Day 30 (Part 1) : Flying and Quito

When we got to Lima I searched all over the airport for new eye covers and ear plugs but had no joy. All they sell in the Duty Free in Lima is things made from wool and wood!

I went to the gate where I met Joe but there was no sign of Ro. They started to make the first call for the flight but we just chilled because we always let the crowd through before boarding the plane. After nearly 15mins there was still no sign of Ro. We started to panic a little bit. Joe went down the airport and searched the Duty Free but we couldn´t find him anywhere! Was he already on the plane or asleep somewhere! We went to the gate as they made the final call for the flight! Ronan had not checked through because I had his boarding card so I got the guys behind the desk to make a call for him. I heard the bing bong before the announcement and then I heard Joe shout, "Found him!". Ro was asleep beside the desk across a couple of the chairs! Panic over we got onto the plane and made our two hour flight to Quito.

Quito is a typical South American city, crazy! We got out of the airport and headed to the bus stop to get a bus into town. Soon a bus came by and we hoped on hoping to be dropped off somewhere in the new town! No such luck... This bus was being driven by a man who seriously needed to get to the last stop for some bizarre reason. Quito doesn´t have the widest streets in the world but this guy was still managing 65kmph on small cobbled streets with the bus door wide open! He stopped at one stop as a woman carrying a baby was making her way to the door and he breaked so hard she almost fell out! A quick laugh from the driver and on again!!!

We got to the last stop which looked nothing like the old town. There was a shop and a restaurant and about 5 other buses! This was definetly not Quito city center. The driver shouted something in really fast Spainish and we did what we usually do! Took out the Lonely Planet and pointed to the old town map! Another shout in Spainish before he pointed to the bus in front, then to his watch, then held up five fingers! For those of you not used to travel charades what he really said was,

"Take the bus in front of us in 5 minutes and that should bring you to the old town. Enjoy Quito and have a nice day!"

More to come......


Charlie