Ecuador Volcanoes Expedition Dispatch

November 5, 2012 – Our First Hike: A Trip around “Guinea Pig Lake”

We all woke up really relaxed after a great night sleep. The goal for today is to hike around Cuicocha Lake. This was named after the island’s “guinea pig” shape in the middle of the lake in the Kichwa language. It is not a long hike but it is a great opportunity to stretch out our legs, get over the jet lag, and acclimatize.

This region is dealing with a major dryness and it was interesting to notice the difference in terms of vegetation, how dry all the plants were compared to last year. One positive side is the trail; usually we need to deal with mud but this time we literally hiked on dry terrain almost to the very end. The team did great; they all enjoyed the hike and are looking forward to tomorrow’s first major hike, the Imbabura volcano.

We returned quite early to our Hacienda and were the firsts to be seated for dinner. We sat down by the fireplace and talked about our first few days and enjoyed looking around. Hacienda Cusin is like a museum, wherever you turn, there are interesting antique pieces and stunning furniture that hold incredible history. Of course we still discussed the ghosts (which are a major attraction in these haciendas) or should I say, the lack thereof… :) but we’re still on the prowl, visiting other haciendas and what not, so we haven’t given up yet!