Well here we go and the surprises are what make it interesting. As mentioned before the trip from Salinas to the bus terminal in Santa Elena is about 15 minutes by taxi. But when I checked out of my room in Salinas couldn't find any English speaking people to find my way back to the bus terminal. So I wondered around and went to another reception desk at another hotel and the guy helped me by telling me that I could just take the local bus to the terminal to Santa Elena and it would take only about 20 minutes. So I walked about 3 blocks to the bus route and also found a restaurant that confirmed that the bus would come by there. Got lunch and pretty soon here come bus Line #13. Handed the drive .25 and off we went. Once there it was easy to buy my ticket to Manta and find the right bus to board.
Now this is where it gets a little weird. Several hours later (about 6:10) in Manta I got off the bus and looked around and it was a lot more shabby place then so far on my travels. I quickly decided that I didn't want to just jump into a taxi and have some guy take me to a hotel that I had no clue about. So then I hop on another bus to Bahia de Caracquez since I have heard that Bahia is a nice place and Manta not so much. Oh and the procedure for riding a bus changes at this point, you don't just buy a ticket but just get on the bus and then the drivers assistant will come and ask you for money. But anyway, traveled for about 45 minutes and the bus stopped. The money collector guy told me to get on that other bus across the street. So I did that and off we go again.
Now its getting even more weird, about 2 hours later we came to another bus stop and the guy who collected money told me to get on yet another bus. So away I go on this bus! Now I have a new bus fare collector and he wants more money, only a buck. But the bus is heading over a long bridge going out of Bahia (I think maybe) and then down some road and no idea where to but its out of any town. There are not many people on this bus ride either. Then it came to mind that I am most likely traveling north which is really the direction I ultimately wanted to go but only the next day. Then a sort of calm came over me sort of like when you freeze to death you get that warm feeling right before you die. Well couldn't accept that and started asking people where we were going and did find someone who could talk enough English to help. Broke out the good ole map and a flash light and found out that I was on my way to Canoa (north of Bahia) and was told that would be the best place to get off the bus. So here I am in a little town way out in no where late at night. Well I just walked about a block and found a hotel. The lady there was nice and rented me a nice room for $20. She directed me across the street to a restaurant so I grabbed a bite and and turned in for a nights sleep. Come to find out Canoa is a surfer town and really sort of popular. That is why I was directed there in that I looked like a surfer I had been since told. ha ha! Well at least a Gringo with a back pack and no Spanish. So that winds up that day, but sorry wasn't in the mood to snap pictures here in Canoa the next morning. I did just hop on another bus and off to Pedernales, which where I was going anyway.
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