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$1,000 in cash is not a problem, and 10s and 20s won’t be, either, except in taxis and some small vendors. The ATMS dispense 10s and 20s.

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At your service! 🙂

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Hi Deanna, you should be able to get internet very quickly (a day or two) depending on the provider you opt to go with. Then again, it’s Ecuador and may end up taking 3 or 4 days… or 6. There are two providers in Cotacachi I use: Christian Cadena (speaks English) who can have you up and running quickly and will charge per month and allow you to shut down and restart at will. His email address is infomultisoluciones@gmail.com. Or you can go through CNT, the phone company, that has offices behind the Iglesia Catholic church. You have to have a phone line for this latter service.

I don’t know about any roommate share forums, but there is a Facebook page called ‘Cotacachi Expats’ that you may want to join.

Various banks have different policies. I am uncertain about the exact policies of the three banks in Cotacachi but ask that question of the folks on that Facebook page. As I’ve said before, I’ve chosen not to have a bank account in Ecuador. Just uses my ATM card for withdrawals from my US bank. Makes life easier for me.

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You can bring all those, no problem.

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Getting to Salinas from Guayaquil doesn’t take that long… maybe 2.5 hours so depending on what time you arrive you should be able to get there easily enough. You can take a bus, but yes, I don’t think the buses leave from the airport. You could also rent a car, if you like, and/or hire a driver to take you to Salinas ($60-$100). One English-speaking driver you might try is Will Rodriguez: willienavy70@gmail.com; cell: 098-699-2334. A friend recommends him, I have not tried him myself.

Let me see if I can find more info for you.

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Hi Jim and Maria, my husband and I have BUPA International insurance. It is not inexpensive but it covers us anywhere in the world we travel. Our agent works out of Panama City, Panama and he is happy to answer questions about it. Contact Gonzalo de la Guardia: gdelaguardia@gmail.com.

You could also, do as you suggest, and have coverage in both places. You will need a resident visa in Ecuador in order to obtain coverage. And yes, this may be more economical for you. If you already have insurance in the States, speak with your company about whether or not it will cover you abroad.

Another option is to check with one of the major local hospitals in Quito or Cuenca and purchase a hospital discount policy through them. I am unsure if you need residency for this — may be a good option for you.

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BTW, those are near the new airport and not in Quito proper…

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Nice hotels near the Quito airport:

• Hosteria San Jose: http://www.hosteriasanjose.com.

• Hosteria Rincon de Puembo: http://www.rincondepuembo.com. This one looks as if it may be the closest to the airport.

There is also the no-frills spartan Airport Suites. Mixed reviews: http://airporthotelquito.com/

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Here is what I would bring if I were a guy: 2 pair pants, 3 T-shirts, swim trunks, long-sleeve button-down shirt (one of those dry-fast travel things, socks and briefs. And for shoes a pair of Tevas or similar with good tread that you can wear with or without socks. Bring a light jacket for the highlands, a good hat, and a small fold-up umbrella. Bring a good sunscreen and some of those wet wipe insect repellant things. Should be all you need.

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Yes it is an issue in coastal areas in all of the tropics, from Florida south. Best thing to do is use repellant, and if you want to be extra cautious, at dusk put on your long sleeves and pants. Make sure your windows have screens on them.

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I am not sure. You may want to look on the website of the Ecuador embassy in the U.S. and see what the regulations say.

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Yes there are. You’ll find them in both Quito and Cuenca. Not sure about costs but let me see if I can find more info for you.

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Which area(s) of Ecuador do you want to visit? Email Tura Murdock: tmurdock@pathfinderinternational.net and she can introduce you to some real estate contacts.

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Someone just asked about churches in Cuenca on this forum… maybe two weeks ago. Look through the posts and I will try to find it also.

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You should be fine as long as there are no local holidays (long weekends) in the places you plan to visit.

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