So upon arrival I was kindly greeted at the airport by my pre ordered taxi driver, who strangely had brought his girlfriend and baby along for the ride. Was a slightly odd way to start my trip but hey i'm in South America so anything goes right? She sat up front sans seat belt baby in lap whilst he pelted along at 100 miles an hour towards Quito

I had pre booked to stay at Vibes hostel, I was dropped off outside huge white iron gates, closely remincissant of a prison. Only once they had looked me up and down and confirmed that I was who I said I was, was I given permission to enter. You might think the heightened security at the hostel would put me at ease....right??!! Instead I cant help but wander about the safety of a city where they have gone to such lengths to stop people getting in.

Im not gonig to lie I don't think I had fully prepared myself for the reality of South American hostels, particularly those in the city. I was shown to a 4 bed dorm and left to figure the rest out for myself. Including if the sheets had been washed and what those stains might be! Thank god for the silk sleeping bag liner!

I was greeted by a friendly American girl called Kaite who when I suggested i go for a wander kindly warned me about the dangers of Quito.. ie don't go out alone at night, don't take out your passport, watch your bag at all times.....etc etc. I was starting to think I really was a prisoner but thankfully I was invited to join the girls on a night out. We walked a few blocks before deciding on Bungalo 6 a well known but supposedly touristy dance venue in Quito. It was a fun night and great to have my first attempt at a bit of salsa, and the obligatory rum or 2! Everything shuts down at about 2 and the streets are cleared, when everyone retires back to their respective prison. Unless you find an Ecuadorian after party of course and I wasn't ready for that just yet!

With only one day in quito before heading off to the beach i decided that I should spend my time wisely.....This translated to 1) walking 1.5 hours to buy my night bus ticket and forgetting to take my passport. An improtant lesson I learnt is that Ecuadorians are keen to help so will always give you directions when asked, even of this means making them up. Saying I dont know is not an option. 2) Visiting the equator which apparently isnt really the equator. Millions of tourists will visit Mitad del Mundo to get a photo of temsleves straddling the equator, however the real equator actually lies 300 meters up the road. They even charge you entry to go and see something that isnt real! I resisted being one of said tourists but have included a picture of some that have, I actually find it highly amusing. 3) Trekking back to buy my bus ticket (with passport this time) to find the ticket office shut so having to risk a one hour taxi in the hope that I might get on the night bus. 4) Then 10 hours on a freezing cold bus hugging my back pack for dear life before finally arriving in Montanita.

To say I was pleased to be there is an understatment..... although having not bothered to check where the hostel was I now just had to try and find it, with a backpack heavier than me, at 6.00 in the morning! So far i feel I am not the skilled traveller i once was, I can only hope that I will get better at this! But I can certainly say my first 48 hours were unlike any other!

TTFN