Distance 11 km (cum. 9,403 km); Ascent 765 m (cum. 75,003 m). This day was perhaps my most difficult cycling experience during this trip. I was climbing a super-steep mountain on a terrible road, full of loose stones, going on the edge of a vertical mountain wall. I had to push the bike most of the way, which exhausted me both physically and psychologically. Additionally, I was out of water and had two new flat tires... I was crying, swearing and hating myself to choose this 'interesting alternative route'... At 13:00, I arrived in Pongo Cocha and had a long rest. In the meantime some children playing on the main square started to talk to me and showed me around. They showed me a 'restaurant' where the lady suggested that I should stay for the night and continue tomorrow. I was hesitating, but finally agreed to stay and rest. This was a good decision since soon after some relatives of the lady invited me for a walk and I spent the whole afternoon with these lovely people and got some insight into the local life. I was staying in a real Quechua house, surrounded by the cosmic sounds made by twenty Guinea pigs, two cats, a baby goat, a bunch of chicken with an angry roaster, competing for the food with several pigs... Late in the evening and early in the morning me and my things got smoked, since the food was prepared on the fire set just in the middle of the house and the smoke filling closely my bedroom... It will be a day to remember :)
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