Ecuador arrival and the Miami nightmare

Trip Start Oct 10, 2006
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Trip End Oct 10, 2007


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Flag of Ecuador  ,
Monday, November 6, 2006

We arrive in Quito safe and sound along with our boards. Miami airport was a nightmare, if you want to hear about it I suggest you look at JB's account on http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Florida/Miami/blog-105034.html . He does a great job, so no point repeating it. We spend a night in Quito at a decent hostel and prepare to head out to Atacames the next morning, it is the closest place on the coast and comes recommended. We have a couple of hours to kill in the morning waiting for our bus to leave, so me and jb take it in turns to have a wander as the city seems pretty safe during the day. Jb returns and I set off in a different direction, I have a look around and a laugh at a huge warehouse style shop packed full with purely Christmas decorations, it strikes me a strange as it is only just November but this shop looks like it might be open year round! Across from it is a huge toy store, after the inevitable light sabre fights I have with the local kids end with one of them going head first into the adult board games section I make my excuses and head back to the bus depot. The bus is 7 hours, but the time flies by with the anticipation of a new stretch of coast to explore.

The entertainment for the trip comes in the form of a variety of salesman hopping on and off the bus along the way. A guy selling fake watches and sunglasses starts the ball roling and makes me laugh with his 10 minute passionate speech to the entire bus about how his fake products are just as good as the authentic article, despite this he sells a few and hops off happy. Jb didnt understand the speech and as the bus had just set off and he didnt show his wares until after, jb is fooled for a second by myself that the big guy has highjacked the bus and is demanding all our valuables! The majority of vendors are selling food and drink, Jb is instantly wary and refuses all offers, I get stuck in with a frozen milk product in a plastic wrapping, very much like a Minimilk and just as tasty, some kind of biscuit which is very bland but filling and a bottle of water to keep me hydrated.
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