motorcycletherapy: November 2018

Never again via this route.....bus to Pearson Airport from home arriving 10:30am, plane leaves at 6 pm...arrives in Lima Peru 2:30am next morning.....go through customs....go to baggage pick up to see if my bag is there...yep it is ...why...I was told in Toronto it would transfer to the flight to Ecuador...ok I take it and wonder about the airport until I can check the luggage to Ecuador...I present my ticket for Ecuador and they issue me a new one?????I wonder for 5 more Hours and when I go to check through for my flight to Guyaquil I am told no can go unless I go and pay some sort of TAX as I entered Peru at the airport instead of staying in some neutral zone and being bused to wherever to wait for flight toEcuador 10:40am.....must have missed that sign but good thing as I would not have arrived here with my checked luggage. So God must have been looking after me as when we arrived in Guyaquil the taxi wanted 120.00 Us to take me to Montanita....settled for 4.00 to take me to Bus terminal which was huge with about 25 different bus lines selling tickets...after wondering from booth to booth looking for ticket to Montanita I happened upon a fellow who took me up a floor to CLP bus lines where for $6.00 I purchased my Ticket for Montanita....bus was leaving immediately....how was that for timing.....arrived in town 3 hours later......only 5 people on the bus...how can they make any $.......taxi to the Hotel 2.00 ......met by young senorita who new who I was right away and then a young fellow comes up as I am checking in to say he will take me to see Ishia at Montanitours where my bike is suppose to be....well I was much to exhausted to meet him and asked if it could wait until manana....no problem. Today I went looking for the place...asked in my poor Spanish without success until I met a man from Quebec who sent me to a bicycle rental shop who knew Ishia telling me Montanitours closed some time ago. Shocked, I said couldn't be I just bought a moto from him.....he said Ishia was in Olon the next town and asked if he wanted him to call...I said please and it turns out Montanitours is operating from Olon but has not changed it's on line info....bike is not in ....hopefully today but Ishia wants to go over it before letting it out....some problems with paper work: as well....you think what I might be Thi......o well life goes on. Did have a great conversation with Xavier Villegas who operates BIKESPONDYLUS...www.bikespondylus.com....he is the fellow who called Ishia for me. Turns out he lived in New York for 7 years having fled Ecuador when the Government closed all the banks in a coo a number years back and learned his English by reading at New York Libraries......a great guy who is the only one of his family to return to Ecuador from The USA.
I know a long ramble but just had to express myself in Welcome to South America Bob so Happy to Have You Back...How's Your Spanish...lol

The view from my room at I love Montanita Hotel