Colonial This and That
Trip Start
Apr 09, 2006
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136
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Trip End
Jun 09, 2007
Cuenca,
Azuay,
Ecuador
Friday, April 27, 2007
The travel drama continued as I arrived at the bus company to catch the 5:30AM bus out of Tumbes. I luckily caught the manager as he was leaving the prior night (the night I flew in) and bought a ticket. Of course, I arrive only to have him tell me that there is no 5:30AM bus. He had no explanation.
Come back at 6:30AM to take that bus.
After cursing a bit under my breath but surely loud enough for him to hear and understand, I walked to the central plaza with full pack for a smoke. I had already checked out of my hostel. Returned at 6:30AM for a different person to tell me that there was no 6:30AM bus and that she didn't show that I had any reservation at all. Luckily, I had my receipt and quickly showed her while again mumbling curses under my breath but just loud enough. As she noted the information from my receipt on her log I noticed that I had been charged S/1 more than anyone else traveling that entire day. The words "mother", "fucking" and "ass-rapers" were added to my whispers.
Come back at 8:00AM. You can take that bus.
I returned at 8:00AM to find the original guy there...the manager...who assured me there was, in fact, a bus departing at 8:00AM and that I was confirmed. AFTER the bus left I learned from the bus attendant dude that the bus wasn't going to my destination - I was to cross the border into Ecuador with the bus and then be dumped. I was to wait for a later bus from the same company, flag down the driver and pay them $1.50USD more than I had already paid.
FUCK NO I AM NOT.
After a lengthy "discussion" I was taken directly to another bus and was on my way without paying any additional money. I'm pretty sure the bus attendant called me a "filthy cunt" but I can't be sure as I can't really remember how to say "filthy" in Spanish.
Cuenca has been a boring stopover. Not many come here but those who had talked it up to me....great colonial this and that. I guess I should have taken into account that I've seen great colonial this and that for weeks now.
On to Guayaquil to see if I can catch a deal to The Galápagos!
