Had an amazing day today - arrived in Pululahua. Nearly didn't get here after following the Lonely Planet's directions to transfer buses at a certain metro bus station. It turns out I didn't need to change and should have stayed on the bus until the end of the line! So had to go back to the station I thought I had missed, then find out I didn't miss anything at all, then go back in the direction I was going in originally. When I finally got to Mitad del Mundo (where the equator is) it took me a while to figure out where the Museum was that I was meant to be meeting the driver. Finally found the Museum but no driver... I was busting and stressed so headed into the museum complex to go to the bathroom. En route to the bathrrom I saw that there was another entrance that I had missed.
And what do ya know. There was the gold van and it even had a sign with ' LUCY PATCHETT' on it! Ha ha. I hurried over and breathed a rushed 'hola!' at the guy standing by the van. He looked just as pleased to seem me as I him. So I jumped in and he attempted to have a conversation with me in Spanish. I managed to tell him how long I had been in Ecuador and how long I intended to stay at Pululahua. However, after these basic exchanges I struggled to grasp what he was asking me. I know he used the words for work and live - trabajo and vivo. But no idea what he was trying to ask me!
Anyway, 40 minutes later after a very long, very bumpy, very slow drive through valleys and over hills all shrouded in mist - we came to a little settlement of farming plots and we turned into the hostel entrance. Renato greeted me with a strong US English accent. A nice guy if a little odd. I got akwkward so just asked him heaps of questions about him and the place. I had lunch with him after putting my stuff away - quinoa soup followed by chicken with a mushroom sauce, a little bit of rice fritata, salad and then coffee and choclate cake for dessert - I could get used to this!
I had a pretty good chat with him and the only other guest here - an awkward old dude (seriously about 75-80) from Atlanta who has purchased a farm here that he intends to use to farm organic products and possibly open up a hostel.
With a very satisfied belly I headed off on my first hike. I decided on the 2 hour walk to the water spring. For some strange reason I nearly died after the first few minutes uphill. The hikes here are very steep and because it's at such a high altitude I find it really challenging!
Or maybe I'm just super unfit who knows...
Anyway the walk was nice enough, got back and sat in the lounge waiting for dinner. Which was a spag boll type of thing with chocolate cake for dessert - yum!
I went to bed pretty early in anticipation of an early start the next day and a big hike!
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