[SUZAN HASKINS]

It happens to me, too, and I have no idea why. That’s why I always copy what I’ve written before I hit “submit.” I’ve mentioned this to the web folks and will again now. But I do see your posts, Brenda, so that’s good news.

In fact, it is happening to me right now with this particular post…. I’ve tried posting this 4 times now and am waiting a considerable length of time before I hit submit. Yet I am getting the same message:

ERROR: Slow down; you move too fast.

Let’s see if this will do it.

[SUZAN HASKINS]

Hi Brenda, some people have no problem with the elevation and others do. The best advice I can give is to stay hydrated. Don’t drink alcohol on the flight down. Instead, drink plenty of water and continue that practice once you get here. Don’t exert yourself a lot the first couple of days you’re here. Take naps if you’re tired. Just let your body ease into it…

As for the drivers, well, Latin Americans may be known for being laid-back… until, that is, they get behind the wheel of a car. Then all bets are off!

Besides taking a taxi across town, I don’t like taking taxis from town to town. We take the bus between Cotacachi and Otavalo and between Cotacachi and Ibarra. We have a private driver (who has a large, comfortable van) for transfers to the airport.

I’m guessing your tour will be with Sarah Dettman’s Expat Journeys group — you will LOVE it and your will LOVE Sarah. She’s the best.

[SUZAN HASKINS]

Brenda, prescriptions typically aren’t required for antibiotics and medications you might take for blood pressure, cholesterol and the like. Some low-dose pain medications and sleeping aids can also be obtained over the counter. You will need a prescription for most anti-depressants and any heavy-dose narcotics.

[SUZAN HASKINS]

My seat mate on a flight from Quito to the US was one of the first customer of this organization and he loved it. Other than that, I don’t know anyone else who has done it…

[SUZAN HASKINS]

Hi Deanna, Say you come for a week — that’s seven days and then two months later you come for 10 days, that’s 17 days… and so on… so you’ll be fine as long as you aren’t in the country more than your allotted amount in one year, from your first entry through your last entry.

No, we are not dual citizens, we are “residents” of Ecuador. The rule is that you must not be out of the country more than 90 days total during each of your first years on your resident visa. We met that requirement several years ago so we can travel freely.

I’ll ask Edd to help with the rest of your question.

[SUZAN HASKINS]

You don’t know how to pronounce them or you don’t know what they are called in Spanish? If it’s the latter, you might go to Google and plug in the name of your medication, followed by the word Ecuador. See what comes up. Many of the most common drugs in the States are known by the same name in Ecuador, but pronounced differently. Mycardis in the States, for instance, is Micardis in Ecuador (pronounced mee-cahr-dees).

The best thing to do, of course, is come on a visit with your bottle of meds and take them into a pharmacy and see what the equivalents are. Or you might go to fybeca.com, the website of one of Ecuador’s largest pharmacy chains and plug in some of your prescription names and see what comes up.

There is a woman here in Cotacachi where I live who will go to the pharmacy and check on this for you. I think she charges $5 or $10 via Paypal — let me know if you want her email address?

[SUZAN HASKINS]

Hi Bernie, I’d suggest you contact Dana Cameron with your questions about student visas. She is a teacher at a university in Guayaquil and also a well-respected visa facilitator and I know she has helped others obtain student visas. Her email address is aguaplata@hotmail.com She can probably also tell you where to best study Spanish in Cuenca.

[SUZAN HASKINS]

A gallon of petrol for a car is about $1.50. that has not changed in a decade but may in the future when the subsidies are eliminated.

[SUZAN HASKINS]

I will ask our web guru to answer this.

[SUZAN HASKINS]

And my email address is shaskins@internationalliving.com — let me know when you will be in Cotacachi. I am DYING to do the Tren Crucero!

[SUZAN HASKINS]

Thanks, Edmond, for sharing this valuable information!

[SUZAN HASKINS]

I’m sorry but I don’t know the “best” bus line along the coast. I do know that some bus lines tend to travel the coastal road and some cut across (for instance from Guayaquil to Manta.) So if you visit many of the coastal towns, you’ll probably want to first go from Guayaquil to Salinas and then hop buses from town to town, which should be easy enough and very inexpensive.

Here is a website that might help you: http://andestransit.com/#

[SUZAN HASKINS]

Alan, if you take the bus, be sure to keep very close track of your “stuff.” Watch them put your bag into the storage area. And if you have any electronics (phone, camera, laptop, etc.) keep them in a backpack on your lap for the entire trip — not in the overhead bin or on the floor between your feet. I’ve never had any problems on the bus but that’s because I am very careful about this procedure. I also do not wear expensive jewelry or clothes or pull out a wad of bills or do anything that attracts unwanted attention.

[SUZAN HASKINS]

Thanks for sharing this, Gretchen! We’d love to meet his when we get down there again.

[SUZAN HASKINS]

Hi Lawrence, I visited Montecristi in its early stages. It looked very attractive to me for all the reasons you mention. I think it would be a great choice for a golfer. There is also another golf course community just outside of Guayaquil that is really gorgeous, too. I believe it’s called La Costa and it’s about 45 minutes from the beach community known as Playas and 90 minutes from Salinas. But for pure convenience, Montectristi and Manta is probably a better choice.

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