Silje and I we were determined to visit Chugchilan for several reasons. One was the fabulous scenery and hiking in the area, and another was to stay at The Black Sheep Inn. Highly recommended by anyone who ever set foot in the place, the hostel and the area turned out to be one of the definite highlights of my trip so far.

However, actually getting from Saquisili to Chugchilan was another interesting transportation challenge...

The manager of our guesthouse in Saquisili informed us that there would be a bus to Chugchilan at 9am, whereas her husband claimed that a colectivo left from just outside their house at 7:30am. As the good girls we are, we were ready to go at 7:30 but the colectivo was nowhere in sight, nor was the husband. A customer at their cafeteria then informed us that a bus left from the college at 9am, going to Sigchos, a town near Chugchilan. Off we went, and found the college after a lot of wandering around in the rain asking for directions... The gang of colectivo drivers hanging out there knew nothing about a 9am bus, though they offered to take us to Sigchos for $30. A small sum for two gringoes, they felt. When we didn´t feel the same, they admitted that there was indeed a bus but it would pass at 10am, and most likely be full. Their advice was to take a bus back to Latacunga (where we came from the previous day) and catch a bus from the terminal where it originated.

So we did. After loading our backpacks onto the roof of the Chugchilan bus, we were informed that it didn´t leave until 11:45. It was then 9am... So instead of leaving for Chugchilan, we found ourselves on the 9:30 bus to Sigchos, which passed Saquisili and the colectivo drivers at 10am, half full.

During the three hour drive, we only glimpsed the gorgeous scenery when the fog lifted for a few seconds at a time. We were literally driving through the clouds. The mountains are incredibly steep, but all the same the hillsides are farmed in a patchwork of maize, potatoes, veggies and grass, without even being terraced! Houses are small, concrete one-room "boxes", most have tin roofs but many are covered with straw. Most have only one or two windows - for heat retention or cost? Chickens, furry black pigs, cows, donkeys, horses and sheep dot the sides of the road, munching on anything available. Children run around scantily clad in low, rubber shoes with no socks, or simply with bare feet just like in the "give money to a child from the Andes" ads on TV. They do look healthy, though.

Once in Sigchos our next bus was scheduled to leave at 1pm, giving us time for a quick lunch to get out of the rain and warm up a bit before continuing our trip. I probably don´t need to say that our bus didn´t actually leave at 1pm. It was, however, in the spot we were told it would be - a considerable improvement over the morning´s run-around-town. The driver merrily told us that it would leave at 1:30 sharp, which (how could we not know??) meant a 2pm departure.

We finally arrived at the Black Sheep Inn (BSI) in the late afternoon, after another few hours of admiring the cloud cover. After a final effort of climbing the steep road up to the lodge we were greeted by three furry dogs and a furry owner (OK, perhaps bearded is a better word) who took us on a tour of the property. And what a property!! I can´t imagine may hotels having a better view. Perched on a steep hillside, the BSI overlooks a deep canyon with tall mountains & volcanoes in the distance. Not even I mind getting up in the morning with a view like that awaiting me (if the clouds lift...).

Eco-awareness permeates every single facet of the BSI operation. Sitting on any of the Inn´s compost toilets, you can enjoy the gorgeous view while smelling the flowers and herbs that grow inside the combined toilet / greenhouse. Washing your hands afterwards with biodegredable soap, you are using rainwater from the roof which, after going through the sink, waters the greenhouse plants. Any excess water goes into the duck pond. The duck eggs are used to make brownies... Even the human waste is used as a fertilizer for the plants and vegetables grown in the BSI gardens. Who needs chickenpoo when there is humanure... :-)

Everything that can be recycled is recycled, and the owners claim to produce less than one ounce (28 grams) of waste per person per day!!

The BSI is an incredibly cozy and funky place reflecting both the personalities of the owners and that of the Highlands culture. I can only admire the vision and dedication of the two owners who many years ago came as backpackers and who, after years of saving, came back to start the Black Sheep Inn.

I could go on and on, but suffice to say that I am extremely impressed with both the BSI philosophy and premises. If I ever open a lodge myself, this is basically how I would want it to run, with two major exceptions: The meals wouldn´t be vegetarian, and I would´t have rude comments ready for those unfortunate guests who spill tea water on the table ;-)