We are still in Manta, in the hotel now having left the trucks on the dockside -(you can imagine how that feels.) Getting the paper work done was so slow it took, 6.5hrs total, the first place we went to rang their office and then sent us to the wrong place, it was down hill from then on, the only good point was we were in the shade with air con, but trailing around from one place to another in the blazing sun is awful and it cost us 1000US$, but, the good news is we get to drive them on the boat this afternoon, lock them up and hand the key in, we are very happy about that. Tomorrow we fly to Costa Rica collecting the vans from Punta Caldera; we felt a very small port may be easier and less corrupt then the larger ports, so fingers crossed. I have had bars installed at each window on the outside, I can take them down. Les has had bars made to go across the van behind the drivers seats, which are very good he also has bars at the windows. So we look tough!!! There are 2 German trucks and 1 Swiss which I have to say look easier than us to get in!!!! But we hope all 5 trucks are safe and sound on arrival.
We have had a great time wandering around the mountains and villages here in Ecuador, I have loved it. My chest has not been so good in altitude but now we are down at sea level it’s great but it’s very hot down here apart from the afternoons when, although the sun is so terribly hot the breeze is great, with all the windows open the vans were very comfortable, but we lose the breeze at night for some reason. But my fan, I have discovered, works on silent, I have been able to leave it on all night which has helped.
I am looking forward to Central America and beyond; once we get the trucks back I will be very happy and excited.
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