Ecuador - where the the sun doesn't shine

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Well I've been in Ecuador just on a week now and the sun has come out to play just 2 of those days which is apparently a lot for this time of the year - so we took it while we could get it out at at Montañitas which is a fantastic little surf town on the coast. Then sadly Christian was enjoying the party scene there too much so he decided to stay another week, where as I'm am now back in Guayaquil waiting for my flight for the Galapagos Islands tomorrow morning!!!!! I can't wait, but I'm going to have to, until after the cheesy, heart-throb Luis Miguel concert tonight at the Modelo Stadium. Should be a good night, I bumped into my french friend Olivier again out at the beach so we're going to meet up tonight and go along for a cry.

Ecuador is really humid down here in the south(30 odd degrees during the day and 25 at night) - probably because the clouds trap all the heat or something. but the good thing about that is that there are bananas growing everywhere so they're really cheap and really fresh. I love bananas! They also use the $US for they're currancy here so it's more expensive then Peru and no matter how small a notes you give them they always have to go next door to get change. How's this for a horror story... I couldn't even buy a magnum the other day because they didn't have change for a dollar!!! I don't know if I'll be able to cope with these sort of conditions for much longer, but I'll give the Galapagos Islands a chance before I leave.

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Photos

Welcome to Ecuador
This was the most Chaotic boarder crossing I've been through yet - hundreds of people running around trying to smuggle their loads across to the other side while wide-eyed tourists(all two of us) watch in amazement

Mr. Iguana
This guy was just chilling out on the foot path down in the Malecon waterfront - I decided to use the zoom instead of getting to close

This isn't what it looks like...
I didn't actually buy this crate of beer off the Pilsener truck as it drove passed our deck quoting $6 per dozen... I merely offered them a hand to deliver a few bottles to the needy in our street, honest!

Full moon party Kamala
So after we helped a few of those needy people from our street to sink a couple of beers we wandered off down the beach to Kamala where they were having their monthly Full Moon party - and who should be behind the bar but my French mate Olivier who I hadn't seen since we were in Cuzco over a month ago! So cheap "Cubalibres" al night - cheers Oli!

New friends
This is me and Christian with two surfers from islands in the Carribbean and one from Peru - from laft to right Antonio, Carlos and Adriana

My little friend
Turns out this little falla was sick of living in the Bolivian jungle, so he siezed the opportunity to hitch a ride to Monañita inside my toe after I cut it on a rock whilst crossing a stream there. So after having him feast on the guts of my toe for a month and a half, I decided something must be wrong and squeezed the hell out of my now well swollen toe which after a bit of struggle sent my little buddie sailing across the balcony... and I felt like a new man!

The Fogata
for the last two nights we rounded up a bit of a crew and went down to a beach front bar for dance and a fire - a couple of fantatic nights had by all. ah, that was untill last night when some drunk old man walked in off the street, pulled an old-school sawn-off shotgun out of his pocket and shot it off into the sky right next to us after we didn't pour him a rum and coke... a couple of the whimpy girls thought that was a bit much

Comments

[anonymous]

the best holiday ever
shot bro! your holiday just seems to be full of so many things it doesnt quite seem real from this side of the computer but im sure it is for you and your having the mean time! super jealous really but lifes not too bad back here. daylight savings is back so summer is near and that means more surfing and p[artying! keep having the trip of a lifetime, you deserve it all. rod

[deleted_1033]

Nice...
When we were travelling through Thailand we saw a lot of fire dancers and it always made my day. It's good to hear it's a global phenomenon. :) Cheers, Fireguy Toys for Fire Dancers

[shaddy]

ecuador
My parents and I travel the world and I've been to Ecuador numerous times and all this that your talking about just doesn't seem too realistic. Where the hell did you go that they couldnt change one dollar, now that just seems preposterous. You also said that the sun only came out 2 times in one week what the hell? its ECUADOR the suns always out.