Ecuador-Tonsupa, Banos

Hello all, sorry I havent written in a while, but I was busy making sure I had something to write about.
I went to the Middle of the World, or so I was assured by the museum there. Apparently the Spaniards couldnt figure out the real equator, so about 300 meters from this big monument there is a little museum which shows you cool stuff. They claim the correalis effect is visualized when moving a trough of water form the equator to about 6 feet on either side of it. I managed to disprove this. The equator, or near it, is the only place you can get water to go straight down as it drains through a hole. In the northern hemisphere it will always go clockwise, while in the southern it will go counterclockwise. So first they show water draining straight, which is cool, then they move the trough to the northern side, but as they pour the water in, they pour it in such a way as to induce a clockwise motion, and then repeat the feat on the southern side, inducing a counterclockwise motion. So of course I, as a graduate of several Physics classes, had to object, and was able to create a counterclockwise motion in the northern hemisphere. Needless to say, they had excuses, mainly that near the equator the pull is different and that I just induced it, which is what I said to them. But it was pretty cool that the water would drain stright down, bc that you cannot see anywhere else but the equator.

After that Mark got the day off work and we went to the top of Pichincha, the volcanoe overlooking Quito. We were at 4,100 meters, which is about 13,000 feet above sea level, the highest I have ever been in my life! We tried to go for a walk, which was quite difficult, and after it started hailing, we decided to investigate the effects of alcohol at that altitude. Later that night we got on an overnight bus to Esmereldas, specifically the beach at Tonsupa. First overnight bus went well, except that the seats are made for 5 foot tall ecuadorians, and the bus drivers are a little manic. I took two sleeping pills and some whisky, and still only slept for about 2 hours. The beach was great though. Even though when we got there I was informed that nobody brought a camera because their friend was robbed at gunpoint a few weeks before on the same beach. Nothing more dramatic than a little sunburn, and some great bodysurfing happened to us. We stayed in a condo overlooking the beach, there were seven of us, including Mark´s friend Jem, who as it turned out was a male ¨dancer,¨ and his other friend Megan, from Alabama. After I informed Jem that I couldn´t move my hips independently from the rest of my body, and Megan that when I was a kid my dad threatened to send me to Alabama if I was bad, I think they both took a liking to me. Anyway, we had a great time, got back to Quito after eating great seafood, and drinking more than a few Pilsener beers.

Banos-Un pedazo del cielo
First thing Monday I took off for Banos, a small town with great thermal baths and all kinds of cool outdoor activities to do. On the way there I learned that Buses in Ecuador will stop anywhere at any time, and that you are not very bright if you catch the bus at the bus station. Apparently it is even favorable to stand outside the bus station because no matter what time they tell you the bus is leaving, it is guarenteed to leave an hour more later. After driving through all of Quito, offering rides to everybody we passed, we got on our way to Banos. It ended up being an great drive, even though some guys tried to steal my bag: I saw the first erupting volcano of my life! After finding a room at a great little hostel, I got some food, a burrito, and then headed to the Thermal baths. I was informed by a nice scottish fellow that he had eaten at the same place the day earlier and along with the rest of his family, was still suffering gastrointestinal strife as a result. I managed to survive the ravages of the burrito and ate some fairly decent italian food, followed by an early night to prepare for the following day in which I bike rode 20 km past 8 waterfalls, jumped off a 30 meter bridge attached to a few ropes, and went canyoning in which I repelled down a 45 foot waterfall! I then got on another overnight bus to Lago Agrio and the mysteries of the Rainforest.