Bonaire to Ecuador

Well now left sea level in Bonaire and flew to Quito, the second highest capital in the world, high up in the Andes Mountains in Ecuador at some 9500 feet. We felt like royalty at Flamingo Airport Bonaire as when we arrived at 2.am we were the only passengers getting on the plane and the airport had stayed open just for us. (OK a little bit of a fib as some passengers get of the plane from Amsterdam to stop in Bonaire but it was true we were the only ones booked to leave Bonaire). The check in guy knew us by name and then he went to immigration to let us through that and customs. In total we saw 4 people for us two. Try that at Heathrow.

We arrived in Ecuador at 8.00am after an exciting landing coming in over the mountains dropping steeply in the valley to Mariscal Sucre airport and found it was a little cooler than when we had taken on in Bonaire. We were somewhat tired and with the altitude difference felt really shattered so looked forward to getting to the hotel. After a short sleep it was time to venture into the old town of Quito to explore and arrange the next few weeks itinery.
We have now arranged to leave tomorrow by bus down to Cotapaxi, the world highest active volcano that we saw yesterday in the plane and also was visible clearly yesterday in the sun from Quito. Today is a lot cloudier so not visible. After Cotopaxi we aim to get to Riobamba and Banos, then to Cuenca in the south before heading across to the coast and Isla de Plata hopefully to see whales.
A flight then follows back to Quito on the 16th followed by an early morning flight the day after to Coca and the Amazon jungle and a river boat we have booked. A flight back to Quito follows a couple of days before we fly back home.
Hopefully we shall be able to update the blog with pictures and words as we go if we can find internet connections.
As if the altitude problems have not been enough in Quito, we decided to take the cable car up Volcan Pinchincha overlooking Quito to a height of some 13300 feet then walk anther 1000 or so to14500. Shall we say we were a little out of breath and definitely feeling the effects of altitude sickness and it was cold there although still very short of the snow line. The views were magnificent and it was fun watching the aircraft coming in through the mountains with steep turns to land at the airport.