I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking for

Saturday 6 March
Quito, outbound

So I was told that there’s an “ejecutivo” class bus to Canoa from a company called Trans something which is coloured green, that goes direct to Canoa and leaves at 2 pm. Needless to say, when I get to the bus station I can’t find this mythical bus at all. There are a couple of companies called Trans something, neither of which seem to go to Canoa. I say “seem” because everyone in the station speaks only Spanish, and very fast, and I basically can’t tell what they are saying. It’s a big load of guesswork. Such is my life.

So anyway I find a bus company that goes almost all the way, to a place called San Vincente where I understand I need to catch another bus to Canoa. It will have to do, as I don’t seem to have any other options. It leaves at 9 pm. I have seven hours to kill.

I buy the ticket and head back into town. On my way I realise the ticket only cost $7.50 (about £5) which is really cheap. I guess it won’t be an “ejecutivo” class bus. Should be interesting.

I spend the rest of the afternoon doing extensive research to see if I can fit in Bolivia before I meet up with Alain again in Florianopolis. I try and make it work, but I can’t. I guess I’m going to have to spend two and a bit weeks on the Ecuadorean coast. Such is my life.

I go back to the bus station and of course I’m right. It’s a basic bus. But actually it’s not too bad. I can get comfortable in the seats and sleep OK. Only the loud music is a bad thing, but this isn’t constant thankfully.

As we career recklessly into the night through heavy rain down mountain roads I fall asleep and wonder what awaits me.