I woke up really early this morning. It was probably 5:00 or so and I couldn't get back to sleep. I had planned to sleep in, maybe even all the way to 8:00, but it wasn't to be. I tried, though. But come 6:45 I couldn't handle lying in bed any longer and I got up.

I had a quick breakfast, read a few chapters in my book and completely packed up my room, stripping it down completely. I'm now all set for both the weekend and next week.

José-Luis and Ross came downstairs not long after I did all that (I guess I'm the only one with problems staying asleep in the morning). I hung out a bit with them then, around 9:00ish, I went downtown to drop off my last load of laundry, to be picked up on Monday when I get back from Baños. I plan to spend the rest of the day wandering around Riobamba one last time, looking around for a new bathing suit (I have one, but I hate it and I need one for Baños) and making sure I'm completely caught up on emails and blog before I pick up my camera (fixed or not) and head to Baños.

***

Well, I did all I set out to do, and finished my book, too. It's bloody hot here today. This place (Riobamba)is so dry and dusty I can fel the moisture being sucked out of me. Even winters in Calgary didn't leave my lips so chapped.

I got my camera back. It works, mostly. I can't use the zoom anymore as it makes an awful grinding sound and goes completely out of focus. Despite only a partial fix, fixing, I still ended up having to pay $45. I'm hoping that the fact that the place I took it was a certified Sony place means that my warranty is still good because I plan to take it back in when I get home. Oh well, at least it still takes pictures. I'll just have to get really close.

***

I'm now sitting on the bus to Baños. It hasn't left Riobamba yet. Actually, the motor isn't even running. The bus is pretty empty right now so I wonder if we're just waiting for it to fill up a little more before we go.

***

The volcano, after a few days of quiescence has started smoking again today. Perfect time to go see a town perched on the edge of it, don't you think? The fact that the buses are still running there is reassuring.

***

So, it just kept erupting throughout the bus ride. In fact, it seemed to get worse. I ended up sitting next to a couple of German tourists named Utid (that's what it sounded like, anyway) and Sara. They've been in Ecuador for two months and figured, like me, that it was now or never to go to Baños. Watching the smoke billow thickly from the top of the mountain as the bus drove relentlessly closer was unnerving. We were all agreed on that. Their Spanish was way better than mine (what's with all these multilingual Europeans? We're so lazy in North America) so they asked the Ecuadorians on the bus if there was any danger. They all seemed unconcerned and even a little amused by the worried gringos.

The ride only took two hours and was marked by four things, two of which I've already mentioned (multilingual Europeans and a giant smoking mountain). The other two were a turn away from teh main highway to follow a winding cobble road for half an hour and a truly terrible movie. I was too busy gawking at the mountain to pay much attention to the cinematic travesty and escaped mostly unscathed.

***

Upon arriving in Baños, the two German girls sought out the closest and cheapest hostel they could find.I followed behind to check it out but decided against it due to the strong chemical smell of the place.

Instead, I left them to their pungent budget lodgings and sprang for the extra $2 per night at a hostel in town that was recommended by the old guide book.

I clearly made the right choice. This place offers steambaths (it costs extra, but not much), has a roof top terrace with honour system beer, free internet (for 30 minute intervals on very slow computers), hot showers, and apparently huge breakfasts. It's pretty great.

I'm sitting up on the terrace right now, drinking beer and listening to the conversations around me as I write. There are three people speaking French across the room and three English speakers nearby with Irish accents. It's really multinational here, what with the German girls, the French speakers, the girl down in the lobby talking on the phone in what I think was a New Zealand accent, the three Irish girls, and me, the Canadian. In fact, I don't think there's a single Ecuadorian to be seen right now.

***

They're playing Christmas music, jazz style, up here. How odd.

***

I've booked myself a steambath for tomorrow morning at 8:00. Chances are, I'll be up long before that.

***

It's still warm, but no longer dry and dusty. It's most certainly humid here. In replacement of dust, however, I could feel bits of volcanic ash falling on my face as I walked to the hostel. It's a peculiar feeling.

***

So, once again, I have a room wth three beds. As it's not a crowded place right now, what with the erupting volcano and it not being the tourist season (is the tourist season anything like deer season?), I think they gave it to me as a private room when normally, they would not.

***

I ended up hanging out with the Irish girls after talking with Laura until the internet place closed. Their names are Sinead, Vanessa and Martha. We all went on a night bus tour of the volcano with a bunch of other tourists to a spot overlooking the town. It sounds more interesting than it was. we didn't see any lava or glowing rocks being fired into the air due to the huge cloud of ash obscuring everything. There was a kid who acted as our tour guide, but he spoke in such rapid Spanish that only the completely fluent could understand him. Then they started a bonfire and it began to feel like a high school camping trip. It was weird.

After that, we felt like we needed some beer s we found a bar and plunked ourselves down for a few hours of drinking and discussing Ecuador, Ireland, canada and a variety of other topics. All in all, it was a good night.

The three of them are headed off as far south as they can get tomorrow (probably Cuenca) the will head down to Peru. It's a whirlwind tour of the Andes, I guess.