South America Day 6: A Change Of Mind

Tena, Ecuador

Oct 17 & 18, 2010

South American Travels

We had decided to go to Tena after church so that we could explore the amazon. We caught a bus at about 1pm and it took ruffly 5 hours to get there and cost $6 per person. We arrived at 6pm and got off the bus at a hostel. We hadn´t booked one before we arrived, so we had to just check prices and choose one. It was right during the dead season so our room cost 14 dollars for two people, but wasn´t much too look at.

We went out for a walk and stumbled upon the only other 4 gringos in town. We talked for a while and made plans to meet up with them for breakfest. Back at the hostel we had a change of mind. We decided not to go on a Amazon tour. We just weren´t feeling it. We just wanted to relax for a while and not travel around. So we decided to leave the next day for Banos. It took me a while to fall asleep that night because I kept thinking there were bed bugs! Don´t worry, there weren´t.

It was a rather unevenful day, the first, but probably not the last!

South America Day 5: Quito, Ecuador

What An Amazing City

October 16, 2010

South American Travels

Grand Plaza

I continue to be shocked by what I find in Ecuador. We went out exploring the city today. We took the electric bus, which costs 25 cents per person, to the Old Town. Wow, old town was really beautiful. The old town looks very European and has a great vibe.



We walked around taking it all in! We stopped at this little restaurant to get tamales. I had a sweet one with chicken, which a lady told me, is an popular Ecuadorian dish. We pooped in and out of little shops all day long. Everything in Ecuador is really cheap and you can find anything you need.



After eating the above food! We walked to the Grand Plaza. We walked around the plaza, people watching and then moved on to another area of Old town. We went by many churches, shoppes, bakeries, and a movie theater! By this time we were a little worn out and decided to walk back toward our hostel. We didn't get very far when it started sprinkling, so we hoped on an electric bus.



We took the bus back toward our hostel. We went to a book store in the Mariscal district, called Confederate Books, which has the largest collection of English books in South America! It started pouring rain so we went down the street to Mama Clorinda, which has amazing local food. I got an empanada with chicken and Davina got a dish that started with a Q! I can't remember! See picture below!

We headed home as soon as the rain died down. Then we have just been hanging out at the hostel watching friends and putting this blog up! Tomorrow we will go to church, then head to Tena! Can't wait!

South America Day 4: Entering Ecuador

The Border To Quito

October 15, 2010

South American Travels

We literally Walked Across The Border!

22 hours over... 5 more to go! We arrived in Ipiales at 6:30am, then took a taxi to the border. There we did our immigration stuff and walked across the border. On the Ecuador side we also had to go through immigration. After we got our stamps, we took a micro to Tulcan, a border city with buses to Quito. The border crossing was interesting because it didn't even seem like anyone cared whether or not we had a stamp in our passports! We could have easily just walked across and not gone through immigration! Or so we thought, until our bus got searched by the police multiple times and they asked for our passports, checking to see if we had stamps!

When we got to Tulcan, we found a bus leaving right away for Quito. The trip took about 5 hours and was beautiful. The bus wasn't as nice as the one in Colombia, especially since there were no toilets! So we had to go at a burger place when they stopped long enough! We arrived in Quito at 1:00pm. From the bus station we took a taxi to a hostel we found online. The Travellers Inn hostel is located in the Mariscal district.

We love our hostel! It's clean, quite and the staff is knowledgeable! After we got settled in, we went to explore the area around our hostel. We went to the fresh food market and then to eat dinner. We chose a cheap Chinese restaurant and it was delicious! Then we did some grocery shopping! We also found that Ecuador has amazing pastries! YUM! It was a long journey to get to Quito, but well worth it, we love Ecuador. Tomorrow we go exploring the city!

Follow along as we travel through Ecuador!

South America Day 3: Colombia Country Side!

22 Hour Bus Ride Through Colombia!

October 14, 2010

South American Travels

This is the route we took during our long bus ride!

I know what your thinking!! Crazy! Well my sister and I didn't plan before we came to South America! So we didn't realize that everything was far because the countries are big! So we didn't know that it would take us 24 hours to get to the border of Colombia and Ecuador! We had to make a decision on whether or not we wanted to see a few cities in each country or do a few countries and a lot of cities. So we chose few countries, many cites.

After making that decision we decided that we wanted to spend most of our time in Ecuador and Peru. So we planned a bus ride straight through Colombia to the border. We got up in the morning and wasn't quite sure what time the bus left. We left for the bus station at around 6am. We got there in perfect time to find a bus leaving at 7:30 to the Border city of Ipiales. It was a direct bus costing about $50 each, lasting 22 hours.

On the map above you can see the cities we passed through. The bus ride was beautiful, but slow at times due to traffic and construction. We slept a little here and there, but mostly talked. The bus was nice, with a bathroom and reclining seats. They also played The Patriot! Which was an interesting choice of movie for a bus ride! We stopped for lunch at around 1:00, in which I had soup and salad. Other wise they didn't really stop, except to let people on and off.

We ended up falling asleep for the night at around 9pm. I was surprised by how much sleep I actually got. I only woke up a few times here and there. Mostly because it was FREEZING on the bus! We didn't even arrive at the border until 6:30am, the next day! I was surprised to find that it wasn't that bad of a bus ride, considering how long it really was!

Colombia was expensive, but rather well put together.