elevation to over 12,800 during this trip, with some of the most dramatic landscapes we could imagine. Huge gains/loses in elevation with single-lane switchbacks covered in cows, sheep, and horses were the norm. Leaving the small town of Sigchos, we were a mere 24 km from our hostal and hoping to get in before dark. The directions from town got a little screwy and we ended up on a road that in no way a Chevy Spark should EVER travel. A kind mountain-dwelling farmer allowed us to back onto his property and turn around, keeping us from becoming one with the mountain. He explained that the terrible road we were on was able to get 'malo'. After the descent back to town, we continued on with little issue and arrived at 'Cloud Forest Hostal' in time for dinner. This is one of three hostals in the tiny mountain town of Chugchilan. This village in the Andes is home to about 30 families, with a knitting co-op and a small cheese factory outside of town. Glad to check into our tiny room, we ordered a cerveza and began to relax with the other dozen or so backpackers that were staying there. What a peaceful, beautiful place. 'Sparky' must have been lonely though, and started to cry and whine with all of the lovely sounds a car alarm knows how make. Ours was the only vehicle there, as most people chose to travel by bus. We spent some time making up new profanities while trying to remember how to disable the alarm and put 'Sparky' to bed. Praying to our traveling companion Padre Pio throughout the night must have helped as our loco coche finally slept peacefully. Next day, we woke up to an amazing mountain scene, and enjoyed a fantastic breakfast of egg, bread, jam, banana, papaya, and watermelon. We jumped in the car and set out the 12 km to the lake. Laguna Quilotoa is a highlight of any Ecuador trip. This extinct volcano was formed about 800 years ago after a massive eruption led to it's collapse. Locals believe this this luminous, mineral rich lake is bottomless. Geologists believe it to be about 250 meters deep. Paying the $2 entry fee to a nice old man, we set out for the rim. The wind at the volcano rivaled anything we had encountered before, which is saying something. Covering both nose and mouth was the only way to keep from ingesting ancient Andes dirt. The lake itself is beautiful. The drive to the lake and back was a sure highlight of this entire trip. It is hard to describe the challenges the indigenous people here must face, their humble farms and homesteads clinging to the sheer slope of the mountainsides. Watching with utmost respect, we witnessed a small sampling of their daily tasks. We loved Chugchilan and Lake Quilotoa, and it will be a must visit if we ever make it back. Next we are on our way to Banos in the rainforest!