Baa baa black sheep, have you any medicine ?

Well, I have to say I spent this last week high in the Andes, far from civilization, in some of the most beautiful surroundings I've ever seen. We left Sacasili and behind last Thursday and hopped on a bus to the little town of Chugchilan. Chugchilan has about 300 residents and is way, way up in the mountains at about 10,300 ft. It also has the Black Sheep Inn, an amazing lodge, that Katy took me to as a belated birthday present. The picture above is me, its hard to explain how high up I was, or how little the bump I´m sitting on is. The picture below is the dropoff behind me.



The busride was nothing short of terrifying. Windy dirt roads, about one and a half lane, with dropoffs of 100's of feet to the side. You've never lived until you go around a blind curve and there is a another bus coming towards you. You just can't figure out how they´ll both fit, but they do. Anyway, we didn't fight over the window seat this ride.

The plateau below is where the above pics were taken, the little bump all the way to the left is where I was. Its also the view from our room.

The problem with the last week is that Katy has been really sick. Wrenching stomach cramps and nausea, day after night after day. We kept hoping it would pass and we'd get to enjoy the last of our time at the Black Sheep, but it didn't. So yesterday we got a van and driver and went to the capitol Quito.

On the drive to Quito as we wind along the mountains, our driver pulled over with a thump and a groan, of course its a flat tire. I asked him if he had a spare and he said yes, so I figured it would all be alright. As he tries to unscrew the lug nuts I started to get a sinking feeling. They were on really tight, probably a mechanic with a pneumatic drill. So I of course have to give it a shot, nothing, doesn´t budge. Then we stand on the wrench, then we jump, then we bend the wrench. damn it.

I decided to get Katy to push on the bent wrench with her foot to keep it on the nut and gave it one last shot. It was one of those moments where you just really want it to work. Really, if it doesn't work you might cry. After puffing and straining and making weird faces..... the nut came loose, best feeling ever. After that we used the foot technique and got all but two nuts off. Then a milk truck came by and after giggling at us, the driver got off the last two. I woke up today and the muscles behind my shoulderblades feel like somebody hammered on them.

We made it to Quito, went to the doctor, and it's ¨The Amoebas". 40$ and a prescription later everything seems ok again, except my back. Tommorow we're going to a small beach town called Canoa for 6 days. We're gonna do beach stuff and relax, eat some ceviche, and not get anymore stomach bugs, hopefully not mutually exclusive activities.