Shanewilson's travel blogs:
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Beaching it at Mancora
Entry 196 of 270 | show all | print this entry |
I have fallen in love with this area, and only wish I had more time. To date, Ecuador (and the start of Peru) have all of the ingredients of my preferred travel destinations. As I begin the tail end of my journey RTW, thoughts are going through my mind as to where my future may take me... even though it´s only early days, living and working here in South America is high on the list (I can´t see myself doing it in either Europe or Asia). My desire to become conversant in Spanish has intensified and my biggest wish is that I had this language behind me... as an educator in the Western Australian system, I detest the fact that this system has made me only conversant in one language. I will go back to my job as a huge advocate of languages other than English... especially Spanish given that it is widely spoken throughout the Americas and Europe. It is a fairly easy language to pick up as well.
I´m in Mancora... a beach resort on the northern coast of Peru. It is a small town and very simple but has a great climate, friendly people, an outstanding nightlife and great food. It is also very, very cheap.
Yesterday was a huge travel day, travelling 5 hours from Cuenca to Huericelles... a small, dusty town on the Ecuador/Peru border. The scenery in southern Ecuador is stunning... towering mountains, green pasture, leading to the flat grounds of the coastal towns. The border crossing was the most lax I´ve come across with no gates etc., but two simple outposts... one for leaving Ecuador and one for entering Peru. What was most entertaining was the fact that a young Peruvian guy offered to fill in my entry form. All he wanted was a 10c coke. One of the greatest joys of travelling independently RTW is the easy access to locals... one of the greatest themes of this travelpod. TO tell you the truth, I think my preference is to travel alone now. I couldn´t bear negotiating every turn, and relying to heavily on my travel partner etc.
Once we cleared customs, the group boarded another small van for the two hour bus ride to Mancora, through Tombes.
I think the group dynamics are going quite well... last night was especially good in that everyone cut loose, drank heaps and had a good time dancing in one of the busiest bars with the locals... put us to shame given their excellent salsa dancing. The Ecuadorian and Peruvians I´m meeting are very friendly and keen to meet travellers.
We have 2 nights in Mancora before boarding an overnight bus tomorrow evening. We have the next two days to sunbathe, drink, eat, socialise and just relax... bring it on. Loving it!
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| 196. | Beaching it at Mancora - Mancora, Peru Sep 09, 2006 |
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