Ecuador - Getting Galapagos-Ready in Quito

I made progress on minimizing physical distance for the scuba diving trip in the Galapagos. The only way to get on the Galapagos Islands is via Ecuador and therefore the mainland of Ecuador with my visit to Quito, which was just a hub for being able getting to the Galapagos and go there for a week of diving on the Liveaboard 'M/V Humbolt Explorer'.

The stop in Ecuador and with its Galapagos after, was the third country after visiting Colombia and Peru in this five n’ half week journey.

Mainland Ecuador is surely a place to revisit and spend more time, for example going to hike or travel through hillbilly villages. But for me this time it was only the Scuba Diving on Galapagos that brought me here.

Friday, April 17 - Hello Quito

The last 24 hours have been exhausting as I didn’t find a proper sleep due to airport stress and other annoyances. Arrived in Bogota at 2 am and on 5 am the flight was supposed to continue to Ecuador but as there have been mechanical problems with the plane, it was canceled and I got another flight which was via Panama…! So yes. I had to fly from Bogota all the way up to Panama and then from there all the way down to Ecuador. Aaaarghh!!¨!! ¨! Now for a few hours, I'm in Ecuador but it's not time yet to relax, the problems continued.

As the airport in Quito is really far from the city center, the bus ride took over an hour from the airport to the hotel in Quito and when arrived, they told me that the hotel was full even as I have a reservation!!! However, they put me in the neighbor hotel and its at least quiet and clean.. great - but smelled and had no window.. oh no!

Doesn't matter. It's just for three days and I won't spend much time in the room anyway, as there are many things to see in Quito. Also, I have to get used to a room without a view, as after Quito its time for the Liveaboard anyway as there is no window either.

Now I'm going to stay in Quito until Sunday. Tomorrow I will roam around the historical center.

Saturday, April 18 - Up & Down in old town

This early morning I went on the bus to visit Quito old town and walked up and down the hills all day long, visiting churches and parks. Quito is nice to walk around but the steep mountains can be tiring at the end of the day, especially when the walking route is not planned accurately beforehand.

Roaming around Quito was nice. Didn’t stress at all and just followed from corner to corner without having a goal, but with a priority that I do not walk too much and instead make many stops to eat and drink something.. like a normal tourist! Also, I had to ramp up with calories for the intense incoming week of scuba diving.

Quito, Bogota, and Lima are actually all a bit the same and it all looks similar with similar buildings and the way they build houses along the mountains. Seems like this kind of architecture and construction is similar all over South America.

Tomorrow I will leave Quito already in the morning and fly out to the Isla Galapagos. On Monday it's getting exciting, cause I will have to go to the boat and meet all the other divers with which I will stay for one week on the Liveaboard.

Sightseeing in Quito Old-Town: