Wednesday, November 09, 2005
Transportation Aventuras
"Empujen! Empujen!" The driver sat yelling at us as he continued to roar the motor of his makeshift cab. For the third time we found ourselves stuck in a sand dune. To get to the hotels in the beach town of Mancora you have to travel a few kilometers down a windy half sand, half pavement trail that runs along the ocean. The easiest and cheapest way to do this is to hail a moto cab. These makeshift cabs are really motorcycles with a passenger car attached at the back, much like a stroller that can attatch to the back of a bicycle. Every time we went to a new hotel I was surprised to find that we could fit our two large backpacking packs, one large duffle, two backpacks and ourselves in on of these cabs. Often this meant getting out to push.
In order to get to Ecuador we have traveled:
In one first class sleeper bus that provided us with a snack, and large comfortable recliner seats.
Taken at least 4 moto cabs.
Gotten a free lift from a hotel to the town of Mancora by 4 Ecuadorians driving a school bus through Peru on vacation.
Been guaranteed seats on a two hour bus ride from Mancora to Tumbes, only to stand in a little crevice in the back, near a newborn dog that pissed on the floor.
Stored our luggage under a bus next to a large wicker basket of live chickens (that hopefully did not carry the chicken flu)
Gone around the block three times before leaving the city of Tumbes.
Taken a 5 hour bus ride to Ecuador that stopped every 15 minutes to pick up or let off passengers, although we were guaranteed that the bus only made one stop. The security guard and ticket collector shared beers the whole ride.
Watched two Asian fight movie in English with spanish subtitles, one Jean Claude Dam fight movie, one orchestra concert, one late 80's music performance video featuring michael jackson and many other american artists attempting to speak a little bit of spanish.
In order to get to Ecuador we have traveled:
In one first class sleeper bus that provided us with a snack, and large comfortable recliner seats.
Taken at least 4 moto cabs.
Gotten a free lift from a hotel to the town of Mancora by 4 Ecuadorians driving a school bus through Peru on vacation.
Been guaranteed seats on a two hour bus ride from Mancora to Tumbes, only to stand in a little crevice in the back, near a newborn dog that pissed on the floor.
Stored our luggage under a bus next to a large wicker basket of live chickens (that hopefully did not carry the chicken flu)
Gone around the block three times before leaving the city of Tumbes.
Taken a 5 hour bus ride to Ecuador that stopped every 15 minutes to pick up or let off passengers, although we were guaranteed that the bus only made one stop. The security guard and ticket collector shared beers the whole ride.
Watched two Asian fight movie in English with spanish subtitles, one Jean Claude Dam fight movie, one orchestra concert, one late 80's music performance video featuring michael jackson and many other american artists attempting to speak a little bit of spanish.
// posted by Becca @ 7:20 AM 
