Stone Cold Badasses

(The following conversation has been dubbed in English)

Hostel Owner: So, what are you and your brother going to do tomorrow?
Me: I think we're planning to hike up to el Enladrillado.
Hostel Owner: Ah...I don't think you should do that.
Me: I think we will, we'd really like to see it.
Hostel Owner: Weeell, it's a 13 hour hike. You probably shouldn't.
Me: Ok...well, I imagine we'll do it anyways.

(4 hours pass...now it's 10 o'clock at night. A knock on the door)

Me: Hello?
Hostel Owner: Hi, I just wanted to see what you planned to do tomorrow?
Me: We're really going to hike up el Enladrillado, I heard it's not so long.
Hostel Owner: No! Don't do that. Here's a better hike, it's much easier.
Me: But...my brother's a boyscout!
Hostel Owner: El Enladrillado is too long and too high.
Me: Ok, we'll see.
Hostel Owner: Goodnight!

As you all know, Extreme Outfit Fridays does not take no for an answer; long story short: We hiked up el Enladrillado. We covered all 16 miles (and a one mile elevation rise) in 8 hours, and save for Johannes' slight calf sunburn, and my insatiable hunger for pork, we are none the worse for the wear.



This crazy hike lead us to a huge basalt plateau at the top of a mountain, such a strange sight, that some local believe that UFOs actually landed there. From this plateau you can see the snow covered Andes, and waaay down into the river gorges below.



Absolutely beautiful. Sometimes I forget how much fun hiking is, it's really like all the best parts of walking.

It's been really fun to have Johannes here, and I think it's been fun for him to have me here too. I've been navigating the city for him, taking change of the Spanish (and German when necessary) communications, cooking rustic dinners, and bounding up cliffsides like a mountain goat. The other day, after one particular difficult exchange, Johannes commented "Geez Anna, you're like a Swiss Army Knife. So Useful"

I like it.

<3