Ecuador – Santa Marionita

Hopping from one country to the next on our gap year travels.

We caught a sleeper bus from Mancora in Peru to the little town of Santa Marionita in Ecuador – along with 45 teenagers on a school trip. They were surprisingly well behaved actually. Maybe because we departed an hour late at 11.30 pm so most fell asleep straight away 😄

The journey was longer than planned, and it took over an hour at customs on the border. All the school children had to be photographed individually with a teacher/guardian.

Arriving at Guayaquil terminal around 8am, we were glad to have booked a private shuttle to our hotel.

Corn is a big thing in both Peru and Ecuador.

We were travelling through Panama hat territory, where they have been traditionally making them using locally grown fibres.

An appropriately named hotel, with great views over the ocean.

We were lucky enough to witness the last of the migrating whales on a couple of mornings. We saw them breaching and playing as they travelled past the bay.

Plenty of restaurants and cabanas lined the main street.

This was an ex-pat haunt that served burgers, beers and plenty of chatter.

This Camionetta is the ecuador equivalent to the Dominican guagua – a community bus – not as comfortable though! Essentially a pickup truck with a wooden seat frame bolted on the back.

Kite Ecuador stored our gear for the week, unfortunately we only got enough wind for 2 days kiting.

These little goats were perched on the mountain side – the kids kept bleating loudly while nearly sliding down.

Pacoche Wildlife Refuge was about a 45 min drive away, but the camionetta wouldn’t go that far, so we got a private taxi.

Entrance is free, but you need a guide who you pay directly. Our guide, Serena, showed us where the Tarantula lives.

there were some monkeys in the trees above us.

Big spiders, and tiny frogs.

this is what the monkeys were eating.

It is this plant’s fibres thst are used for making Panama hats.

Or guide, top – and our taxi driver.

Such a long beach with hardly anyone on it!!

Time for a cuppa! Of sorts – sometimes doing nothing can be more tiring than being busy.

This was an unusual dish of fried rice, mixed with crispy rice and topped with prawns and cream sauce. I liked it but Paul wasn’t sure.

It was a shame that we didnt get more kiting done at this town, but it is all part of the journey.

Next stop, Quito, the capital.