Few people on the streets speak english in Equador. It is time to refresh my poor spanish! In the morning I took a taxi from the hostel to the bus terminal. The price for the locals is 2-3 USD. But I am Gringo – the white tourist who in their opinion can pay more. Taxi driver requested 4 USD… He put me not at the terminal but on the exit street from the terminal saying that for him it is forbiden to get to the building. Is this true? Waiting on the street I soon board the bus to Banos. Transport is cheap in Equador – for the 3.5-hours trip I paid 3,75 USD – like for the city taxi ride!. The route took me through Avenida des Volcanos – the valley between two chains of the picturesue peaks unfortunately partly covered by clouds.
Banos in a little, very tourist town located at the bottom of Tungurahua Volcano – it is active since few years – at the end of 1998 – they evacuated all people from the area during eruption. On arrival to the hostel I got instruction how and where evecuate in case of emergency… Funny!
In the local buses there are no tickets: they charged 50 cents from me but only 25 from the locals. How can I say them that I am the poor backpacker, not an american milionaire? Yo soy Gringo Bueno!
