Flying with Boats
So you want to bring your boat to Ecuador, eh? Suprisingly enough, it's not as much of an ordeal as it may seem. First of all, put your boat in a bag (see the Salamander link below for kayak bags), or at least cover it with card board and duct tape. Be sure to arrive for check in at least 2 hours early; assuming that you are flying a decent size passenger plane the size of the kayak is not of concern to most airlines- but just in case check in early before any other large baggage gets checked in. When is a kayak not a kayak? When you are checking it in! Can you say 'surfboard'? How about 'windsurfer'? Kayaks don't seem to be on American Airlines insurance list, and rumor has it that a snafu with the USCKT and another carrier (I'm not sure which) involving smashed race boats resulted in that airline banning kayaks altogether. So just avoid the pain and call it a windsurfer (or a surfboard if the clerk looks particularly gullable) and pay the excess baggage fee (up to $75 for a windsurfer). On the return flight, the clerks at the desk in Quito are not as uptight, and I have paid as little as $0, and as much as $50 to fly the boat back. Once the boat is checked in, you're golden. I used to worry about the boat getting lost, but if you think about it a large item like that is the least likely to get lost- the airline doesn't want to deal with it any more than they have to! A note of caution on paddles: they break easily! Putting a breakdown or two in your boat is the safest, or you can zip the paddle flat against your boat in the boat bag. If the paddle is in a separate bag make sure that there is more than one paddle in the bag, and wrap cardboard and duct tape around the shafts for extra support. Are you getting the sense that I'm paranoid about paddles? I've had it happen. It's a bummer.
Taxis in Quito
Once you arrive in Quito the transportation of choice is the Taxi. The fares are reasonable ($5-$7 from the airport to the area around Av. Amazonas which has nice hotels in all price ranges) and the drivers are always willing to accomodate your boat any way that they can- make sure that you tie it down! If you have more than two people with boats, there are toyota minivans with roof racks available for a few extra bucks. If you are leaving for Tena the next morning, make arrangements for your pickup with your driver on your way to the hotel.
I haven't rented a vehicle in Ecuador, so I don't know what is entailed in that excercise, but the busses and taxis were efficient enough that I really didn't have need for a rental. Besides, driving in Ecuador is crazy- let someone who knows the turf do it for you!
See the Rios page for information on taxis in Tena.
Busses
All of the busses leave Quito from the Terminal Terrestre, which is larger than the airport, with hundreds of busses comming and going at all hours of the day. To get there just hop in a cab and tell the driver to take you to Terminal Terrestre! The driver should drop you off at the lower level, and you will have to buy your tickets inside. Beware of pickpockets! The two companies that serve Tena are Flota Pelileo and Banos. The Banos busses are larger and more comfortable, but do not have roof racks. If you have small play boats they will fit in the carriers underneath; otherwise you will have to take a Flota bus. Which isn't much worse, anyways. And once you are past the checkpoints you can ride on top to get a good view as you wind down from the mountains into Tena. Unless you are going to spend time in the town of Banos on your way down, be sure that the route that the bus takes to Tena is via Baeza, not Banos; the Banos route is at least four hours longer. No matter which company you ride with, don't pay any extra for your boat. They carry sacks of potatoes, dogs, and even goats for free, why should you be charged for your kayak? And don't be bashfull about jumping up on top to help them tie the boats down- after trouble you have gone to to get your boat this far, it would be a bummer to watch it fly off into a precipice as the driver merrily bombs down a jungle road.
Other Interesting Things to See
Otavalo, Banos, Jumandy, Papallacta
Magic Bean, Cafe Cultura, Isla Banos, Rios Ecuador, Hacienda La Cienaga, Baeza
Magic Bean, Rincon La Ronda, La Choza
Cafe Hood, Isla Banos
Kamakazi, Pizza joint, Cositas Ricas, the bar, La Estancia,
Gina's (Baeza)
Changing in Quito; Changing in Tena
South American Explorer's Club
Salamander Paddle Gear