Drove 5 hours yesterday: Quito-Nanegalito (1h); Nanegalito-Los Bancos (1h); Los Bancos-La Union (1h); La Union-Quininde (15 minutes); Quininde-San Mateo (1h); San Mateo-Casablanca Same (45 minutes).
At night, I was having dinner with friends in a restaurant at the beach when the deluge started. It continued overnight. Several houses were flooded. Stones fell from the edge of the hill on the road; the road that connects this house to the beach. Today the sky and the sea are gray, but things are calmer. The rain was welcomed by those who live in the village near-by. It replenished the natural wells underground. Potable water hasn’t arrived yet. It is getting close though.
I just left the house only to buy some provisions. Two orders of “encebollados” (a local fish soup), water, milk, coffee, two bottles of wine, orange juice, and a pack of cigarettes. I run out of gin but they didn’t have it in the store. Tomorrow I will buy fish and shrimps.
I am enjoying being here alone. In a couple of hours I will go to my friend’s 60th birthday. He lives close to Punta Galera, some 45 min from here. The party starts at 4pm. I’ll have a glass of white whine before I go.
Sailing to the Pacific 