Quito to Tena

What a great week. Went to see the local Quito team, Liga, play an Argentinian team, Newells in the Copa Sudamerica last wednesday. The fans are mental…letting off smoke bombs, fireworks and climbing all over the railings. What an atmosphere!

The next night we were out in Quito for a big send off as a few of us were leaving to head off on our travels. We went to a local salsa bar for quite a memorable night. We’d just arrived and were admiring the pornography on the walls when the owner of the bar said he had to lock us in because the police were outside knocking on the door and he didn’t want to let them in. So we were stuck there for an hour or so. Thankfully he felt so bad that he kept giving us free drinks to keep us happy! 

HUGE hangover at class the next day followed by one hell of a bus trip to Tena. We boarded the bus only to find out there were no spare seats and we would have to stand for the entire 6hr trip. Even without feeling sick that would have been tough! I couldn’t stand, so sat on the gangway for about an hour and then couldn’t stand that so managed to lie down with my head in the gangway and my legs somewhere underneath about 6 peoples seats… after which I counted down the 40 or so songs on my ipod that it took to get there.

Tena is a great place. It feels much safer and more relaxed than Quito and its nice to get out of the city and see some countryside. We’ve stayed here for a couple of days for the biggest festival of the year.

Am off now for another 6hr bus trip to Coca and then deep into the jungle for a week at bataburo lodge. http://www.kempery.com/ecuador_amazon_bataburolodge.htm