Friday, October 28, 2011

London to Quito - an everlasting day

OH my, this day has truly gone on forever, we woke up at 3am in the Comfort Inn, Heathrow airport and I'm currently writing this to stay awake and avoid jet lag in the Marriott in Quito, Ecuador, the swankiest hotel I've ever been in. A fairly uneventful flight on an aeroplane that needs a spruce, this is how plane snobby I've become, we commented on the lack of individual tv screens and lack of room! 11 hours later, a few escapades with 2 smokers who decided to smoke in the toilet, one woman who refused to do up her seatbelt and then we arrived in Quito, the 2nd highest capital in the world.

Before we left the airport we had to go through customs and I had to do something I've never done before, I had to declare! You are only allowed to bring 2 peices of electronic equipment into the country, so my laptop, phone, camera and video camera was way over my limit. As was Ali's, so Ali and I sheepishly walked into the customs office to declare our goods, luckily we didn't get charged the taxes :(

Apparently we won't notice the altitude until tomorrow but we have been advised to always walk slowly, drink hot chocolate and no alcohol. Sounds like a great way to live for us. Quito is really sprawling up the very steep hills, it's a very long city of 46km but only 11km wide. Between that you have vetical slopes. Our hotel is next to an active volcano. Ali is failing to stay awake as it currently feels to us like it's 2am, awake for 24 hours but tomorrow will be worth it, a city tour of Quito's old town and standing on the equator. My first time in South America, I just hope the altitude sickness isn't going to hit tomorrow. Fingers and toes crossed.

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