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Ecuador2023
GO Trips
Ecuador 2023 – September 16
September 17, 2023
Today we climbed Chimborazo! We woke up ready to tackle the day, starting with a hearty breakfast, and then we all loaded up on the bus to the mountain. It wasn’t quite as nice a bus as the one from the airport, but we all fit and that’s what mattered. We stopped near the base to get a guide, and then we started driving on up the mountain. There was a bicycle race up the mountain at the same time, so it was exciting. Our bus driver navigated the traffic from the cars parked on the mountain well.
We then began hiking up, which was more rough for some than others. It turned out most of us underestimated the elevation and how that would affect us. Huffing and puffing was a common occurrence in our group. Many people more acclimated than us passed us, often with a backward glance.
A couple of us hired horses and rode those up, which was much more exhausting than it sounds. Some kept climbing up to a little area where there is sometimes a lake, while some only went a little ways up. Then we ate lunch together, very exhausted. We headed back to Codeinse, and napped and rested until the Codeinse staff came and brought dinner.
Kate fulfilled her week-long dream of eating Cuy (pronounced QUEE, also known as guinea pig). It was evident by her reaction that the roasted guinea pig did not look at all how she expected. Her excitement wavered somewhat, but she bravely took the first piece, and declared it “ok.”
In addition to making us a feast, the Codeinse staff thanked us and presented gifts of Ecuadorian clothes as well as Codeinse hats. In return, we sang a few songs for them, and then they surprised us by singing How Great Thou Art in Quichua for us.
It was a bittersweet evening – our last in the compound – and we treasured it. We chatted and socialized for a bit, and then with a warm round of hugs and thank you’s, we began packing up. We played another awesome round of Spicy Uno and Skip-bo until bedtime.
The highlights of our day include climbing Chimborazo, watching Kate eat Cuy for the first time, hanging out and getting to know the Codeinse staff, and playing Uno together. We are incredibly exhausted and looking forward to going home and seeing our families, although we are very blessed to be here and so thankful for the opportunity.
