In Tarapoto I left my backpack for two days, done whole Internet things and (after two months!) I talked with my mom. Calm because everything was cool in Poland I took my things and I left to road to catch some car. Guys from project “Świat w 2D” told me how same road which I wanted to reach now, they made in few days. Together with me hitchhiked fear because I didn’t wanted to stay here for so long. But stars were good for me 🙂

On my way I found other hitchhikers. Probably they overstay visit here…

I don’t wait too long and I put my backpack on back of car where were a lot of bags with flour. I through also myself and here we go! True is that they didn’t took my far away, and because of shape of road and bags, when I left car I looked like baker (or because of latitude more like smuggler of cocaine). Place was like a hell. Cars are going really fast, and someone like an idiot is burning grass on side road. Drivers like stuntman’s are jumping in car through wall of fire and smoke, passing nearby and probably even don’t notice me. Senor Juan, who had small shop next to me, told that if I will not find anything he will put out speakers bigger than he (he had something like 150cm in hat), few bottles of vodka and I can stay in his home. Unfortunately / fortunately someone stopped for me and that night I spend in tent under single three on construction side. In fact, that was my first lonely camping after night in Lima when two guys wanted to cut my head with glass bottle. I had fear, but finally I needed to defeat it, right? Hand after meeting with them was already cool, but something still was inside me.

Day after came to me Santa Clouse. Even four of them.

First. Saleswoman. buy water and ask about cheapest bread. I search for some coins and I realized that I can buy only small bottle. Today I will not have any snack to water. Saleswoman gave be bottle and without word oranges. One, two, tree, four, five… I said that I can’t take it, but she still putted into my arms more and more oranges. “Have a nice trip” she told me at end and gave me huge smile.

Second. I ask a guy from small restaurant how much I need to pay to have ceviche. “30 soles”. I smiled inside because normally You can find some for 4-5 soles. I went to road side to eat oranges. After some time guy came once again and invite me for breakfast. “I thought that You are gringo, but You are our guy!”

Third. Two villages later I stay 3 hours. I thought that few hours more and local people gonna make new bus stop near to me. Bus Stop Gringo. “Hey, bus driver! Please stop on Gringo Bus Stop”. But from hitchhiker lethargy wake me up voice: “Hey, come eat something!”. For supper invited me family which have shop with gas. That was best (and only real which I ate after I left my home) carbonara during my trip.

Fourth. Giovani. Only because of him I made more than 800km in one shot. He took me to Chiclayo on coast! True is, that he almost killed us in one curve but also gave a lot of fantastic information. What was really important for my stomach and wallet, invited for dinner 🙂

On coast I was in Thursday, and in Friday was Day of Drinking Everything What Have Per Milles – Independence Day of Peru. Because I knew how Peruvians like trago (moonshine) and low price of it (0,75US for 625ml), I knew that if I don’t leave country till Friday I can be here until Monday. In my wallet I found more air than cash, and I didn’t wanted to open cash machine, to take extra cash, so I decided to leave country as fast as possible. Chiclayo I went in normal touristic bus for free. In Piura, huge city around 100km from border, I changed my last soles for dollars which are in Ecuador. I camped next to fancy car show and I watched for sunset in shiny car bodies. Next day In cars not so shiny like that in car show, I rolled to border. There are 3 roads to reach Ecuador, so I chose most logic way. I forget that in South America not always logic way is the best way. I putted my backpack into dust and waited there few hours, but only what I saw was mirages of cars. I changed road. Finally police took e fro road, I sat in backseat on few Kalashikov rifles. I had fear to move because I could make a hole in door. When we came to Las Lomas police guy with highest rate and biggest belly (that’s funny that two things usually are in the same time) went with me, he talked with taxi driver and “persuade” that he should take me for free to border. I made few extra steps, and I was in new country. Ecuador. How is here?

Modern. Road, roadsides, street lights, radars, public toilets, Wi-Fi on squares, and fancy lights. It’s looks like normal things right? But countries in South America are so diversified that when You are passing borders You see huge differences between two countries.

White. It’s incredible how much white people’s are here even that they were born in Ecuador! Once again I feel like in Buenos Aires. It’s easily to find that women are using too much powder. I think that are rolling in powder in theirs houses…

Safety. Clean. Organized. Everywhere a lot of cameras, radars, police. I didn’t saw many strange guys on streets. Most strange in that cities is me 🙂 Even drivers are not making mass on the streets. Even they don’t use a lot of horns.

Expansive. After Peru is easily to notice that. Maybe it’s a manner of economic of dollar maybe a manner of gringos who bought here a lot field and raised prizes. Thanks God mostly nobody paid here for entrances to galleries, museum or churches. I like to visit that places and I know how much cash I left there. Here they just want to put signs inside book. That’s what I like!

You are sitting on square, resting under palm tree and listening music. But hey… from where this music is coming? After few minutes You are realizing that here and there are speakers in form of… rocks 🙂

In almost whole products in Ecuador are labels with information how much of salt, sugar and fat are inside. Thats cool idea!

In every place You can find also mobil ice-cream parlor. They are sometimes istalled on so old cars that theirs motors are more louder than speakers from parties. I was there and I heard it, so I know what I’m writing about 🙂

Market of colors

Salt You can buy here only in rocks or crumbed

After I crossed border I notice also something interesting. Van with familiar sticks…

Barbara and Michal are a couple from Czech and Slovakia. They are travelling together in Central and South America. In border city Macara they met Ecuadorian guy who love… culture of Czech Republic! He even talk like a native Czech 😀 We spend together 3 incredible days. They slept in home of Ecuadorian Czech, and I stay in theirs van. I wanted to move forward but because Ecuador is so small I went only 100-150 km and I stay for two days. Once again I realized that is good to visit here cemeteries. Those one looks like from dream of Edward Scissorhands. Figures and sculptures made from trees and bushes. I talked with gardener and whole that things he made themselves! He’s making tree sculptures in one day. Respect! in other cementerys are real graffitis on graves! Amazing things 🙂

Block of flats…

… and castle.

Sometimes quite good graffiti from stencil…

… sometimes a little bit worse.

And what about hitchhiking? Good. Sometimes you need to wait 5 minutes, sometimes 3 hours. Sometimes major of some city with private driver gonna take You from road (my old sandals looked there really stranged) and in other time father with cousin who gonna give You coke, oranges and will take You to other side of Ecuador. One night I spend near rver which is dividing city Loja on two sides, and at other I made my personal care in fountain. Normal day 🙂 To moment when took me couple who went directly to Quito. But when we passed by small city Saraguro I had a fell. “Stop here! I wanna go out!”.

In many cities of South America dustcarts have speakers and they play music to give signal that people should put out theirs garbage.

Even in the smallest villages You can find huge fun parks!

That was an impulse! And I would have more that kind of impulses during my road because that these village is probably the bigger community of Ecuadorian Indians. They have really characteristic clothes. When we passed by some home I saw many people in black clothes. I thought that is funeral, but my driver sad: “Look! Weeding!”. Because Ecuadorian Indians are like Man in Black. Or more like punks in bowlers 🙂

Guys are wearing huge, heavy, black shoes and sometimes socks putted up to half of calf. They were to that short pants to around knees. Black. They like leather jackets so many of them have one, but to church they like to wear plaid. Black one. And sometimes white shirt. On head characteristic black hat which looks like huge bowler. And necessary long, black hairs bind in curl.

Women to change that black situation are wearing… also black clothes. Black bootees, black skirts (sometimes with another under it in flower accent) and jerseys. Black hairs bind in curls. And obligatory A LOT of jewellery. Huge earrings, brooches, in hairs pinned on adornments. On neck huge, colorful necklace. They looked like Gypsies, but also like Egyptians because of necklaces and when they put in fancy way plaid they looked like Hindu. And classic hat. Even inside church there is information that it’s prohibited to enter in hat.

People from whole around the world are coming to buy there huge pin named “Tupo”. Women are spur plaid by them. They are really expansive. One can cost even 200$!!! That’s why because mostly they are really old, and are passing from generation to generation and they have more than 100 years!

Accidentally I was in monthly folk festival “Winay Pacha”. Folk of that Indians is incredible and it’s looks a little bit like these from polish mountains. After two nights near to some chapel I hit the road and went to Ecuadorian capital city of Gringo. Cuenca.

LINK TO ROAD: https://goo.gl/maps/KhPgXqqSews