I’ve spent the past two weeks shoeless, careless and sandy in the little beachside town of Montañita on Ecuador’s south coast. It’s a bit of a cross between Bangkok and Bali on a way smaller scale – cocktail stands line the smelly streets and the beach is the most popular club. By day tourists surf and indulge in foreign food that’s supposed to remind us of home but really just affirms the fact that this is #americabutsouth, not #americabuteast – oriental cuisine is far from Sydney-standard.
The intention here was to do more Spanish classes and little else, but for the first two weeks most days were weekends or public holidays so, of course, I jumped into the festive fiestas by way of Eugenio’s delicious maracuya mojitos and plenty of poolside sprum (sprite+rum).
Christmas Day was properly Australian including a group-cooked feast off the barbie and a beach expeditions. Contrary to my usual traditions we finished the night at 6am after several clubs and thrice as many daiquiris, in my opinion the best way to celebrate Jesus’ birthday. Hopefully mum and dad will be down with incorporating this into our family Christmas next year?
New Year’s Eve was another memorable event – we began with drinking games en español in our afternoon classes, and once again didn’t get home until breakfast time.
At midnight I swam in the ocean while hundreds of locals surfed the first wave of 2015 as homegrown fireworks exploded overhead. It was incredible seeing so many people in the sea or on the beach surrounding bonfires and barbecues and bottles, bottles, bottles.
This time of year always has three big events for me, and this summer the best was saved for last: I had the most amazing birthday in the history of Ella’s birthdays thus far, I’m so lucky to have been surrounded by awesome people who made the day totally perfect. A morning run on the beach, two breakfasts, 11am sprums, my first pad thai in two months, more poolside rounds of Kings Cup before hopping in some random cars to get us to FTC Music Festival in nearby Salinas. Given we didn’t know what time the headline was starting we danced for several (as in seven) hours to some quite groovy tunes from international DJs before finally going mental as the one and only deadmau5 ripped shit up. He actually began his set with such heavy bass that he blew out the power after ten minutes (#americabutsouth strikes again) but after an awkward pause for the technical difficulties had us all totally under his spell once again. I can’t tell you how long he played for or even if my feet were on the ground, all you could see or smell or taste was the music… I will be calling Mr. Mau5 in nine months because I think that set made me pregnant. Halfway through a neighbouring party set off the most beautiful fireworks display ever which was so fortunate for us, I really was the luckiest girl in the world that night. I ended the night watching the sun rise on the beach and trundled home in the cruel daylight a very happy birthday queen. As a bonus the next morning I was surprised by a Sydney mate Joel wandering into my hostel which was AWESOME, only added to how great 2015 is already.
What else? I’ve been in the sea every day, I’ve stood up on a surfboard, I’ve done a few sunrise/sunset yoga sessions, eaten my weight in pan de yuca and made too many new mates to count. There have been a few expeditions to neighbouring quieter beaches and even a trek through the jungle to get to some rockpools for a dip, but mainly we have been aggressively hanging out and being happy. Special mentions must go to my silly coeliac sister Nicole, Tess the name changing and forever wise surfista, waltzing Mathilde, Lucy and Christy my American angels, the muy alto VAN LOOOOOONs and Sydneysiding Victor who can do any accent you can name and who unfairly resisted my flirtations. Call me for a bed in Bronte, any of you.
I’ve got another week of school and sun before continuing South to Peru next weekend – hopefully I will graduate at the end of the week with an ‘I survived Montañita’ t shirt and no new diseases. Given the state of the post-NYE streets, I would not be surprised if I contract some sort of STD through my feet.
Cuba libre and candlelit dinners,
PT
inneedofdirections 