Julia's world!

What an incredible day! We went up Nevado to find a section where we could see all the units. We found a cracking roadcut, and worked all morning in the baking sunshine describing and sampling it. I'm starting to build up a picture now in my head of the previous eruptions. We collected 16 samples today - another couple of days work in the lab!

Nevado with a wisp of steam from Volcan de Colima behind

Because we finished what we planned to do for the day by 2.30, I persuaded Carlos to walk up to where we could see Colima Volcano at 4000m. We wolfed down our lunch (I was starving!) and set off. I'd forgotten how hard it is to walk at altitude (having a sandwich sat in our stomachs probably didn't help!). After a few hundred metres we were both panting away and Carlos, who is 20 odd years older than me said he needed to take it slower. I decided to keep him company!!

A woman in the tree?

We walked up through pine forests, and it was completely silent. There were no people, no wind, and only the occasional bird twittering away. It was lovely. The peak of Nevado was towering above us, with the brilliant blue back-drop of the sky, not a cloud to be seen. We rounded the corner where you can see right across to Volcan de Colima, and it was completely covered in clouds!!! Ha ha! All I could do was apologise to Carlos for dragging him on a tough 45 minute walk!! But we hung around for a bit and the cloud cleared enough for us to see a ghostly image of the volcano and the fumarole steaming away from the dome. And for me to take another 20 photos!!!

Fumarole on side of dome.....

Through the gaps in the clouds Carlos was pointing out the different lava flows to me, and the second cone on the side of the volcano called "Volcancito" which means "little volcano".

Volcanicito on the left, the rough surface on the slope of Volcano de Colima is a lava flow from 1975 which is split by Volcancito.

By this point my face was beaming and my head roasting. I'd forgotten my sun hat and my sunglasses. And I forgot to bring the keys to the lab so when we got back we had to dump the samples in Carlos' office. I seem to have been in Julia's world all day. Driving up Nevado, Carlos pointed at something in the road, and said "Look, Armadillo". We'd past it by the time I realised what he said! I really want to see an Armadillo!

On the drive home the sun was setting, giving the volcanoes a lovely glow. You can see the fumarole going almost vertical it was so still.