Lead Guide: Pepe Landazuri
Pepe called at 12:43pm Ecuador and Eastern time with the following dispatch:
“Good day everyone., This is Pepe calling from the summit of Gua Gua Pichincha. We’re at just under 4800 meters. Both teams climbed together today – the two climbers going to Illinizas and Antisana and the rest of us going to Cayambe and Cotopaxi. After Cotopaxi and Antisana, we’ll join together again for an attempt on the big one, Chimborazo. So this has been fun to climb together today. Everybody is doing really well. Acclimatization is going very smoothly.
OK, Ruth has a message for family and friends:
‘I thought I was in Nirvana this morning, and then Peter told me it was just clouds. I was a little bit disappointed. With all the white around us, I thought I had made it to Nirvana!
I did a very good job haggling at the market on Saturday, and I bought a baby little llama. I already called the airlines, and they said its not a problem to bring it back because its a baby and pretty small.
It’s name is B aby John. Someone’s going to get it for Christmas. I have to decide who’s going to get it. So be prepared – someone’s going to have a baby llama in the back yard.We’re all doing great. The air is definitely thinner, and we’ve had a few headaches. And we’ve been a little tired at times, but everyone is dong great and we’re in great spirits.’OK – that’s today’s news. We’ll call you tomorrow when we are in the Cayambe region. Talk to you soon.”
