The more you look at a volcano the smaller and more insignificant you feel. Today we went to go and climb some of the Cotopaxi volcano. We were led to believe that it is the second highest active volcano (either the world or maybe just South America - could be the same thing) at 5897m above sea level. Due to its eruption in 2015 we were unable to go to the summit; not that I would have managed it. We climbed from 4200m to 4864m to the refuge spot for a quick mug of hot chocolate to the joy and delight of both Emma and myself.
This was a very different trek to yesterday. Yesterday's was lower and a lot hotter, where I was on the brink of collapsing due to a horrendous mix of altitude sickness and Sun burnt. Today's was a lot colder, roughly -1°c. There was a lot of cloud that brought a piercing combination of snow and hail that was doing it's best to scare us off the mountain.
Upon completing the ascent and subsequent descent that involved skipping merrily like a goat at times back to the coach. The coach then led us to our second arduous task of the day; downhill mountain biking. I'm not too unfamiliar with a bike and a bit of off-road riding thanks to the wonderful conditions of the chiltern hills, but this was something else. There was times when the shaking of the bike through your hands and arms was enough to make you forget that you even had them in the first place! Let alone a lot of control over the bike. It was all not too death-defying other than one moment of peril where I almost came off my bike (sorry nan) but I was able to jump off the back of the bike and successfully dismount.
As the mountain biking became less steep we then started to encounter some wildlife in the form of wild horses and bulls. The horses we were able to get quite close to on our track. That was until we ventured that bit too close and frightened them off into a gallop into the distance to protect it's young. All in all a successful day with no injuries and yet more fantastic sights encountered. One more night in Quito then we are off to Baños (yes the translation of Baños from Spanish to English does in fact mean bathroom...) where more adrenaline-filled activities will take place.
