Travelling ( updated )

“With a song in my heart”……

“It’s nice to go travelling , to…”.. Maldives, India, Spain and Ecuador ; but after four months, now it’s time to be “ homeward bound”. So , with at tinge of sadness…” I’m leaving on a jet plane, don’t know when I’ll be back again “. Enough of that!

As it turned out , the plane was the easy bit taking us as far as Madrid. Our ticket included three 25kg cases each ….. whilst the train from Madrid allowed for three cases , the total was 25 kg . RENFE will not allow more. So much for encouraging passengers to take the train rather than plane . After much mildly frantic investigation, mybaggage.com provided the solution. They would collect our excess bag from our Madrid hotel and deliver it home for $ 90. An incredible service from a Belfast based company. ( time will tell if it actually arrives; but it is insured, maybe !) . 

The other challenge was returning with two tall African wooden statues which had arrived in the container from Malawi. A snow board case was the perfect solution, but unobtainable in Ecuador. Amazon would ship, but customs and delivery made it prohibitively expensive. Fortunately our bedroom’s next guests (hot bedding) arrived from the States , and before we left, offering a customs and delivery free option. Addendum..this bag also needed to be shipped , but being oversized cost euro145. All arrived , one day early via Barcelona, Lyon, Marseille!!!.

“Rain drops keep falling on my head…”., well our stay coincided with the rainy season . Global weather changes has increased the amount ,so at least farmers and hydroelectric generation will not be short. Not so good for the stability of deforested steep slopes. Oh dear, Argelès was on an amber warning for heavy rain , and the stuff would continue to fall for our first week home. We will definitely be “ keeping the home fires burning “. 

The train journey from Madrid to Figueres is a wonder of technology. 4 hours, 600 km , maximum speed 350km/hr. Travelling premium so we could take some luggage with us, also included € 20 for breakfast. Looking forward to something special at that price . No ! small print: Covid restrictions means no food …just the charge ! RENFE might have the hardware, but not customer service.  Addendum Covid restrictions eased, breakfast provided !

Next year’ s journey, well we will see. A blog reader suggested the International Space Station ; but the mad man in the Kremlin has made that area of international cooperation another casualty. “Fly me to the …moon “ I’m not one of the multi billionaires. Just a silly song ….. 

“Trains and boats and planes”. : 12 flights , four boats ,innumerable cars , that train,

(4 currencies, 6 Pcr’s , ): 36,000km. phew!

« Oh it’s so nice to go travelling,

But it's so much nicer

Yes, it's so much nicer to come home”

Bye-bye!

A welcome home!

 

 This time it's the much travelled men that dwarf giraffes !

…

Volcanic eruptions

The volcano dominates all around , despite being surrounded by three others . The approach is a large flat plain covered with boulders , some car sized;  remnants of a previous explosion . Clearly visible on the volcano's slopes were previous pyroclastic ( lava ) flows. One had  terminated in a large mound which had blocked the valley , and resulted in the formation of a lake.  A gentle evening stroll to view the water foul, with a majestic backdrop; and a contemplation of tomorrows adventure.   

This is Cotopaxi, one of South America's most famous volcanoes and one of its most active ones. With its 5911 m it also ranks among the world's highest active volcanoes (26th highest). It has  erupted more than 50 times since 1738. The most violent historical eruptions often produced destructive mud flows (lahars). Some have travelled, at speed, more than 100 km, and reached the Pacific to the west and the Amazon Basin to the east.

At the moment, it has been dormant for over 70 years, ( apparently “ minor ‘ ash discharges don’t count ). This  is an unusual long interval in its recent history; ….and we are due to scale its slopes tomorrow, weather permitting.

The day started ominously , with zero visibility . The cloud lifted so we set off to the park entrance . Here we had to register , and read the large warning notices . The first started with “ in the case  of  eruption , don’t forget … Keep calm , and follow the instruction of park staff ;…always keep close to your emergency back pack …” Oh dear we don’t have one of those, the staff seem confined to the entrance . As for not panicking ? 

Convinced that this was not the day for eruptions , we set off for the refuge 1000 m up the slope ; but with the promise of hot chocolate on tap. A rough , but wide road took us the first two thirds ; our Toyota in four wheel drive and first gear struggling with the ascent . So did three other vehicles , which failed the climb. As good Samaritans we had room for two stranded damsels. 

Arriving at the parking space , the temperature had dropped to 3 C , the cloud swirled around , periodically obscuring our destination , and the featureless path. We were now above the snow line , so with whoops of joy the children revelled in snow ball fights and snow man construction . Ah we forgot the obligatory carrot . Thoughts of further ascent forgotten , breathlessly we took the short return to the car . Age, altitude , ‘long Covid ‘ ruled out any other option …and the tears of cold from our five year old. 

“ What’s that on the road ahead ? “ To our amazement, it was a fox , with a magnificent brown livery. We stopped for pictures ; it stopped looking longingly, until rewarded with a resurrected biscuit. This was one intelligent animal that had learnt to adapt to its new environment . Why chase for food when a look will do. 

Next morning dawned with not a cloud in the sky , and we were rewarded with a view of Cotopaxi , snow capped and magnificent . Although enticing a return , we decided that perhaps discretion is the better part of valour .

Snow balls on the equator 

Look! I expected to be rewarded for this pose

A brooding giant.

Viruses

 Emerging from Covid lock down , we are conscious that we are still affected physically . Our body’s response to the virus is not yet back to normal . Coughs, tiredness ,dizziness and temperature variations persist . However, In the few weeks left in Ecuador , it is time for some tourist stuff. 

So off to the National Museum to be impressed by indigenous skills of past millenniums. The Incas ruled Quito for one hundred years , and the Spanish for three hundred; but the skills of the locals showed through. In recent years the painter Oswaldo Guayasamín was outstanding , his subjects ranged from Castro to King Juan Carlos. His output at 12,000 items was prodigious. He was  capable of painting a portrait in  one hour fifteen minutes , using a spatula and oils (he videoed it ) . From a western centric perception, we had never heard of him! A ‘sickness ‘ in that South America is largely ignored.

 This is also a region where violence is an ailment affecting most countries .Less so in Ecuador, but however in Mac Donalds the cash is collected by men with body armour and automatic  rifles. 

Quito has expanded high up the side of Volcano Pichincha. A brave or desperate solution to perceived land shortages . This volcano is still classified as active , with lava flows in 1859 and an ash emission as recently as1999. A large archeological site in the middle of housing exhibits a previous occupation now covered by lava. The current residents must be hoping to avoid ,or ignoring the possibility ,of a similar fate.

 A visit to the “Centre of the World “ ; actually an exhibition celebrating latitude zero.  It also features an 18 century french  expedition carried out :’for the purpose of performing an arc measurement, measuring the length of a degree of latitude near the Equator, by which the Earth radius can be inferred’ . I suppose that was important given the effort involved . 

From there we were destined to visit the Amazon , having decided to risk overgrown snakes and flesh eating fish : until our daughter casually mentioned “ you have had yellow fever jabs ? “ Ah no . Subsequent investigation indicated we were now probably too old . Given that the area has malaria and dengue; and with our less than perfect Covid recovery , we decided to avoid further  virus intake . 

So it was off to another cloud forest , this time Amazonian , but 2000 metres above those virus risks . 2000 hectares of primary rainforest preserved for posterity ..and tourism . Our guide assured us that the temperature and rainfall precluded snakes , and it was only the wildlife cameras that ever saw black bear and big cats. So we enjoyed the forest walks ; but in truth saw more birds and trees from our balcony. 

Even in the remotest Amazon , it is impossible to escape the catastrophe  overtaking Eastern Europe, and infecting the whole world . As with Covid , there is no escape. Our host also has a major venture that grows roses ; but especially for Russia and surrounding countries ; apparently they like their roses particularly big. His business and ability to be paid ( via SWIFT ) , has now all but ceased.

Impressive art millenium years old 

The cheesiest of photos …hands across the centre of the world