Wednesday 13th April:

Well the air is positively thick down here in Guayaquil. However it was a bit thinner up at nearly 14,000 feet in Las Cajas National Park this morning on our drive from Cuenca. The ride across the "paramo" was stunning, especially the cloud forest on the way down. Paramo is an Andean upland area, above the tree line, which acts as a sponge to water, and provides water down to the various towns and cities below. Some water courses drain down into the Amazon basis, while the westerly ones drain down into the Pacific.

Rodolfo and I climb a final 300 feet to a panoramic viewpoint, and I was pleased that I had no ill effects re: racing heart. Seems like I have quelled my stomach problems for the moment, but I still worry that they can come on quite as unannounced as they did the day of the last cycle. If my stomach can cause that level of sudden breathlessness, I need to get it sorted, or manage it better.

The drives down took us through an area of cloud forest, a bit like descending in an aeroplane through the clouds. This area is damp and today we passed many landslides, some as recent as yesterday and being cleared away by earth moving equipment. Lorna has her first real low blood sugar conveniently around lunchtime but quickly recovers.

The last 70 kilometres into Guayaquil is through flat, lush agricultural land with bananas, sugar cane, cocoa and other crops. The roadside is lined with stalls selling a whole range of fruit, complete with the hawkers at most road junctions, selling pineapple especially. We arrive at the vast Hilton Colon, a mega complex, but sufficiently comfortable for the one night before flying out to the Galapagos. We have a little trouble nailing down the pick up time and get good help from a charming young lady on reception. It seems we will be taken to the airport by one guy, and will be met there by a second person with further details.

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