This morning we said goodbye to Lima. We were off on the next part of our tour, to the Galápagos Islands. Today we are flying to Quito in Equador. We are staying here for a couple of nights, before we catch another flight to the Galápagos Islands. It will be so nice to spend a couple of nights in the same hotel, especially after the spate of single nights we have had recently.
We had some breakie, and were then met by another guide who was to accompany us to the airport this morning. We said a sad farewell to Fernando. He stood there waving to us as our bus drove away. Now we actually need to start thinking for ourselves. Maybe I should think about unpacking my brain about now!!
We again experienced the joys of being driven in Peru. However today we had proof just how crazy it is, a bus travelling in the opposite direction had managed to collect half of the median strip barrier..... He did a good job!!!
We on the other hand arrived at the airport safe and sound, calling past the usual suspects.... The check in desk, immigration and security. We passed all with flying colours.
Somehow, once we were through security, we managed to meet up with a few other people from our tour who had made their own way to the airport. We all sat and had a cup of coffee whilst we waited. We did have a couple of hours to blow.... Which always seems to be the case with airports. It's a waiting game!! So coffee and a chat always goes a long way to using up some of that time. Especially when the coffee takes about 30mins to arrive. I think they were picking and roasting the beans themselves.
We said farewell to the others not travelling with us to the Galápagos, and then made our way to the boarding gate. I knew we were going to be safe, as there were about a dozen soldiers in uniform in the queue to board our flight to Quito. I was one of the last ones to board the plane.... and the plane was so chock a block. There was pretty much no over head compartment space left for my new big massive cabin bag. Trust me, I had packed this baby to full capacity. I honestly reckon it weighed about 15kg. So I madly tried to shove this cabin bag in under the seat in front of me. I did manage to get it in, however it was sticking out under my feet quite a bit. I did my best to cover it up with my legs, however the air hostess from hell came along. She spotted the bag sticking out under my legs.... There's nothing wrong with her vision, that's for sure. I swear she would have been at home in Hitlers army, and she would have made Hitler proud. 'You must put your bag up above'. I said thats fine, but I can't find room up there. She then proceeded to shove everyone's bags across to make room for my cabin bag. I put it up and then sat back down. She then started on Kathy.... 'you need to put your bag up'. Kathy explained that it would fit under the seat in front. She cocked one eyebrow up, as if to say I don't think so. Kathy quite easily slid her bag under the seat in front... We knew it would fit, as it has sat under the seat in front during every other of the 29 flights we have been on to date, so I can't see how this flight would have been any different. 2 mins later, she came back and checked to make sure it was under the seat. Thank god it did, as I don't think she would have taken any prisoners.
I was sitting with my glamazon girls, Kathy and Jan which was great. The flight took off, and we had a pretty bumpy ride. The Andes has a lot to answer for... as these flights have all been a bit rough. Even when we were coming in for landing, the plane dropped a few metres.... and the cross wind must have been strong as the plane was moving from side to side. We landed safe and again we made our way through the usual suspects.... Immigration, baggage claim and customs.
We then made our way out of the airport, in search of our guide. We saw her breasts before we saw her. Holy guacamole, wonder bra plus plus!! She had a tight little shirt on, and the button around the bust was so strained I thought that it was going to pop at any second. Then we saw her. Apart from the fact that she was too busy texting on her phone to help us out, she seemed nice. We boarded our little bus, and were driven about an hour to the main centre of Quito.
Johanna our guide, provided us with a lot of information about Quito.... Most of it was really interesting. Like, the airport we landed at was only opened one year earlier. Before that, the quito airport was actually listed on the top 10 most dangerous airports in the world, which did ring a bell. Apparently it was far too short and planes would quite often shoot off the end. It was also in the heart of the residential side of Quito, so essentially no room for error.
Also, in Quito the weather temperatures don't fluctuate too much, with sunrise always at 6am and sunset always at 6pm. The reason for this...... Equador is so close to the equator.
We also received lots of information about what to expect in Quito. One thing that most of us didn't realise is that we were again up at a really high elevation, which meant that most of us would most likely feel altitude sickness. My cold had really settled down in Lima, which is at a low altitude. However, in Quito, back at the higher altitude my nose started running and my sinus' seemed blocked again. Safe to say that altitude definitely effects my sinus'. My chest also felt slightly heavier, but I was feeling pretty good. Kathy on the other hand really felt the change in altitude on her breathing. But thank goodness she wasn't as bad as what she was in cusco.
We arrived at our hotel at around 4pm, and it was nice. Everything had been organised for us, the checkin process was so streamlined. All the paperwork had been pre-completed, so all we needed to do was sign the registration forms. By the time we took our cabin bags and our keys up to our rooms, our bags were being dropped off by the bell boys. Perfect checkin Hilton!!!
My room was nice and big, and very spacious. I had a king size bed, that I almost needed a ladder to climb up to get into it. I got sorted in my room, and at around 6pm we decided that we would meet for dinner. As we were all tired from travelling, and some of the gang feeling the pressure of the high altitude, we just decided to go to the hotel restaurant. None of us decided on the buffet, instead we all ordered off the menu. I don't think any of us could bare the thought of eating at another buffet by choice. Most of the included meals on our tour have been buffets. So the chance to order a proper meal from the menu is what we were all looking forward to. For me, I had a yummy piece of sea bass in a coconut sauce. It was good too. Everyone else pretty much made up for missing out on their steak the night before by ordering the brontosaurus steak (400g worth).
We enjoyed our meal together, and then headed back to our rooms for a good nights sleep!!! Argh, sleep, and on a cloud bed too!!!