December 09: Montanita

(1) I arrived in Quayaquil at 6:30am from my mostly pleasant overnight bus ride. Because I was woken up several times during my slumber at the front of the bus, I was a little out of it once I got back on my feet. Still, I managed to purchase a bus ticket to Salinas with the help of a friendly Ecuadorian girl I met in the station. I rode that bus for two and a half hours, stepping off just before Salinas in a town called Santa Elena. There, I waited on the side of the road with a few chickens and locals for the bus to Montanita. I finally reached this laid-back surfer village after a scenic ride along Ecuador's Pacific highway. After walking around town for a bit, searching for a decent place to sleep, I met a Canadian couple in a bar who suggested Cabanas Pakaloro - just at the end of the main strip. I took their advice and wound up with a private bungalo, a stone's throw from the ocean. It gets lively at night in Montanita, so it was actually nice to be a little ways away from all the action. That evening, I joined the Canadians at a local guy's dinner party and, later, a surfer hangout called Mahalo. It was great to be by the ocean, surrounded by fun.

(2) My private little hammock on my private little porch attached to my private little bungalo.

(3) Well, sometimes you just know that you were meant to be in a certain place at a certain time. Clearly, I was meant to be here. The bright Montanita sunsets were stunning, and life seemed to slow down for those final few moments before the big ball of fire dropped below the sealine.

Ecuador Home & Sidebar
Previous Day -- Next Day