Jan 8: Quito

We found the best bar last night!

It was a tapas and wine bar, and the system was that you had to "buy in" at a price range depending on the quality of wine (or beer) involved, and at each level you had a selection of wines you could choose from. Once you had bought in, you could have unlimited wine and switch between wines all you want, as well as unlimited tapas. For instance, Andrew bought in at $20 USD and single-handedly polished off a bottle of white wine and four bottles of beer, as well as enough tapas to make large meal of it. John & Becky had to leave for the airport afterward to start their multi-day journey home to Sydney via Buenos Aires and Aukland; we just went back to our hotel and drunkenly crashed out.

Today we toured the 'Old Town" of Quito but our hearts weren't really in it. After three weeks of "scheduled fun" and with last night's festivities feeling like a last hurrah, we have mentally checked out. We half-hearted toured a few cathedrals, then decided to skip the Teleferiqo (cable car that takes you to a lookout over Quito at 4050m - but we've been higher in the mountains during each of the last three days) and the Mitad del Mondo (Middle of the World, the monument marking the equator - but we've crossed it FIVE times already during this trip). Instead, we headed back to "Gringolandia" and found a bar to have a long lunch followed by a much needed siesta.

Tomorrow we start to find our way home ourselves.