[SUZAN HASKINS]

Have you tried a travel agency? The problem is that they will add a transaction fee and that’s why it is best to go to the airline office.

I have not done this myself, as I am not officially a “senior” and therefore don’t qualify for this benefit. I know you don’t want anecdotal information, but here is what I’ve heard from others:

You must be 65 and have your resident visa. Travel must initiate in Ecuador. The discount will be given on the fare portion only (not on taxes or other fees). Most airlines only extend the discount on the initial flight (say, from Ecuador to your US hub) and not on any consecutive flights… for example if you are flying on from that hub to Detroit or Denver, etc.

The exception is LAN, and they will give the discount on consecutive legs, which is great if you are traveling in South America, but I don’t believe they offer any flights past US hubs.

For Delta and American, I’m told you must visit the airline office… perhaps you can do it by phone, I am unsure about that. All airlines are required to honor the discount rate and that discount “should” be given on sale fairs.

I wish I could be more help. Please report back about your experience with this?

[SUZAN HASKINS]

Swissotel also has tennis courts and they offer a very affordable package to anyone who wants to become a member of their health club and use their fitness center, swimming pool, etc. Same goes for Marriott and Hotel Quito, although I don’t recall that these latter have tennis courts…

[SUZAN HASKINS]

Hi Gretchen, well-to-do and middle-class Ecuadorians will have all or some of the appliances you mention and those who aren’t as well off will not have them. Nor do they consider these types of appliances necessities. That’s why there are still internet cafes. 🙂

Here is a tutorial on DVDs: http://bestnetguru.com/winxp/dvds.html

I’ve not had a problem playing US DVDs on my Ecuador DVD player but it doesn’t surprise me that you have had this issue. It happened to us in Mexico once, so I don’t know if it’s the player or the DVDs themselves. You can buy DVDs in Ecuador really cheap so not to worry…

[SUZAN HASKINS]

There was an article in one of Ecuador’s major newspapers back in August that says they’ll be screening passengers coming from West Africa at the airport: http://www.elcomercio.com.ec/tendencias/ministerio-salud-anuncia-control-aeropuertos.html

And in this, more recent article, Ecuador’s Minister of Health says they are monitoring the situation and believe the risk to Ecuador is low: http://www.microsofttranslator.com/bv.aspx?from=es&to=en&a=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eluniverso.com%2Fnoticias%2F2014%2F10%2F16%2Fnota%2F4108116%2Friesgo-ebola-pais-seria-menor

(This last link is a bad translation through Google translate.)

[SUZAN HASKINS]

I don’t think anyone here in Ecuador is very worried about it. When the swine flu scare occurred back in 2009, they had a doorway/machine you walked through in the Quito airport upon arrival that detected whether or not you had a temperature. But I’ve not heard of any plans to do that this time around.

[SUZAN HASKINS]

Hi Chuck, I would definitely recommend you have reservations if you will be on the coast during the holidays. That’s when Ecuadorian tourists will be there, too, so you want to make and verify your reservation. Just about anywhere you choose to be during the holidays will be great fun. There is a huge parade in Cuenca on Dec. 24 that I’ve not yet had the opportunity to attend but understand it’s great fun. That might be a great place to be!

[SUZAN HASKINS]

I’d suggest you contact Amy or Gerardo Pinoargote through their website Spondylusecuador.com — you can also see some rental samples there. Tell them you are an IL member. I once rented a nice apartment in the Alamar through VRBO.com. I can’t find the exact one I rented, but you can find some others here: http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/south-america/ecuador/salinas?from-date=2014-11-21&to-date=2014-11-23

[SUZAN HASKINS]

Hi Veronica, you can’t actually drive as far as Ecuador as you can’t get through the Darien Gap from Panama to Colombia. I do know some people who have done this, though, but they have to put the vehicle on a ship in Panama and send it across the sea to a port in Colombia or Ecuador. Even if you do this and even if you have a resident visa, as a foreigner you can’t import a vehicle into Ecuador. So in my mind, that means you could only have it here as long as your tourist visa is valid.

You might want to talk to a customs specialist about this to learn more. I’d suggest you reach out to Sandra Baquero: SanestarInternational@gmail.com

For your questions about visas, then, check with attorney Roberto Moreno: roberto@morenodidonato.com

[SUZAN HASKINS]

Stan, it is my understanding that only Ecuadorean citizens returning to the country from living abroad can ship a vehicle. A customs agent may be able to shine more light on this. One you might want to contact is Sandra Baquero: SanestarInternational@gmail.com

[SUZAN HASKINS]

We ALWAYS stock up at Duty Free on our way back to Ecuador. You can each buy 3 liters. We usually buy good vodka, rum, scotch, and other good spirits.

As for wine, a lot of the expats here drink box wine. It’s somewhere around $4 or $5 a box. They say they like it. I can’t tolerate it. We have a local boutique store here in Cotacachi where I can buy decent wines for $8 to $10. It’s an expensive habit, for sure, but life is for living! 🙂

This may be too late, but there is a big liquor store on the same street as the Holiday Inn Hotel in Quito (street may be Orellana, I can’t remember.) They have a great selection in there.

[SUZAN HASKINS]

Depending where on the coast you live, I know a lot of people also shop in Portoviejo.

[SUZAN HASKINS]

Hi Robert, I’ve never seen any organized service of either type.

[SUZAN HASKINS]

There is some cheese sold here in Cotacachi at a store called Prana. Some is made by a Swiss cheese maker who lives nearby and other is imported from around Cuenca I think. There are many different varieties and I buy them all the time because they are flavorful and very tasty… no like most of the queso fresco or bland cheese sold in grocery stores here. I don’t know how much I pay because I am usually buying other items at the same time. But I’d guess $4 to $5 for a chunk the size of half a baseball.

[SUZAN HASKINS]

For the best information about what you can and can’t bring to Ecuador, contact customs broker Sandra Baquero: SanestarInternational@gmail.com. I don’t think those items are allowed, but I’m not sure. Sandra can tell you. You could also buy them in Ecuador.

[SUZAN HASKINS]

If you want to stay in Otavalo, Dona Esther is a good hostel there. In Quito, attorney Roberto Moreno’s son might be able to translate for you. Roberto’s email address is roberto@morenodidonato.com. Another option might be the folks at Nuevo Mundo. Contact Oswaldo Munoz: oswaldo@nuevomundoexpeditions.com.

Be advised that the last bus to/from Otavalo and Cotacachi is at about 6.30 PM so if you arrive after that time, you’ll need to grab a taxi. Cost: $5.

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