Chao Quito!

I’ve been traveling and haven’t had much internet, so I wrote this blog over the course of a seven hour bus ride from Banos (near Ambato) to Cuenca. I am by myself and am very bored on the bus. Myself and some other volunteers left Quito on Saturday to go to our respective permanent cities. While we had one last hooray in Quito on Friday night, a group of us heading south decided to stop in the very poplar and much coveted tourist destination of Banos. Our group consisted of Keith (roommate headed to Cuenca), Brendan (amigo headed to Ambato), Jamie, Tara (roommate in Quito), and Sarah (amiga in Qutio) and myself. Although I have to teach on Monday, only stayed one night in Banos, and could have flied to Cuenca, for an obvious reason, I took the bus…this seven hour bus ride is definitely worth it for the amazing night I had last night. Although there was drinking involved the company was worth more than anything I could have asked for. My blog was interrupted because my laptop died on the Bus; the story that ensues is much better and was my first real encounter with a crazy Ecuadorian experience. I rode on the bus from Banos to Riobamba (two hours) with no problem. I wrote some blog, listened to some music, and stared at the beautiful scenery. The next one hour wasn’t so bad either; we then stopped in a little run down city where believe it or not, there was a big tourist group waiting for our bus. Apparently, this tour group filled with Aussies and Brits had rented the bus and the bus company had let other passengers to get on the bus beforehand. Because of this, “the others” (who likes that LOST reference?) were required to get off the bus; being one of those “others” I was forced out of my seat. This is where I stop and thank my mom for all those times she beleaguered, harassed, or physically assaulted any sort of service worker ranging from Steak N Shake employees to flight attendants. Though I am not proficient in Spanish, I am somewhat fluent in yelling and getting what I want. Without my observations of these many discomforting experiences my mom displayed when I was younger, I would have surely been kicked off the bus. Although I rarely yell to get my way, I learned from the best and was able to stay on. BUT For the next five hours I proceeded to stand or sit on the floor of the bus. The driver’s assistant was nice enough to offer me a bucket to sit on literally right next to the bathroom; I kindly refused. It wasn’t so upset, se la vida, so I laughed it off for the next couple hours. I talked to some Aussies, shared my I-pod videos of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia with them, and conversed about their trip. It wasn’t so bad. After not stopping for hours, I was hungry, had to pee (oh, didn’t I tell you the bathroom didn’t work?), and was very exhausted. But after asking the driver’s assistant how much time was left (1.5 hours) I found my second wind! WAIT FOR IT... While I was standing, thinking, and preparing for my arrival, the bus stops. Apparently, there was construction happening at six o’clock in the evening on the one road that goes from Riobamba to Cuenca; Awesome! Imagine yourself exhausted from hours of all-day travel, landing at O’Hare, DTW, NY LaGuardia, etc. pulling up to where you can see your gate, and then the pilot comes on. You know what’s coming; “Uhhh…ladies and gentlemen, we have a slight problem with the arrival gate, it looks like we’ll be sitting here for a little bit.” So, after sitti…I mean standing, for the next 45 minutes we move! With thoughts of bus hijackers (it happens a lot at night) and road blocks due to the major protests down here (oh I didn’t tell you about the protests?) I was positive I would not make it to Cuenca. Surprisingly we made it, I hopped in a taxi, and arrived at my new host family’s house where I was greeted with three enormous chicken tacos; Uhhhhhmazing… SO Ben, didn’t you have the opportunity to fly to Cuenca for only 60 bucks? Could you have taken the bus on Friday or Saturday instead of Sunday? What the hell were you thinking? This is where you ask me “Ben was it worth the nine-hour ride, the near bus expulsion, the hours of having to pee while sitting or standing, the traffic jam, and the thoughts of getting hijacked, just to hang out for a day?” ABSOLUTELY.