I could see the lights on the ground as we made our way into Quito I had no fear of anything just excitement. I made my way off the plane and through immigration with no problem. I had rented a luggage cart for I think a quarter and had my large pieces of luggage and my carry on that was over weight so they had put it in with all the other luggage for me. I made my way outside to the sounds of Quito.
There was a lot of traffic and as I stepped out in the front of the airport I hear lady lady! I looked over and their were people lined up and this small lady hailing me. She came over a grabbed the luggage cart and demanded to know when I was flying out and what I needed. She was so strong for such a little lady I could hardly keep up with her! She took me back into the airport on the other side and helped me get my boarding pass for the next morning. Then she hustled me off across the lanes of traffic to a side street. I looked around and there were street vendors cooking yummy smelling food and people were looking at the wide eyed gringa. She took me first to a hostel but after saying that I wanted a bathroom in the room off we went to a small old hotel up the street. She got me checked in and all my luggage in the room and promised to return the next morning, I tipped her and she was gone into the dark.
I managed to get a couple of hours sleep and was up by 4am while I sat and moved things from one suitcase into another and waited. I had seen another Ecuadorian family checking in the night before and as I peeped out the door I saw them coming across the parking lot. I was in luck as there were 3 of them so I called them over and somehow managed to get their assistance to help me with all my luggage to go to the airport as they were heading that way as well. I got to the airport and to my surprise it was packed and the way the lines went I was really confused. It made no sense to me but I now understand that is just the way it is here. I got through the customs check and into the right line to board the plane. Once we boarded it was off to Cuenca my new home.
It was a short flight of less than an hour and arriving in Cuenca once again there was the rush for the luggage carts and the mound of suitcases. I got through and saw my ride that was picking me up and we exchanged hellos and loaded my suitcases in his car. He took me for a short drive through El Centro and then brought me to my apartment. I moved straight into my first apartment in my new country. It was a very sweet little apartment and my first taste of Ecuador living. I started to unpack a little but my desire to walk around the city was to much. So myself, my neighbor and apartment manager set out for a little tour. It was magical from the very first day and now 9 months later I am even more in love with this country than ever. So much for the honeymoon period, it has not stopped for me and I do not think it ever will...
