A Rubbish Day

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The day started off badly by having to wake up at 5am to catch the bus and there being no one in reception for me to pay my bill to. I managed to wake up the owner who although is lovely, wasn't exactly impressed.

I then had to walk to the bus station with my big rucksack on because the taxis were hiding out pretty much all at the bus station.

Got to the station at 5.50am and at 6.20am, my 6am bus still had not arrived and wasn't going to either. I had to jump on a bus to Riobamba which I had to stand up on all the way and then jump onto another bus very quickly to Guayaquil with my evening flight time flashing mentally at the back of my mind. Not sure why they sell tickets for a 6am bus to Guayaquil when there isn't one (the driver of the bus confirmed this.) I met 2 Amercian girls who were having the same problem as me right down to getting onto my flight.

Now bear in mind that, before you read this story that I was just THREE HOURS from Quito.

After being rushed onto the bus to Guayaquil (literally running for it) it drove around the corner and stayed there... for 45 minutes. I started to get a bit panicky because they'd told us that it was at least another 5 hour drive and I desperately did not want to miss that flight.

Once on the road, it stopped all the time to let people on which was kind of cool because they were indiginous with with original dress but it was also kind of a pain.

As we drove up into the mountains and clouds (which were very pretty) a really scary guy with his hood up, scarf round his face revealing only his red eyes hopped on. I thought he was going to hijack the bus but silly me just misjudged the bandit-alike.

The bus then started to make a funny noise and the driver took a baseball bat out and left the bus. No idea what that was about. It sounded like a flat tire to me and it carried on the whole way.

The guy in front of me decided to push his chair all the way back and only open his window on the baking bus when it started to pour with rain. And the guy next to me decided that he wanted to share my seat. I fell asleep hugging my bag and woke up with my hand on his leg which I am pretty sure I had nothing to do with.

Got to Guayaquil bus station only half an hour later than originally planned. Stepped off the bus and had a minor panic attack when my rucksack wasn't in there but there turned out to be 2 sides for loading they just hadn't unloaded mine yet. Phew!

Caught a cab to the airport with the American girls, got to the desk and was told that my flight had been cancelled.

I was to be shipped to QUITO!!! 3 hours from where I orignally was. Because of the earthquake in Chile.

So, after a 3 and a half hour wait in the airport I get on the flight. Which actually only lasts 35 minutes and has quite nice views. Get off the flight and have to wait outside the plane to be taken to international departures. Have to pay an airport tax which was a lot more expensive in Quito than Guayaquil and then figure out what to do with myself from there.

After another 3 and half hour wait in the departure lounge, I finally get on my flight to Lima. Which flies back over Guayaquil.

When I get to Lima, because of the major time difference between when I arrived and when I was supposed to arrive, the taxi from my hostel wasn't there so I had to get an expensive airport taxi.

I was so happy to eventually arrive at my hostel (which was blaring the best of the Police so I knew it would be cool) and fall asleep! Hopefully there will be no more days like this on my trip!

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