Souvenir Photo Studio, by Al Bourassa: Friday June 22, 2018 Goodbye Cuenca, Hello Tulua

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Friday June 22, 2018

After that pretty sleepless night I had visions of TAME giving me all sorts of grief at the airport, either for possibly overweight luggage or personal hand luggage. I needn't have worried. Gustavo got us there on time so we were second in the old-farts' line. The only hold up is that the TAME crew again don't really know their own rules, which I had kindly printed out and highlighted for them.. Actually the TAME flights were actually early for a change today.

So it was Goodbye Cuenca at 7:40am as we winged (wung?) our way north to our new adventures. The weather was not bad so we got to see the volcanic peak of Chimborazo poking through the clouds. It is closer to the sun than Mount Everest...

Once we hit Quito we had a nice view of Cotopaxi volcano as well and I forgot to pick up my cheap sunglasses as I was taking the photos. We were in the big food court opposite the airport building grabbing a sandwich at El Espanol when we see the hiking group of LT Murphy and group.. small world. Then I realized my sunglasses were missing and it took me a few minutes to remember where i had set them down last, outside on the walkway, so I walked out there ans enquired with 3 policemen in the area if anyone had turned in my glasses. No soap, and I couldn't see them so I went back to my sandwich. 10 minutes later I see these same policemen walking throughm stopping and pointing at me, then they hold up the glasses... surprise, surprise... This was so unexpected that I gave the policemen $10 to go have a coffee on me for returning my wonderful $3 sunglasses.

We breezed though Quito security, then Esmeraldas Immigration before landing in Cali. This is where we had some anxious moments as we ended up with the strict female immigration officer again and I was seething at the possibility of having to pay another $73 USD entry fee just because I am Canadian... In the end, they agreed to let me in because I was entering under my Ecuadorian Cedula, so Ecuador gave me one last hoorah....

I told Cristina that there was no way I was going to shlepp 4 huge, unwieldy, heavy suitcases, plus 4 backpacks onto a minibus, drive backwards into Cali, shlepp all this luggage to the second floor, ride a hot bus to Tulua, only to try to find a taxi to fit all this to make the last few blocks home. So we ended up fitting everything into a taxi which brought right us to our door, an hour and a half later for about $71.

The dogs are so happy to see us and the new one, little NeNe, makes me so happy to see him romping with the others.

We went out for supper to a "chuleta" place near here (pork chops and fries) and 3 of us ate for about $7, and couldn't even it all...

I am partly unpacked but there are many other things that are more important to get accomplished, so I am parking much of my Type-A personalty and going with the flow.

Hugs to all our friends.

I hope you enjoy the pictures. That was the day’s excitement.

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