Pichincha!

I'm an athlete. I may not be the fastest or the strongest, but I can usually hold my own, and I've always enjoyed competitive sports. So, I just assumed mountain climbing would come fairly easily to me. WRONG. I seriously overestimated my andinismo abilities. I never realized just how mental it is. Yes, it's physically grueling, but the mental endurance--knowing you have to make it to the top of the mountain no matter what--is so much more challenging. And mental endurance is definitely not one of my strong suits. I can't tell you how many times near the end I just wanted to say, "OK, I'm high enough."

But, I made it all the way to the top. Pichincha is an enormous mountain that can be seen from pretty much anywhere in Quito. There's a cable car that you ride part way up called the teleferico, which is super touristy, and on a clear day, I'm sure the view is spectacular. Today was not that day. Clouds everywhere, cold and occasionally rainy. You couldn't see the people 100 yards in front of you. When you get out of the cable car, you start climbing, and you keep climbing, and you climb some more. I won't lie to you, the way up was pretty miserable. But when we reached the top--5k and 2100 ft later (take a second and recognize how steep this was please)--it was worth it. Just to say I made it. I did it. And then it started snowing, and I (in my T-shirt and rain jacket) was like, "Get me down now!!" Haha.

Best parts of the trip:

Making new friends and meeting some Ecuas, and therefore getting to speak Spanish.

Snow. I was freezing, but it was super hermoso.

Making it to the top. Have I already mentioned this? Because I'm telling you, I've never been so proud of a physical accomplishment in my entire life.

Coming back down--we cut about 30 minutes off our hike "skiing" down a sand slope. (basically, you take a step and slide till you stop, then take another step....only you're running. super chevere!!)

My bed and my long nap when I got home. I'm gonna be feelin' sore manana!