Quito is full of noise, dust and strange smells. An Indio man in a colouful poncho is playing pan flute and the sound fills the air around the ancient places of the old centre. We wander around, looking in “paper-shops”, little “tiendas” (selling everything), bakeries which bake almost German traditional style and having a cheap and grandma lunch in a restaurant around the corner.

Our mornings are often filled with Spanish lessons. Slowly we expand our vocabulary, talking to the first people on the road. Once a week we get our rabies vaccination and time is flying... We enjoy the hostel but after a while it feels like a golden cage - the door leads into another world on each side... We use the time planing our trip. Soon we find out, that this trip will be exhausting, will be challenging and we will have to use all power of our will to cross the more than 4000m high andean passes... Our route leads along the the longest mountain chain in the World: The Andes are 7500km long and the highest mountain is nearly 7000m high (Aconcagua).

From tomorrow on (27.3.2010) our only direction will be SOUTH. We are very excited to start this long way - the ride down to the southern tip of South America - Tierra del Fuego (Fireland). Our route will go through Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguai (?), Argentina and Chile. We will finish our way through the continent in February 2011. We hope that you follow us on our website all the way - with fantastic landscapes and stories!

Did you know that the highest mountain in the world the volcano Chimborazo (6267m) in Ecuador is? His peak is the farest way from earth core because of the eclipse shape of the earth than the peak of Mt Everest (8848m).

Monique and Rene

Within only three days we experience so many new things that it will fit within a whole month of every-day-life in Germany. Our start on March 27 in Quito is accompanied by sunshine, blue skies and hundreds of other cyclists who enjoy the traffic free Sunday in the capitals historic part. Along small back roads we have to get used to the heavy loaded bikes and to right side traffic again. The first “amigo” is checking out the weight of the bikes, finding it impossible to ride them through the Andes.

Midday we hit the famous Panamericana. In the waste gas of thousands buses we have to catch our breath and rush down on a perfect paved road into the first valley. Green, steep fields and perfect volcano cones surround Quito. What a pity that the weather remains cloudy for the next week and we won’t be able to see a single volcano... The first road-experience is followed by a pass. We cross the 3500m in altitude and it is - breathtaking! Rushing down the other side is fast and the traffic’s much better than in NZ - everybody brakes for us, takes over in big distance, a broad shoulder gives us space. A dream! Despite this fact Rene has his first flat tyre: a damned big nail found it’s way (twice!) through the rubber...

A short bus trip brings us to our first volcano on 3800m altitude. The surrounding villages come together to celebrate the new sealed road and we participate on a “fiesta grande”: colourful ponchos and proud, traditional dressed horse riders in a perfect Ecuadorian landscape. We hitch in the back of a pick-up and the local band’s with us. It’s our third day travelling here only and we already feel sort-of home.

Our longest distance on the whole journey is covered with our trip to Banos - 88km and over 850 altitude meteres to the tourist-capital of Ecuador. Surrounded by steep and impressive mountain walls the township offers natural springs and an exhilarating bike ride down the Andes - into the jungle! Sure that we do not miss out on that! We spend nearly a week in this nice surroundings - trying new fruit, eating wonderful roast pork (which is typical for this region), climbing a lookout and listening to the prayers there...

The dirt road back to the Andes is thick covered in volcanic ash. No wonder - we cycle along the foot of an active volcano... We arrive, dusty and exhausted, in a little village. Accommodation’s not available so we ask at the fire brigade to help us out. Our request climbs the authorisation-floors of the building and lands on the desk of the mayor. With a broad smile he opens us the door of one of the emergency buildings in the village. It is a honour to host two German cyclists. This facts are important here: to be German and to ride a pushbike. We are happy that we got through with our little Spanish...

Fascinated by this country we arrive back in the Sierra (Andes), in Riobamba. Next we heading south along the Panamericana to Cuenca and Vilcabamba.

Did you know that the normal wage for a teacher in Ecuador is 250US$ a month and that the Bananas you can buy from Ecuador are a special breed - for export only? They are not available in Ecuador...

Since the last report we rode: 290km, 4000 altitude meters

Monique

Our next adventures in Ecuador are full of people, spectacualar landscapes and rain. We head out of Riobamba on early 7 April and start the more than 20km climb through the mountains. Rain starts and thick mist covers everything around us. We arrive in Guamote and knock on the door at the Bomberos (fire brigade). Here we get a bed and a warm shower for free and soon we feel a bit warmer and more comfy again.

The following days are hard going: it’s not only the mountains - it’s more the dogs that give us a very hard time! 20-30 atacks a day in a particular valley let us think twice about our transport and about the journey itself. Fortunately we learn to fire back - with stones, sticks and pepper spray. But every single dog seems to safe it’s energy for the two cyclists of the day... We are frustrated. Still - the scenery and waving ponchos from the back of the pick ups are worth the trip.

On a very long, 88km ride to Cuenca it gets extremely warm. We stop on a food stall along the roadside and we are for sure the first tourists who are sitting in the cheap plastic chairs. After talking a bit to a man he returns with two refreshing presents: ice cream! We have troubles to squeeze on the bikes afterwards to get to the most beautyful city, Ecuador has to offer.

Cuenca has lots of old colonial buildings, nice climate, a great museum and a German bakery. We stay too long, get too lazy but enjoy a lot! In the end we stay 5 days and when we start again, heading south along the Panamericana, our legs seem still to rest in Cuenca. The trip to Loja is full of diverse scenery - and flat tyres. Every day we have one or two flats. The reason isn’t very clear. Something’s wrong with Renes back tyre. Nobody knows...

After we climbed on 3500m, spending a night between Aloe and spinifex in the tent, we rush down in 7 degrees and rain into a desert like canyon. The heat down there dries our clothes, gives us our power back and we pitch our tent on a lookout over the whole canyon. Spectacular setting. Condors circling above our heads...

Next day we meet two belgish girls (started cycling in Mexico) and another couple on bikes (Belgium, started in New York). With 6 bikes we ride into Saraguro - one of the last remaining traditional centres in the Andes. All Indegenas dressed in traditional black ponchos, golden necklaces and black skirts. Their long, balck hair is shimmering in the sun. A great place with some strange gang of cyclists... Next day we cycle together to Loja - the last big city in Ecuador. It’s not much to see here and on 22nd of April we have nearly 30km downhill to Vilcabamba. This is a „Gringo“ place. A little bit artificial tourist village, ruled by old hippies, who came here once, travelling, got stuck here and built some sort of life. A bit weird but still very enjoyable! In some days we head south - along some rough dirt to the Peruvian border.

Did you know that Ecuador has the hightest population density in whole South America?

Since the last report: 545km and 9163 altitude meters.

Monique

Its Easter Sunday and we take a bus to Saraguro. We've been here already on bikes but this time is special: the Easter rituals are very traditional here and famous throughout the whole country.
The two figures of Maria and Jesus are carried out of the church just about our arrival. The place in front of the nice sandstone church is packed with people, dressed in black ponchos and tradtional hats. A samll procession leads the figures back into the church. Above the entrence a child, dressed as an agnel is haning from a pice of rope, tied to a construction of bamboo. Her task is it now to remove the black cloth from Marias head. After several trys the task is completed successful, the crowd is cheering and the Easter Mass is about to start.

Originally we want to start after Easter. But Monique catches a bad cold and we have to stay. Fortunately we find a very nice hostal - with terrace, flowering garden, hammocks and birds playing in the backyard. The stuff paradise must be made of. We use the time to do computer stuff and to plan our further trip. We find out that temperature on the Bolivian Altiplano can drop down to minus 30 by the time we'll be there. No way that our well-worn sleeping bags are going to bring us through this cold nights. Marmot sponseres us two new ones with a great discount and now we are positive to suvive the ride over the Altiplano! Thanks Marmot for two Pinnacle Sleeping bags. We are very glad about it!

Tomorrow, Mai 4, we are going to be back on the road again - heading to Peruvain border. We are looking forward to visit a new country, new people and to do a lot more kilometre!

Rene