Quito and the Bus Trip to Puerto Cayo

12th November 2015

Finally we arrived at Quito International Airport Ecuador at 10.50pm.

We were taken to the Hostel Colibri nearby the airport by the shuttle service. What a lovely little place. It’s simplicity is so welcoming, it is clean and the bed was extremely comfy. We certainly slept really well that night. In the morning we were served a small breakfast of eggs and toast with coffee and fresh frothy pineapple juice. Carlos the owner is a lovely fellow and while we were trying to find a suitable bus online he offered to get his shuttle driver (also Carlos) to take us to the bus terminals which is about 35kms away from the airport.

We agreed and very grateful because not only did Carlos drive us there but he also made sure we went to the right bus service as well as the right bus. Honestly they are the loveliest people.

The bus ride from Quito to Puerto Cayo was interesting. It was 10hrs long but with the way these drivers speed on these narrow roads we were almost too scared to sleep. The SA taxi’s must have had lessons from them or visa versa. We went through the Andes mountain pass and honestly this is the windiest, longest and most chaotic pass we have ever driven on. Every corner is almost a U-bend and they come at like 2km intervals. I tried to film it but with the writing on the window by my seat it did not come out very well. The vegetation all along the route until you get almost into the towns in luscious green. We watched Miss Congeniality 1 & 2 in Spanish on the bus. Fortunately I can repeat the dialogue verbatim so I wasn’t lost watching haha.

The strangest and most fascinating part of this whole trip (well to us anyway) is that every time the bus stopped to either pick up or drop off people a hawker would climb on and try sell his/her goods. This was usually food or drinks. They walk up and down the bus isle speaking very loudly, never mind anyone else trying to get on or off. The first guy that we encountered handed everyone packets of chewing gum. We took them! Then he walks back up the isle and takes them back or takes the money for it. We paid for ours and that was the last time we got caught.

When we finally got to Puerto Cayo, we asked the bus conductor (I presume that is what he was) if he knew where we could get a taxi. He said “No” and left. Some people were walking past and with a lot of difficulty and even more sign language we asked them about a taxi or if they could direct us to the Policia. They tried their best to help us and guess what, by the grace of God a taxi appeared out of no-where. They yelled and pointed “Taxi, Taxi!!” Ai what a laugh we had. The taxi dropped us off at Los Suenos at 7.59pm.