Ecuador

A group of Gosfield School students have just returned from a 21 day expedition to Ecuador.  The 9 students aged between 15 and 18 (two of whom celebrated their 18th and 16th birthday while out there) along with two teachers and a leader from 'Adventureworks' had a non-stop tour of the country.  Right from the first day of landing in the capital Quito they were joined by a team of in-country guides and driver who showed them and enabled them to experience a variety of life far away from their own back home.   One of the first adjustments they had to make was acclimatising to over 2800m, so it wasn't just the views that were breathtaking as they toured the city first built within the volcanic mountains by the Incas before being taken by the Spanish in the days the Sir Francis Drake (interestingly seen as a pirate by Ecuadorians!)  The group experienced being on either side of the equator and visited the 'old' town with its huge cathedrals and buildings steeped in history.
 
The group acclimatised very well and left the city to begin one of the many planned projects they had been striving to earn and save for in the past 2 years.  They drove, hiked, rode 'cowboy' style and climbed to their objective of reaching the campsite at Tambopaxi (3750m) situated in the Cotopaxi Park.  Cotopaxi is the highest active volcano in the World and the group intended to climb as far as the refuge at 4800m which the majority achieved, they were surprised by the snow covered trek as the volcano hardly ever has snow as low as the refuge.    
 
After a night's rest under the stars the group travelled to Ambato where they worked at the Danielle child n family centre which looks after homeless and needy children, they helped clear rumble, cleared gardens and taught the children some English, most importantly they gave much needed care and affection to those who had previously experienced very little in their short lives.  
 
Ambato was also where the group tasted the Ecuadorian traditional meal of guinea pig, which it has to be said went down very well!
 
The final days were spent travelling to the coast and visiting the Isla de Plata where many of the animals of the Galapagos can be seen including the blue-footed booby, these were a bit like a seagull/duck which allowed you to go very close and the feet (and legs) really were blue!  The group spent the afternoon swimming with sea turtles and exploring the coast line of the island then on the way back to the mainland they dried off in the sea breeze and watched the migrating hump back whales making their way along the Pacific Ocean.
 
Finally the day before flying home the group still had one more job to do which was to prepare and serve over 300 meals for the Pan de Vida Christian charity based in Quito for homeless and poor families.