29 November 2010

This morning the attendant who let me out of the hotel asked if I was going to Ushuaia. How did he know? Saw my NY plates I guess. Getting gas was a challenge because I didn’t want to spend all my cash. Took a while to find a place where I could use my Visa. They tired to charge it before pumping the gas and of course that didn’t work. Once they pumped the gas and entered an amount then it went through.

Outside of Patso on the way to Ecuador I picked up a couple from the Netherlands who were backpacking. Albert and Janneke. We drove together all the way to Quito. The border of Ecuador was fast and free. Probably the most hassle free border so far.

Albert and Janneke

Albert lived in Argentina as a foreign exchange student so he knew Spanish quite well and he had a GPS. He was able to tell us exactly when we were at the equator and he was bale to direct us to the house where they were couch surfing. 

Driving through the Andes

Zero Degrees latitude

About 30 kilometers outside of Quito the transit police pulled me over. They claimed I crossed the double yellow line when passing.  Not true. I passed on the dotted line but crossed back over on the double line. He said he was going to fine me and that we had to pay the fine in Iberra which is 80 kilometers behind us. But the kindly officer said he wanted to help us tourists out. We could pay the fine now. He gave us a book of road ruled to read and see how much we would have to pay.  So we read it and gave it back.  But he returned the book to us. Turns out he wanted us to put $30 inside the book. He didn’t want us to hand him the money because that would look suspicious and he wasn’t being corrupt, he was simply trying to help us out. So I slipped him a ten, which was the smallest bill I had, and got my papers back and we sped off. Albert spoke to him the whole time. It was kind of funny and I have been driving a tad dangerously. Crossing lines and passing on curves. Finally we made it to Quito and I dropped them off and found a cheap hostel.

Driving in Quito is less hurried. More normal. No one is crowding you like in Medellín and the road signage is excellent. There are street signs on every corner. Driving in the Andes however is simply breathtaking. The road is on a cliff with a sheer steep drop. Some areas are lush and green craggily mountains staring back at you impassively. Deep canyons running between them. Other parts are hot, dry, and dusty with octopus-like cacti drooping over the cliffs. Everywhere you look is an image begging to be photographed. Blue skies, white fluffy clouds rising up around the mountains. Such expansive beauty seems almost impossible. Quito is rainy and cold. It’s the first time I have felt any cold. Being high up in the mountains will bring such weather.

Tunnel ahead

Soon after picking up Albert and Janneke the police waved us over to stop but I kept going. A little further up a car trailing us started honking then passed and signaled me to stop. He approached the car and told me I should’ve stopped for the policeman and that there are more police ahead who will probably stop me. But they didn’t and apparently no one radioed us in.

Walking around Quito looking for a bite to eat a group of younger people were ogling me and one of the guys asked for a pic of me and with me. It was weird but I agreed an then four girls crowded around me and wanted a picture with me. I asked why they wanted a picture but I guess they didn’t hear. I wonder if they thought I was Matisyahu or if I was just an interesting looking foreigner with my black hat and long black beard.