5 Bus rides to Baños

We caught a ride on the back of a truck back to Zumbahua, where the town was transformed, crawling with locals and gringo´s alike, there for the weekly market. We hopped onto another bus (no. 2 for the day), bags got thrown onto the roof, and we were off back down to normal altitude and temperatures again in Latacunga. Found a bus to Ambata (no. 3). Once there we couldn´t find a bus to Baños, and kept getting wonderful spanish answers that we couldn´t make head or tails of. Leaving the bus station to try find some lunch we spied a big yellow Baños express bus, accosted the driver, who gave us a better explanation, and a free ride to the other bus station in town, where the Baños buses leave from (no.4). Half an hour later we were aboard bus no.5, arriving in Banos in pouring rain.

Then came our first lesson in Poncho use: Not suitable for howling gales. A fight with a poncho that was blowing up over our heads and everywhere, followed, and I think the poncho won, as we ended up not one bit protected from the rain.

The next day we explored the scenic town of Baños, having the ´almeurzo´ (or set) lunch from a restuarant on the square, a handy option we´ve discoved in Ecuador, as you get a 2/3 course meal and juice for a reasonable price ($1.50-$2.50). The first course was a watery soup, that after a few spoonfuls had lowered the levels in the bowl, revealed chicken organs in Steven´s bowl, and a chicken foot, and head, in mine. Well, I think I can now proudly say that I am on the way to conquering my no.1 travelling fear: weird food, because I carried on eating my soup for a few more spoonfuls, until the eyeless eyesocket of the chicken´s head was just too much to look at any longer.

Today we had a wonderful 4 hour horse ride into the mountains around Baños, got to finally see the active volcano that presides over the little town (pretty scary really!), and relaxed away those stiff bums of ours in the town´s thermal baths this evening.