Our last travel diary ended with us turning south in Otavalo having reached (for now) our most northern point on the South American continent. We had also just spent about a week in the northern hemisphere as Ecuador straddles the equator and in fact its name is derived from exactly that, but somehow despite this, not too big a deal is made of the equator line and we quietly slipped back into the Southern hemisphere on our way into Quito.
In Africa we crossed the line a couple of times and each time there was always a bit of a monument and the “dubious” hawkers eager to demonstrate to you, that on one side of the line, water goes down a funnel clockwise and on the other it goes counter-clockwise, which is of course not the case but makes for a good story. Here they do have a monument, but it was on a different road to the one we were on and we had read that due to it being erected prior to GPS technology it was in fact a good few hundred metres south of the actual line, so we didn’t divert for a photo of Mr Jones straddling the equator.
Quito is the capital of Ecuador and being at an altitude of 2850m asl it is the second highest capital city in the world but it is most renowned and visited for its historical district which is reputed to be the best preserved and least altered in all of Latin America. Before we could set out exploring this, we had jobs to do, as we always do when visiting a city.
First priority was finding a self-serve laundromat and thereafter a large supermarket, both of which we found and managed to visit on our first afternoon in the city. As with most big cities, camping options were limited and so we thought we had been quite clever and pro-active by contacting a hostel in advance that offered “cramped camping” in its yard, to confirm if they had space, which they did. So, in peak rush hour traffic, with a car smelling of fresh laundry and loaded up with groceries we set off across town to the above-mentioned hostel in the historical district only to discover that while we might be able to squeeze Mr Jones in, there was absolutely no way we would be able to lift his roof and therefore sleep in him. Undeterred we launched ourselves back into the traffic towards another hostel that somebody had been able to park at previously, also to fail at that one. By this point we were tired, grumpy and starting to run out of daylight (we try and avoid night driving) so decided the next best option was the “free-camping” one which many use, being the car park at the teleferico which runs up the mountain above town. There was only one problem, which we quickly discovered, and that was that many of the roads leading there were currently being tarred and thus closed to normal traffic. Eventually after a number of dead-ends and driving around in circles we went up one of the “closed” roads and found our way to the parking. It was now 8pm and dark but at least we had somewhere to sleep, all we had to do was pack away a car full of laundry and groceries. Supper was a cold meat sandwich, washed down with some Ecuadorian Rum.
Our second day in Quito was once again filled with errand running, as we sought out an optometrist (Stuart’s reading glasses needed replacing), after a fairly quick consultation he returned to Tania and Mr Jones claiming success and that he had successfully passed his first Spanish eye test. The proof in the pudding would however be found out the following day, when he would collect the new glasses and discover if in fact they were of the appropriate prescription.
All our electrical devices (fridge/freezer, lights, charging for devices etc) run off an auxiliary battery and we have 3 means of charging that, firstly off Mr J’s alternator when driving, then via the solar panels and finally via an electrical hookup to a battery charger which is installed inside him. In sunny climates the first two options are all that’s required even if stationary for extended periods – for instance during our “summer holidays” in Argentina we at one point stayed stationary for two weeks and relied entirely on solar power during that period.
The tropics however are often quite cloudy which means you need to resort to an electrical hookup to keep the auxiliary battery charged if stationary for extended periods and in Ecuador we had encountered a problem: the power supply is 110v meaning our installed battery charger would not charge.
We will encounter the same “lower voltage” output in Colombia & all of Central & North America so had thought that if we could purchase in Ecuador, the same brand and model battery charger we currently have we would easily avoid future challenges and avoid installation challenges as it would be a like for like swap.
Google had found a supplier in the suburbs of Quito which Stuart had attempted to contact via email a few weeks prior but with no success, so as we were in the area we thought we would pop-in. Sadly, when we got to the address the offices were shut with no indication if they were even still in business but all was not lost as the drive had taken us through some quite spectacular valleys which are home to Quito’s smarter neighborhoods, giving us insight into life for the upper class in Ecuador.
Additionally, the drive had taken us in the direction of the airport, which also meant it had put us closer to a campsite we had looked up the night before and as a bonus it had put us closer to a place where we could refill our gas bottle. So before heading off to check out the campsite we stopped at an LPG factory and had our main bottle refilled. As with electrical plugs, gas bottle sizes and nozzles vary from country to country so we are always quite relieved when we are able to find somewhere that can cope with this and doesn’t have an issue filling a non-standard bottle but because it is not a bottle they are not used too, there is always the risk that they under or overfill it. In this instance, it was the latter, which Stuart discovered once settled at the campsite so a few hours followed of slowly draining off gas in order to get the bottle to the correct weight.
The campsite was located about 40 minutes out of the city centre but we had yet to explore the famed historical district and so the following morning we went back into the city, along the way collecting Stuart’s new reading glasses. It was a Saturday morning and the old city was heaving with both people out for a stroll and vendors peddling anything and everything at the tops of their voices. It did not take long before we quickly ducked off the main pedestrian streets and found some peace and quiet, in the side streets, including the opportunity to actually stop and take a picture without too many people in it or worrying about a pickpocket or phone snatcher.
It was down one of these side streets that we stumbled across a “hole-in-the-wall” bakery. Since leaving Argentina we have struggled to find decent panaderia’s but this one was an exception and we were like kids in a candy store, walking away with way more bread and confectioneries than we needed.
Getting out of town meant some walking pace crawling down some very steep streets while sitting in the Saturday morning traffic and it was at this point that Mr Jones decided to really embarrass Stuart by emitting the most horrific metallic squeal from his breaks. It was a good thing we had nothing planned for the next few days as there was now a new to-do item on the list for when back in camp: investigate and hopefully resolve the squeal.
Over the course of the last year we have been in regular contact with Johan from the Voetspore team exchanging information about all things related to overlanding in South America. For those that don’t know, Voetspore (translated to Foot Prints) it is a TV show (and Youtube channel) in South Africa that documents overland travel, and it never ceased to amaze us when we were in South Africa how many petrol attendants were keen fans, despite the show being predominantly in Afrikaans. We know this about the petrol attendants because invariably while filling Mr Jones up, they would look at the map on his side and then after having seen where we had been would tell us which of those countries was there favourite based on a Voetspore episode they had watched. Our paths have never been able to cross and so when we discovered the team would be in the Quito region around the same time as us, plans were made to meet up and enjoy a couple of evenings together.
A short drive south of Quito is Cotopaxi, Ecuador’s second highest mountain at 5897m. We had no intention of getting anywhere near its summit but it is possible to camp in the national park that surrounds it and so that is where we headed next. We enjoyed a chilly but very tranquil night camped among lots of wild flowers with some semi-wild horses for company and couple of deer that wandered past.
From Cotopaxi we had two options, the first being to continue south along the spine of the country toward the historical city of Cuenca or alternatively to head west and back down to the coast. We had enjoyed the coast, the surf was calling and so there was a very strong vote from one member of HippySquared for the westward journey with the promise that before leaving Ecuador we would still loop back inland in order to visit Cuenca and some other hippy villages to its south. An added bonus of going west was that it would take us on a scenic loop to the Quilotoa crater lake which Johan (from Voetspore) had told us was well worth a visit.
The Quilotoa Volcano is the most western volcano in the Ecuadorian Andes with its 3km caldera, and subsequent lake, having formed after an eruption some 800 years ago. The campsite we found our way too had a spectacular viewing platform overlooking the lake but when we arrived it was cold and very misty so we had to wait for the morning before we got to appreciate the views.
By now we have got quite used to some very big, steep and twisty mountain roads, but the one descending from Quilotoa possibly ranks as one of the steepest, dropping from 4000m to 1000m in only 50km! Mr Jones brakes did not appreciate the workload placed on them and at one point went very spongy – the same pads that had been a problem in Quito were this time overheating – so some time was spent between two hairpins letting them cool before removing the wheel for another inspection and attempted fix.
It was only 400km from the lake to Montanita, our destination on the coast, but with all the mountain passes and a road closure due to a washed away section of road, it took us the better part of two days to complete. It had been an epic and tiring couple of days, see our 7 July entry in the Captain(s) log for some insights.
After settling in at Balsa Surf camp, where we had previously spent 9 days in June, Stuart headed out for an early evening ‘board meeting’ despite it pouring with rain and him claiming to be tired from the drive – guess somebody was missing the ocean. For the next 12 days he rinsed and repeated this routine, often enjoying 2 board meetings a day.
The fun part of staying at Balsa is the fab neighborhood it is located in just outside of Montanita, with cool bars and funky eateries all within a very small walking distance. Generally, living life on the road means that we are very seldom “parked-up” near places to go out too, in that most campsites are located further out of town and therefore there isn’t easy access to Uber or taxis and we don’t really like to drive at night. So having this opportunity we made the most of it: from meeting other travelers for coffee and cake, to having the most amazing Mexican meal washed down with a delicious passion fruit and habanero chili margarita and then spending our last evening “in town” at the excellent cafe at Balsa with its very funky tropical vibe.
Sadly, the continuous grey weather and high humidity had caused us have mould start growing in the car and so we had to say a final farewell to Balsa and Montanita, we did this with heavy hearts as we felt we had found a little spot on this earth that really resonated with us. Even so, we were also excited to be heading back out on the road despite the long trek that awaited us.
From Montanita we spent 2 days driving firstly south along the coast and then inland over the Andes to Cuenca with an overnight stop at a little garage along the way. The drive across he Andes took us past Caja National park, which from the road looked quite spectacular but also very very wet and as it was rather cold outside, we decided not to spend a night and do some small walks. A decision which was justified a few days later when chatting to other travelers and hearing how muddy the trails had been when they visited.
Entering Cuenca we were amazed at how clean and pretty everything was, it is just one of those kind of towns that impress you from the minute you enter and we hadn’t even hit the historical district. As previously mentioned camping availability in cities is often scarce, but in Cuenca there is a small cramped campsite that is a stone’s throw away from the historical district. The camping is so cramped that you almost have to walk sideways to get past vehicles and to the ablutions but that is very easily compensated for by its location and the real estate saying of “location, location and location”, truly applies to this spot.
Been so well located meant that we could explore Cuenca on foot, meet up with fellow overlanders plus get all the admin jobs like laundry, shopping etc done.
Cuenca is a beautiful city filled with gorgeous well-preserved architecture, town squares, markets, cobbled streets and eateries but the thing that truly stands out is how spotlessly clean the whole town is…
Generally due to lack of space in Mr J we never purchase gifts/trinkets etc but for the first time in ages we were truly tempted by a stunning painting we saw in one of the markets. We lingered outside the shop for a while admiring it, walked away and come back to admire it some more before finally going into the shop too enquire with regards its price, which to our surprise was very reasonable. The painting would have made a lovely complement to the large painting of a Maasai lady we have stored in South Africa, so we wandered away debating where we could store it in Mr Jones, about how it would it hold up been rolled up for an extended period of time before we could get it back to SA and ultimately admitted defeat and decided not to purchase it.
After a few days in Cuenca we headed out on the start of our final run south to the border which would involve a few stops along the way.
The first stop was in the town of Loja, planning using maps and travel guides can give you a feel for places but actually how you will feel about a town is only truly felt when you arrive in it and although we had a great wild camp next to a lake in Loja it wasn’t a city to hold our attention, so the next day we started heading to the next town called Vilcabamba but as we drove out of town we made an impromptu decision to first head up to a nature reserve called Parque Podocarpus.
The park is large and covers a wide diversity of terrain from above 3500m all the way down to 1000m or less, because of the terrain and vegetation much of it is inaccessible. We entered at its western most entrance and followed the road up to a trailhead and ranger station, from which we did a short walk together before Stuart then took the slightly longer trail up to a view point.
Vilcabamba was a town that Tania had been looking forward to visiting since entering Ecuador as she had read and heard so many positive aspects about the place including the fact that it has a big expat community due to the great weather and surroundings and one of the campsites had a reputation for being very funky and offering great yoga classes. After the many fantastic classes, she had enjoyed in Montanita we thought this would make for a nice week-long stop.
The town is located in what is known as the Valley of Longevity, thanks to an article in the 1970’s in the National Geographic by a Harvard medical school professor who made claims that the average resident lived to become a centenarian and many until us old as 120. This claim was later refuted but nonetheless the reputation was established and thanks to the friendly climate has brought many expats to live and retire.
When we drove in, it was a Sunday and there was a market set up around the town square which is flanked by many eateries and our first impressions were of a lot of gringos desperately trying to appear as hippy and chillaxed as possible. The campsite we had read such great things about turned out to be rather disappointing and after not finding anywhere else to stay that we liked closed to town we tried the very last spot which was campground situated on a Finca a few km’s up a little valley. After all the days disappointment we drove in thinking we would just stay the night before moving on and instead we found ourselves a little spot of paradise and one night became 4 nights spent under the stars next to a beautiful clean river.
The Finca has a restaurant that they operate only on a Saturday and Sunday with the specialty being trout. Everything used in the restaurant comes from the Finca, from the trout to the coffee and fresh juices, and the family that farm the Finca are as gentle as their impact is on the earth. Sometimes the best finds are found in the most unexpected places!
To end our fab stay in Vilcabamba we stopped at a French bakery on the way out of town and due to the fact that Tania couldn’t choose between all the delicious pastries, she came out with a rather large haul that didn’t even last until that afternoon.
On the way back to Loja, Mr J brakes where once again squealing so bad that it necessitated a visit to the brake doctor who determined that the pads just needed a bit of sanding and sent us on our way, with no bill to pay. The road out of Loja required a steep climb followed by an equally steep descent which despite using the engine as much as possible required a fair amount of braking and as we drove into the next town Stuart put his foot on the break and it hit the floor! With no functioning brakes Stuart pulled to the side of the road so that we could look for a mechanic. As always Mr J is a gentleman and a scholar, as right in front of us was a mechanic. So, after engaging low range Stuart drove us into the mechanic which despite looking like one we may not have chosen if looking up mechanics was extremely professional and this time determined that the fluid needed replacing thanks to all the descending we had done the last few months combined with the recent overheating of the one set of pads. In no time we were back on the road but too late to make the border, necessitating one more night in a gas station an hour or two further down the road.
Most gas stations we stay in, double as overnight truck stops but this one actually closed at night meaning we had a very peaceful sleep before leaving early the next morning for the border and thus ending a fantastic 2 months exploring Ecuador. A small country filled with so many different environments and cultures and one where we left a small piece of our hearts.
Below are links to the other pages that compliment this blog entry:
Captain(s) Log: July 2023 (an insight into the emotional highs and lows of life on the road)
Overnight locations (an overview of the various spots we stopped for a night or more and thus an overview of the route we travelled this month)
Maintenance Log (everything it takes to keep Mr Jones purring)
