Leaving Salasaka.. a week on the coast in Ecuador

Mi última semana en Salasaka..

Lunes 20 - Viernes 25 de abril - Salasaka, Ambato  

And so my final week in Salasaka arrives.. how time goes by. It is certainly going to be sad to leave behind the kids that I have grown so attached to, along with my many new friends both in the volunteers casa and in the library. However, I am also ready to move on and continue my travels. Leaving with Virginie and Elaine will no doubt make the transition of moving on a lot easier. 

On tuesday evening, me, Elaine, Iris and Virginie make our  way to Micaela´s home for dinner (she invited us round at the end of last week as a farewell.. Iris is still staying for a few weeks however!). We have a delicious meal. I also enjoying being able to find out more about life here by visiting Micaela´s home. I have taught her for the majority of my time here, and we have always got along really well, plenty of laughter.

And so Tuesday turns to Wednesday.. the day I´ll will be getting a tattoo.. along with Iris and Virginie! In the afternoon I have my last music classes..Group 1 and 2 have made good progress with their rhythm skills.. and a last chance to play along with Renato and Group 3 and 4 as they play and sing many songs.. everyone´s favourite spanish songs now! 

After school, Me, Iris, Virginie and Isa (who has designed a number of different options of the Chakana), take the bus to Ambato where we meet up with Renato, who is going to take us to the place he knows.. The first place however is shut so we continue down into the main part of Ambato... a chance to see more of our nearest city... the next place however is more expensive in line with European costs.. our only other option now is to call a friend of Renato however after doing so we find out it wouldnt be possible with him until next week.. me and Virginie will be gone.. Despite the pricier cost we make the decision that it is now or never.. we are getting a tattoo today.. so we walk back to our second earlier destination..

The next few hours drag on with our tattoo artist taking our designs to redraw, Virginie has chosen a slightly different version of the Chakana and then preparing the equipment etc. Finally.. he is ready.. and Iris is first to go after Viriginies stencil doesnt transfer clearly onto the top of her back. Iris has her tattoo on her wrist, watching throughout! Over the next few hours we each have our tattoo done.. I am last.. ouchh!! 

Come Friday I still haven't heard from STA about changing my flights.. I had wanted to have this sorted before continuing my travels on the coast. I use my STA sim card to make a phone call.. the connection is terrible but I just about manage to communicate and get the ball rolling with the change of flights. 

It is my final day at school but after arriving I realise I have left the stickers I have bought for the students in Group 1 back at the house.  After Colada I head back to get them and then return for lunch! In the afternoon we have P.E classes which me and Raphael again lead with groups 3 & 4. A fun afternoon playing football.. me teaching football.. they will no doubt improve in the coming weeks after I have left.. ! (We have set up some makeshift skills sessions with cones from kindergarten class!). Soon it is approaching the end of the school day, and so the ceremony for the volunteers leaving this week takes place... me, Virginie, Elaine and Juliette. We each receive a medal with our volunteer number on it (mine is 386), given to us by Virginia, the schools chef. Robert and the school director Rufino pay their thanks to us, and then the kids from each class present us with cards they have made..and to end with sing as a group to us.. wow what a fantastic two months I have had here. One final goodbye to the kids and then they are on the caminetta and being driven off into the distance.. and gone.. 

Tonight we will be having another BBQ at the casa, this time BBQ fish and chips! Me and Elaine head into Central to buy the coal for the BBQ and some snacks for my final shift in the library! Me, Sofia and Zthayu watch The Incredibles in spanish on my tablet.. being able to stream it on youtube!! 

In the evening, Micaela, her friend, William, Renato, Lorenzo and Virginia also join us for our BBQ and drinks. Another delicious meal and then later in the evening we head out to Ambato for a night of questionable dance moves and more drinking!! (Plus 'Where's Kelly' makes a welcome return!!).

Me and Micaela

Me and William 

Con Don Lorenzo!

Sabado 25 de abril - Salasaka & Pelileo

My final day in Salasaka, it seems fitting to head to Pelileo (insert the music to Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody here.. Pelileo (Pelileo) Pelileo (Pelileo) figaro...which we being singing for the past two months everytime Pelileo is mentioned!). Me, Iris, Eliane, Isa and Raphael head to Pelileo (Peli..) where we have lunch. I spend the rest of the day chilling out before it is time for me, Virginie and Eliane to set off in the late evening to Ambato to take our night bus to Guayaquil. We say our goodbyes.. it is pouring down with rain.. (I cover my hat.. as the locals do.. in a plastic bag).. we wait in the pouring rain for a caminetta and then jump on the back.. soon we are falling asleep on our bus on route to the coast!

Domingo 26 de abril - Montañita

On arrival to Guayaquil bus terminal we manage to find a bus leaving straight away to Montañita, we board and have another few hours to rest. It is already hot and humid here.. a big contrast from Salasaka.. and my ears have been popping throughout the journey as we make our way to sea level. 

In Montañita we walk to a nearby hostel after chatting with a guy who works there and are soon in a small room with two bunk beds where we crash for a couple of hours. After awakening around midday we head into town for lunch and then head to the beach where we enjoy our first smoothies of the week. We couldn't have found a more contrasting place to Salasaka.. here it is gringo central.. and extremely touristy!

In the evening we locate a good priced restaurant recommended by our hostel receptionist where we enjoy a good meal and reminise about our time in Salasaka!

  Lunes 27 de abril  - Montañita

After a much needed good nights sleep we all awake to our bodies covered in Mosquito bites!! .. No more fleas but now mozzies! A very lazy morning continues through to the afternoon. We again spend the afternoon at the beach, with some beers and pizza! In the evening we cook at the hostel and I finally finish watching my TV series Better Call Saul!!

Martes 28 de abril - Montañita/Puerto Lopez

Today we will be heading further up the coast to Puerto Lopez, after checking out of the hostel we spend the early afternoon chilling out at the beach.. it is a sunny and hot hot day. I am having to cover my tattoo and have decided not to go in the sea yet because of it.. to my annoyance!! 

The bus ride to P.Lopez is around an hour and costs us $2.50 (usually we would pay $1 per hour when travelling from Salasaka on our trips!). On arrival to P.Lopez we take a tuk tuk to our hostel.. located on the beach front, a Swiss Family Robinson style place.. bambu bambu! 

Miercoles 29 de abril - Puerto Lopez: Los Frailes

After a tasty breakfast.. Pineapple, granola and yoghurt, we take a tuk tuk to the bus terminal and then a bus to the entrance of the trek to Playa de Los Frailes. It is another extremely hot day, we begin walking and after what feels like an eternity we reach a look out point across the bay.. we then continue to the first beach where we can swim and relax. I decided.. after persuasion from the girls, to swim in the sea.. I apply factor 50 to my tattoo and off I go!

After spending some time here relaxing we then continue to the next beach, Playa Turtuga, however the current here and rocky terrain means it is unsafe to swim here or even attempt to. Instead of carrying on across the beach and over the rocks across to the next beach, we turn back thinking that we have missed the turning for the continuation of the path.. we are wrong.. but only realise this after I lead us through a dodgy half blocked path to nowhere..!! Eventually we arrive at Playa de Los Frailes, a beautiful beach. Here we spend the rest of the afternoon swimming and relaxing. Cyrielle and Juliette (two Belgian girls from the Salasaka volunteer experience) find us here and join us. 

Getting lost...

Jueves 30 de abril - Puerto Lopez: Isla de la Plata

Today we are going on a day trip to Isla de la Plata.. it takes us around an hour and half from P.Lopez by boat.. I rest my eyes for the majority of the journey, however Elaine is feeling the affects of motion sickness but manages to avoid throwing up..

On Isla de la Plata it is even hotter.. unbearable at times in fact.. for the majority of our walk around the island there is no shade!! However we see different species of birds including the Blue-footed booby. When we return to the boat we see large turtles in the sea, have lunch and then are able to snorkel.

Elaine feels sea sick again on the journey back to the mainland.. I am again half asleep! In the evening we have made plans to head back to Montañita for a night out but later around 8, we find out that the last bus left at 7.. it is an expensive journey by taxi. Instead we drink on the beach, with a couple of other people from our Isla trip and their friends but no partying in Montañita.

Viernes 1 de mayo - Puerto Lopez 

Our last day on the coast, tonight me and Virginie will be taking a night bus to Quito and then continuing onto Otavalo before crossing the border into Colombia! After a lazy morning we get packed up and then meet Cyrielle and Juliette for lunch.. they have previously spent a month in P.Lopez volunteering at a Turtle conservation project. They take us to a restaurant where we enjoy a tasty ceviche dish. 

I am feeling slightly unwell.. I think from the heat and our previous nights meal, so I spend the rest of the afternoon chilling out at the hostel. In the evening we all head to the terminal. Eliane will now continue travelling with Cyrielle and Juliette, they are heading further up the coast. Soon me and Virginie are saying our goodbyes to the girls and are off on our 11hr night bus ...