April 2, 2007

We woke up early for breakfast, yet another family-style affair at our hostal (albeit with less conversation and more bleary-eyed stares). Thus fed, we were ready to attack Laguna Quilotoa.

Following my book´s suggestion to allow 5-6 hours to hike the lake´s perimeter, we estimated we would be done in 5, if not 3. Just the same, we worked an extra hour into our plan. I penned a note to leave at my friend´s homestay across the street, arranging to meet for lunch, and then brilliantly left the note - and my journal - on the table and went off to hike. Within a kilometer or two, I realized my mistake but decided our best bet would be to make good time on the hike and be back before she returned from Quito.

The scenery was fantastic. For most of the hike we were perched on the crater´s edge, the mineral rich lake shimmering 100 meters below us to our left. To our right, the trail pitched steeply into the rolling countryside. In calculating our ETA, we didn´t anticipate the cautious pace we would have to take, picking our way along the narrow rim of the ancient volcano, nor did we estimate TP´s altitude sickness after leaving sea level just two days earlier and jumping straight into a strenuous hike at 3,800 meters.

Despite crippling hunger on my part and a bad headache and nausea on his, we managed to complete the trail in 5 hours, 15 minutes. As we passed my friends homestay, she ran out and grabbed us, and we had the privilege of being the very first customers at her host family´s new restaurant.