Teleférico in Quito, 9th - 10th November

Dominating the skyline above Quito to the west is Pichincha, an active stratovolcano rising to 4,784m. It last erupted in October 1999 (having not erupted since 1660) covering the city in several centimetres of ash. I lava (love, sorry, awful joke) volcanoes so I just had to go up this one.

There was low cloud in the morning and it was due to rain later in the day but as I set out in the morning the cloud thinned and the sun came out so I changed my plans and headed for the teleférico  also called TelefériQo, some marketeer's clever made up name mixing teleférico with Quito.

Quito is already at 2,850m and the cable car takes guests from 3,117m  to 4,050m where there is still
a long climb to reach the top at 4,784m. I walked to the start and already the altitude was getting to me but I persevered. The cable rises through woodlands and scattered clumps of eucalyptus trees.

A view back towards the city.

The cable car crosses the tree line  which gives way to just grass.

If you want to go to the top but don't want to talk, there is always the horse riding option.

One of the several caldera that lie near the top of the volcano. The current active caldera is on the western side or far side away from the city.

Looking down on some of the TV, mobile phone, and satellite relay antennae on a ridge overlooking  the city. My sudden change of plan meant that I didn't have any warm or wet weather clothing, nor any water. Whilst the sun shone, it was pleasant on the volcano but when the clouds came over the temperature dropped noticeably. Also given the weather forecast of rain, I decided that I should descend rather than continue walking around the summit.

For the very adventurous there is always the option of saving your USD8.50 cable car ticket and walk up. and down.

I didn't spend so much time on the mountain that i didn't catch a few vouches. This is another black car but yesterdays had a spoiler and the bumper colour and wheels are different.

This isn't black but dark blue so yet another addition to the collection.

This may be black but with no spoiler, the front bumper is trimmed with rust coloured red and the wheels rims are aluminium whereas the other black vocho had black wheel rims.

And still more the next day whilst I was looking for the market in the centre with some good colours. This is black but with a roof rack, different wheel trim and plain bumper.

White again but with a roof rack and different wheel trims.

Not white but a pale cream but not fast enough with he camera.

And I still found another Land Rover!