It was very nice to visit Pallatanga again and spend some time with the brothers there, they even gave me a farewell and some encouragement to return again as soon as I could.
On Sunday morning I left early for Ecuador's bus terminal which was the beginning of my 90 hour bus trip!!! I would not recommend this to anyone! It simply isn't natural. For example after putting my boots on Sunday morning around 530am I didn't take them off until the following Thursday evening, that five days without removing my footwear!
But I survived, a little worse for ware but alive and in Santiago Chile.
One of the more interesting moments was leaving Ecuador at the border. I was found out to be an overstayer!
For once I happened to be at the end of the line (from those in my bus) thinking everything was fine. The official told me I had overstayed and to go and speak to the other officer around the corner. (this is where it started getting unofficial and dodgy.) Here I was told there would be a fine of $200.00 dollars which I protested, he then relented saying that now there is no fine but I would have to stay the night as the person who could help me would arrive in the morning. It was then suggested that I might not have to stay the night and could be helped if I had some money. I had $40.00 and decided that it was better to pat and carry on rather than stay the night. As I reached to pull out the money I was told not to as there were cameras around! (This is the point where I realized just how unofficial it was. I went across the road to get a couple of copies of my passport and when I returned he was waiting at a building nearby in the shadows(away from the cameras) with my passport which had been stamped. I was finally free to go and join the bus which had been patiently waiting. We then had to wait a little more as the last person also had problems.
The lesson is don't do anything or put yourself in a position where they can extort your money.
This is how to ccok.
By the way not all buses make it through river crossings
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