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Published: January 26th 2009
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Montanita, the first week - 11 Jan to 17 Jan.
We arrive in Montanita around 7am and the town is as muddy as Oxegen that year Mark and I went together. Mudfest 2009! I was glad I was wearing my hiking boots while Richard struggled in his flip flops. And it was raining.
We found our accommodation pretty easy - these lovely cabañas surrounding a pool and an open communal area. There was no sign of anyone so we sat down on the deck chairs that were around and Richard fell asleep. Around 9am, some guy comes out of a room, says Hola and disappears. We were told to ask for David or ring two numbers if we couldn't find him. My phone wasn't working and Richard said he'd ring after a while, which is Richard's way of saying I'm going to sit here and you can sort this! I just want a shower and after seeing him a couple more times I ask him if he knows where David is. Anyway, turns out the guy isn't David but he works for the school so he's like 'I can check you guys in'. We go to our room,
The Cabanas
Our home for three weeks a dorm that we're to share with two girls and the guy tells us that there is no electricity or water and they aren't sure when it'll come back. I'm tired after getting about one hour's sleep the night before, just want a shower and am generally not happy and I turn to Richard and ask if we can go back to Baños. Turns out we can't. Oh.
The beds aren't made for us so we decide to go get something to eat and go to the beach. The rain clears up and although it's a little cloudy, it's nice and warm. We hang out on some deck chairs and go swimming. And get burned. Even though I had sunscreen on. Opps. Then we remembered that our malaria tablets leave you way more prone to burning.
That evening, some of the people staying in the cabañas were in the pool so we had a chat with them and went for dinner with a Swedish guy called Viktor. And while we were eating dinner, the power came back on! Good times! Cocktails were necessary in order to celebrate this amazing occasion! For $2, you couldn't say no. And Montanita
is a party town for both Gingos and South Americans so we felt we needed to experience this party, first hand!
We started Spanish school the next day with Viktor, Richard and I making up our class. Classes were good but turns out I'm crap at doing my homework. Some things never change!
On Monday we went out for more cocktails and dancing with some of the Cabaña's gang and got home around 4am. School on Tuesday was not fun.
I also attempted surfing lessons in a class that composed of Richard, Viktor, Jon and I. As the only girl in the group and one who isn't fond of exercise, I really struggled. The guys were able to stand up on the board in the water no problem but I sucked. It took me three lessons (each about one and a half hours’ long) before I could manage it. And I was still surfing white water and couldn't manage it every time. But I was pretty good at balancing once I got up on the board.
All week long the power was often gone for the whole day, coming back on for a few hours at
night and water was the same. Fun!
On Friday night, there was a BBQ at the cabañas which was fun. The bassist from the Darkness was there. ´I believe in a thing called love', anyone?
We went on a surf trip on Saturday to Las Tunas, about thirty minutes up the coast from here. Very very funny trip and exactly what you don't imagine a surf trip to be. We were meant to be in the school by 7am so Richard's alarm goes off at 6.30am but he turns it off and we fall back to sleep. Next thing it's 7.10am and Richard's shouting at me to get up. We throw on some clothes and run to the school which only five minutes' walk away. Anyway, this is South America so we arrived in plenty of time and the trip left around 7.30 or 7.40.
We got in a funny mini bus or van type thing and drove up some windy roads. Had to stop after one particular bump to make sure we hadn't lost the surfboards! It was raining and it didn’t seem to be stopping and as we tried to get to the beach, the
van got stuck in the mud on a soccer field. Time for the boys to put those muscles into action! They pushed us out and we went a different way to the beach and pulled up outside a restaurant, the only building on this huge stretch of a beach. Everyone else goes surfing while I wait for some smaller waves. After a while, I get into the water and catch a few waves with the help of Isidro who is ranked number one or two (surfer) in Ecuador.
A couple of us get some breakfast and watch the others surf and the rain. Around 1 or 2pm, it's time to go home so the driver starts the van and tries to direct it for the road. But he gets it stuck again and again, in the mud and the sand. Out came the shovels and stones and wood and after about an hour, the boys get the truck turned for the road. Us girls gave great support from the restaurant! Ha!
That night, about 18 of us from the Cabañas went out for Jon's 39th birthday. Had silly Argentinean steak which we were charged $10 for instead of
$6. Then it was drinking and dancing time. Went to a bar that was full of Ecuadorians, or at least South Americans. In between cocktails and tequila shots, we did some crazy dancing. I recon all the locals were thinking, yet again no doubt, that gringos can't dance. We proceeded to cocktail row or cocktail alley, depending on who you speak to. Streets don't have names in this town, seriously, so people call them what ever they want to! Anyway cocktail alley has about 20, maybe more, little stalls all making cocktails from fresh fruit and lots of alcohol. It's a lot of fun! After a while, Richard, a guy called Shay and I went for a walk around and got drowned in the rain.
I've lost all concept of time here because I have no phone or watch and I don't think any of us had any idea what time it was at any stage that night. Except that we went for dinner around 7 or 8pm. We went dancing in a place called La Fogata for a few hours and after a while, Shay was like 'we have to leave now'. Turns out he had annoyed some
of the people from Guayaquil! I went and got Richard but by this stage we had lost everyone so we went to another club called Caña Grill. We stayed there for one drink and headed home. Found Shay going to sleep in a hammock. He had lost the keys to Karl's, one of the other guys, cabaña so Shay was letting Karl stay in his. Shay ends up staying in our room because we had a spare bed. We get inside and realise it's 6am so the boys decide an early morning swim is what's needed. And off they go to the pool. Giggling like school girls!
The next day, the Cabaña rumour mill was spinning and there were some interesting accounts of the night! Very funny. Shay didn't appear again till Monday.
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Dee
non-member comment
Jelous? Me?
Sounds like you're both having a blast. I am soooo beyond jelous. I wish I could leave my rain for your rain! Can't believe you learnt how to suf? You'll have to come to Mayo when you get back on we can go surfing together (I can stand up...and then fall down) Dee xxx