So bus didn´t arrive in Mancora till 12, so only 1/2 hour late is pretty good going for here methinks! However, turns out my cheaper bus didn´t have A/C so just had to open all the windows. Also was basically just locals, and two canadian girls aswell! Anyways, takes about 2 hours to reach the Peruvian ´check-out´point where you get your stamp to say you´ve left peru. This border crossing is considered one of the most dangerous in South America just due to it´s weird setout. Cause after you check out of Peru you drive through a tiny town across a like 10m bridge and your then technically in Ecuador and have to drive through another little town before reaching the Ecuadoriann ´sign-in´office. So there´s this big stretch of no-mans land as ur officially stamped out of Peru but not stamped in to Ecuador yet! I just thought it was ridculous as after we crossed the tiny 10m bridge into an identical looking town, the guy next to me was like this is ecuador.
So then we arrive at the Ecuador office and there´s just all these people sitting around outside as it transpires that their ´system´doesn´t actually open till 3am, and we arrived at 2.20! Was seriously hot hanging around and also was just so tired, i just wanted to go to sleep! And even though we started queing at 3, they didn´t start stamping people for a good nother 20mins. So then by the time we leave there it´s almost 4! So arrive in Guayaquil at 8.30 in the morning. They have this massive bus terminal which is more like a shopping mall combined whçith a bus station. Was tired though so just got the next bus to Quito which was at 9.
However this one again had no A/C and was full of locals! At onne poinnt on the journey we passed a thermometer which happily informed me it was 39c! Also my window did not open! Now this journey typically takes 8 hours, at a stretch 9 on a bad day..... we arrived in Quito 11 hours later! Was not impressed! Only good thing was we stopped for lunch like 4 hours in at some random roadside restaurant.
So, was supposed to arrive in Quito like 5 in the afternoon, didnt get in till 8! :(
Bus terminal in Quito is really nice though, really nnew and looks more like an airport! Anyways, took me a lil while to work out how to phone to say I was here and could someone please pick me up! But about 45 mins later I got picked up by my new Ecuadorian family! I had thought I´d be living in the volunteer house but turns out I was with a family instead, though they live onnly 2 blocks from the volunteer house!
The couple have a reallly cute 2 year old, and also someones dad lives with us aswell. Then more parents/grandparents live next door. Not really sure exactly the relation yet as have met so many family I get confused. There´s also another girl in the same house who´s from the states, though is 33. However she doesn´t speak any spanish so was rather relieved to discover I do as they don´t speak english! lol
Anyways so after 20 hours of travelling on buses, I made it to Quito!
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