Paute to Cuenca

Just some more photos while I find the time to write a new blog entry. Just click on the link below.
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150270885413780.335993.501123779

Misahualli to Paute

Hello again. Have moved south from the jungle and have been doing a lot more climbing. We climbed up into the Andes for our first crag near a town called San Juan. The crag was in a gorgeous canyon with waterfalls and our bush camp was underneath the crag. A group of clearly very poor but fantastic Ecuadorian children came down to see us when we were setting up and having chatted nicely to us for half an hour demanded we gave them 1 dollar per tent. We negotiated and managed to get all 14 of us to stay for $5 for 3 nights, not bad. The climbing here was super crimpy and at just under 4000 metres every move left me breathless. Halfway through our stay me and Scottish Callum left the group for an attempt on Chimbarazo )Ecuadors highest volcano at 6300 metres. We only had a one day window to climb the mountain and get back to the truck before they departed for the next venue. Unfortunately the lack of time was our undoing as Callum got altitude sickness and started throwing up everywhere as we got just above 5000 metres, we had to descend. My dissapointment was short lived as I returned to the crag and climbed my first South American 7a, doesnt sound much but at altitude its pretty tricky, so I was stoked!
I have put in a link to facebook to share some photos with you, hope it works!
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150268186878780.335221.501123779

Quito to Misuhalli

Ernie in bush camp at Cuyuja with the crag in the background.

This was the site for our first bush camp. Was pleased to get away from Quito as 5 members of the group had been robbed at knife point. The drive to the crag was stunning over hills and scary gorges with forests as far as the eye could see and in the backdrop snowcapped volcanoes. The climbing here was on solid Andesite and was mostly steep and technical. Owing to the lack of really good topos I chose the route which looked the easiest. I later found out from a reliable source that it was a 7b+ which made me relieved as I had dogged most of my way up it! Had two days climbing here. Other highlights were showering under a beautiful waterfall and on our leader Toms birthday Chris (our driver) set his face on fire whilst juggling with fire. Of great joy was the chicken we bought and slaughtered for dinner one night. If you look carefully you can see it´s head hanging from the truck door. We have now driven down to sea level and are staying in a lodge on the banks of a river in the middle of the jungle. We plan to go tubing and go on some jungle tours, hopefully to learn more of the indigenous lifestyle. Sorry I only managed to get one photo on, camera ran out of power before I could get more on, ill get the hang of this technologu eventually! Hope all is well at home!

Evening entertainment on Ernie. The French introduced a game called caps where you have to throw the cap off your opponents bottle. If you succeed they must drink, the French were very good.

Campsite in the jungle by the beautiful river. Hot rock kitchen in the middle.

Hunter in the making! Me blowing poisoined arrows at a termite mound. Notice the tribesmens privates are skillfully hidden by his arrow pouch!

Observations of Quito

Well I have arrived despite having no visa to get into the USA and being about 10kg over the weight limit I am here and raring to go. No photos for this post Im afraid as this computer has no USB port! Shame as I had some excellent planking photos which I know a few people would have enjoyed. Just checking this works though. Here are my observations of Equador so far;
there are too many fast food restaurants
all the women look the same
they have the best childrens parks in the world  surely
they have the best pedestrian crossings in the world as it counts down how many second you have left before your mown down by a mercedes bus

A great city, would have been good to have spent one more day here. Hope all is well at home.