Sunday, April 21, 2013

Time to say Adios Ecuador


Ecuador has been good to me, not just beautiful views...


...interested creatures...


...appealing offers...


...creatures that care for their appearance...


...while others always look for a free ride...


...I have seen very young ones in Ecuador and...


...I made new friends.


Ecuador offered beautiful spots to camp and beaches to swim...


...as well as breathtaking (in the truest sense of the word) mountains to hike...



...active volcanos...


...beautiful animals and...


...scary ones at the same time, but always, always a lot of...


...Love.

Thank you Ecuador, thank you people from Ecuador for having had me as a guest in your beautiful, peaceful, safe and super interesting country. 

For now I say "Adios" hoping to be back soon. 

Off to Peru!



Saturday, April 20, 2013

It would make for a pretty interesting...


...address if you'd life here.


The Andes - You've got a Choice!


I have seen only a little part of the worlds largest continental mountain range...


...the Andes. But already now, I can say they offer a lot from snowy peaks to active volcanos...


...to beautiful nature...


....views, views and more... 


...views.

As I travel on, I want to see much more of the Andes. Do you?

If so, and you would like to see a specific photo gallery with nothing but pictures of the Andes, go to my German blog HERE and click underneath the post on "cool".

Once I get 10 or more "cool's" I will start perparing a photo gallery with nothing but pictures of the Andes. 

Now you got the saying! 

Friday, April 19, 2013

One, Two... Don't even think about it!


One...


...Two...


...Don't even think about it!

And I thought those bastards in Alaska were a pain.

By the way, can you bend your legs like that? 

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Oh no, you missed it!


That could have been you, powering through mudholes in a fully equipped 4x4 travelling van. 


Wishing Toni & Felix all the best for there soon coming return home and the new owners many colorful adventures with their new van.

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Life doesn't always look better from the top down


Do you remember when I postet this

It made it look like being on top of things make things a lot more pleasant than being down on the bottom.

Today, I can prove, it is not always like that. Even though, I admit, in the picture above I'd prefer the top position over the one on the bottom. Yesterday I hiked a very strenuous hike through the cloud forest, which really did not deserve that name that day, it was nothing short of a rain forest, a very heavy rainforest. I was hoping that by the time I make it to the Mirador (view point) weather would clear some.


Which obviously was not the case. Hours later, my wet pants and jacket and shoes and all hanging in the blue truck to dry, I passed throught the valley way below that view point with my car, looking up to the peak I have hiked.


The peak could not be seen, still hiding in the rainy clouds, but: Here is the proof, often it is a much better view from the bottom up than it is from the top down. 

For more pictures of Ecuador check out the photo gallery here. The picture with the Politicans/Voters was taken in Texas, if you'd like to see more pictures of Texas, click here

Whether you're on the top or on the bottom of things, I wish you a great view!


Friday, April 12, 2013

Ojos del Volcan: Camping high above Baños, Ecuador

The view on Tungurahua from Ojos del Volcan

Here comes another overnight stop I would highly recommend. Baños offers all kind of tourist infrastructure, many hotels and hostals but high above town and right opposite of vulcan Tungurahua is a small very basic but super cool campground: Ojos del Volcan.

Once you are in Baños take the only street that is heading North to the bridge over the river Pastaza. This is also where you can through yourself off the bridge if you are the kind of person that has to do those kind of things. Bungee jumping that is. Should you still need a place to camp after that continue on up the hill. 

The road meandering up the mountain from Baños to Ojos del Volcan

This is a reasonably steep one lane cobblestone street, if your RV is really, really long you might need some time to work yourself through the switchbacks up the hill. You will climb significantly from Baños which is at about 1'800 meteres over sea level to over 2'500 meters at Ojos del Volcan. The road might appear small and without trafic but be prepare for downhill trafic, this road is not ending at Ojos del Volcan or at Las Antennas a little further up, it continues to Patate (rough, muddy & steep but possible with a 2WD high clearance vehicle (end of March 2013)) a beautiful drive once you're done camping at Ojos del Volcan. Eventually through Patate and some villages you will reach the Panamerican Highway again at San Miguel de Salcede.

The view.
If you are tent camping, hitchhike up the hill or take a Taxi which should not charge you more than USD 5.00 to go up there. Back down should be easy to hitch a ride or ask Rojelio to call a taxi for you. 

The camping area.
Rojelio is managing that place and will warmly welcome you once you hit the next switchback after the big green sign "Ojos del Volcan". The turn off into the small camping area is right in the switch back. It is a small long terrasse. There is no infrastructure but you can use the restroom and the cold only shower of the restaurant that Rojelio is running. Basic food and drinks are offered. At the weekend there is a little, really just a little more action and his wife comes up from Baños, then there are a couple of more things offered in the small restaurant. Rojelio speaks some English and will be very happy to practice it with you. 

The view.
The view to the Volcan Tungurahua is spectacular when the weather is good. I was fortunate and during my stay of a couple of days I could see erruptions at night, twice with lava spitting out of the crater. I have paid a second visit to Rojelio a couple of days ago but at the time the volcano has fallen asleep again. If you want to hike it Rojelio can instruct or guide you.

GPS Coordinates: S01°23.017'   W078°26.209' 

Price for vehicle camping with a small truck was USD 5.00/night (March 2013). Rojelio and his family are super nice and will probably invite you for a coffee, a fruit juice, a hot chocolate or even deliver a fresh egg from their chickens for your breakfast in the morning, so please do not negotiate the already low price further down. Even though the campround is basic I consider the value high. Currently there is no accomodation offered apart from the campground but if you have a mat & sleeping bag Rojelio might let you roll your bed out in the restaurant once the last guests have gone. It has a fire place and is nice and warm.

Give Rojelio, his wife Marcie and daughter Erica my regards when you make it up there to camp. Thank you.


When the weather's nice it is a beautiful camping experience high above Baños.
 
Living at the edge: During my first visit parts of the people living on the West slope of the Volcano were evacuated.

If you're lucky Bob Marley will pay you a visit.
 
The road back down into the valley to Baños.


HAPPY CAMPING!

USA

The USA photo galleries are now finally nearly complete, come along to...




...wild Alaska... 


...hot Arizona...


...exciting Florida...


...expensive California...


...Georgia...


...to the Monument Valley...


...to hot babes in Nevada...


...to the Edison Museum in West Orange, New Jersey...


...to ghost towns in New Mexico...


...to entertainment in New Orleans...


...or ride with me from the North East to Atlanta...


...check out how in Texas the wind is blowing in another direction than in the rest of the USA...


...come to the North West, Washington State and Oregon...


...check out the wild life on Texas' Padre Island...


...or the desert mountains in Big Bend National Park...


....snow and ice in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho...


...or cruise along with me thru Utah and Colorado.

Enjoy the ride!