Two Adventurers

03 December 09 Mexico

Had to get up very early in the morning (3a.m.) in order to check in 3 hours before our 7a.m. flight on American Airlines to Miami. We had to stay with the One World group of airlines in order to build up our air points and this will explain the need for flying from Miami to Quito, in Ecuador.  Flying in to Miami gave us a great view of the Florida coastline and the Everglades as it was a brilliant clear day!

We had a four hour wait in Miami Airport in order to connect with our flight to Quito and this time was spent catching up writing a blog or two, having a bite to eat (as we’d missed out on breakfast) and buying a couple of books to read. The airport there was less than impressive, being rather dirty in the area where our Gate was and the staff not very professional at all.  Our flight was late leaving and was jam packed! At least they did produce a meal for us which was quite acceptable, although the flight attendant managed to knock a small bottle of wine off her cart, into my salad and then onto my lap! As a result of this, she politely told me I could have it for no charge!

Arrival time in Quito, Ecuador, was around 7.45pm, where we had a minor worry when only one of our suitcases had come through, however the second one ultimately arrived to our intense relief! The airport in Quito is at a height of 9,000ft and it was pouring with rain on arrival. By the time we’d gone through Immigration and Customs and found a young man holding a sign with our names on, the rain had all but stopped. After a long two hour drive in the dark, down one mountainside and up another one, we finally arrived outside our hotel in Cotacachi, at 8,000ft, our destination. It felt rather strange not seeing the landscape along the way but no doubt we’ll come to know it in the morning. By now quite tired after such an early start to our day, we tumbled into bed and immediately fell asleep!