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Published: August 3rd 2016
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While in Lima I had to come up with a plan for my final 10-12 days or so here in South America. Armed with trusty Google Maps and my sense of direction (North) I landed on a spot in Ecuador to spend my remaining days. Problem is that it was 30 hours or so away by bus. So I picked a couple of spots along the way to break the trip up. First stop - Huanchaco, Peru. A chill little surf town about 8 hours North of Lima. Taking a night bus I rolled into Trujillo, Peru about 7am and pushed my way passed the taxi louts all vying to overcharge me $10 USD for the 20 minute ride to Huanchaco. I found the local bus for S./1.50 ($0.70) and got to Huanchaco around 7:30am. Never ideal to get into town this early without a clue. Nonetheless, I secured accommodation, ate breakfast and went out to find a surfboard. Not a bad view from my hostal. I was happy to be warm once again.
Huanchaco is a very small fishing village with a handful of surf shops and surf bums from around the world milling about. The atmosphere is totally
relaxed and the only things on the minds of the people are fish and waves. It was nice to stroll around town and watch the fishermen in their daily activities. They row out into the ocean on these sketchy little boats made only of reeds, set their nets, and wait a few hours for a nice haul of fish - of which is the main ingredient of Peru's national dish ceviche; a raw fish plate marinated in citrus juice and served with onions, spices, chilies and whatever else the local kitchen desires. Very tasty indeed.
The rest of my time here was spent again trying my hand - or feet as it where - on the waves. Here the surf is pretty small which suits my mediocre skill set quite well. The water however was really cold so fortunately wetsuits were included in my rental. I was beat at the end of the day from all of the play in the water and ready to hop onto yet another night bus making my way north. Not a bad way to end the day.
Onto yet another 8 hour night bus from Huanchaco, my next destination was the surf
town of Mancora. However the only bus to Mancora left Trujillo at 8pm, putting me into Mancora at 4am. If a 7:30am arrival is bad, a 4am arrival is the pits. Once in town I just walked down the main drag in the dark hoping for the best. Luckily someone opened their door and let me sleep in a hammock until a room was available for me. Whatever Huanchaco has in its laid back and small atmosphere Mancora certainly lacks. The place is nice enough, but it is crawling with drunken sun burnt gringos with no shortage of nightclubs and bars all belting out the latest Rihanna and oddly enough old Iron Maiden tunes. Nothing against either of these acts, I actually like them, but I basically spent my one day here trying to get out into Ecuador which is where the real sham began. Here is Mancora when it was nice - at 7am when I was leaving town.
Against my better judgement (but with no main transport terminal in Mancora I had no choice) I purchased a "direct" bus ticket from Mancora to Guayaquil, Ecuador for S./60 ($23 USD) leaving at 7:00am and arriving at 3:30pm. I
planned to then catch a bus from Guayaquil to my ultimate destination of Puerto Lopez at 4:30pm. No problem. Sorted. Until I show up at 6:50am and the office I bought the ticket from was closed. Waiting until 8am, no bus, the woman finally shows up and tells me to get into a collectivo northbound for Tumbes, Peru two hours away and get into the bus there for Guayaquil. So much for the bus I was promised and the ticket I purchased. I could have easily done this myself, and usually do, because their is always some hassle and misinformation otherwise. Getting into my bus in Tumbes and off to the border finally at 10:30am stamping out of Peru was no problem. Stamping into Ecuador took over an hour for who knows why. At this point I'm four hours out of Guayaquil and it is 12:00pm. One half hour to spare. Unfortunately my "direct" bus stopped at every town along the way cramming more and more people on until at one point I even had a small child in my lap. Nice. I was not happy. I finally arrived into Guayaquil at 5:30pm. One hour after my bus for Puerto
Lopez left, and two hours after I was promised arrival.
Not one to quit I scurried about the massive terminal and found a bus for $3 (Ecuador uses the $USD, how or why I still am trying to get an answer for) bound for the coastal town of Santa Elena two hours away. Arriving here without a clue someone shouted at me that the bus across the street was headed for Montanita one hour north and one hour south of my destination of Puerto Lopez. I ran with my bags and hailed down the $1.50 ride. Unfortunately this bus was filled, standing room only for me and seven others (with all my bags) for the one and a half hours it took to Montanita. At this point is was around 10pm or so and I had only once again had Ritz crakers. Throwing in the towel I booked a really dodgy guestroom in Montanita for $5 (which is a surf town like Mancora, only on steroids) and was whisked away to sleep to the pounding beats of techno through the night. Oh the adventure. I was happy though as soon I would be at my destination of Puerto Lopez
where I would go to an island with the hope of seeing some boobies - of the blue-footed variety - and if luck shines down upon me otherwise than all the better.
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