Number 2's with a view

I've now gone fron the depths of the Amazon jungle to the high mountain ranges of Ecudor  via a 2 hr canoe ride, 2 hr bus ride, an overnight bus and finally a 2 hr trip in the back of a ute with a half-drunk yankee.  Totally worth it.  The weather has been fine and views of Volcan Cotopaxi amazing.  Especially when you can see it from everywhere in the hostel, ie: from the window when your lounging by the fire, getting out of bed, in the shower, the jacuzzi and the special number 2's toilet.

That's right.  There's a special composting toilet just for number two's and it's high up on the hill and looks out over the mountains.  Pretty cool.

The ride to Cotopaxi.

The view from the dorm window

This hostel (The Secret Garden, Cotopaxi) is definately up there as one of the best hostels in the world.  And it's not even because you can always get decent hot water!  Did I already mention the jacuzzi?  The manager Carolina is a crack up and makes a mean mulled wine.  The meals were also fantastic and I liked the whole 'everyone sits down to dinner together' thing, it was nice.  And then there were the activities, I did the climb to the waterfalls, the Cotopaxi refuge, biked down from Cotopaxi and the hike to the Pasachoa summit.  The altitude was killing me, but ah well - harden up Kelly.  The views from both mountains are just amazing.  I wish I'd had enough time for the Cotopaxi summit.  There was also a horse riding excursion, but horses don't really float my boat so I gave that one a miss. 
So 5 days there and apparently I'm part of the furniture and all the eucayplts and dairy cows make me feel right at home.  I would have been happy to stay another week - I never did make it to the trout farm, and there's a rodeo on on the weekend.  But I have a tour to meet in Lima - so onward and upward!  ... or is is downward as I'm heading south?

Hey Dad, check out the portable dairy.