Border Crossing: Colombia to Ecuador
The First of many
Leaving Salento meant the beginning of a very long bus journey towards Ecuador. I had a rough idea of what the next couple of days would look like, but no definite plan. Along with a dude I met in Salento, who was also heading south, we boarded a bus to Popayán, Colombia.
Though tempted by a night of salsa dancing, I decided to just spend a whole day traveling by bus, bypassing the city of Cali on the way. It is easy to feel like you must see everything while traveling. Like it is your one and only chance. I often find myself feeling guilty when I pass on visiting a place, but I keep reminding myself this isn’t my only chance to see Colombia.
Six or seven hours later, we arrived in Popayán. Per usual, the bus terminal was no indication of what the city had to offer. The terminal was hectic, but as our taxi drove us into the historic part of town beautiful white colonial buildings lined cobble stone streets. We checked into a hostel and headed out to find food. I led us to a vegan place which was literally a hole in the wall. An open garage door invited us into a large room with neon lights and parts of the ceiling pealing off.
I didn't care one bit. We ordered a set menu that was utterly average, but the price was right. After an entire day on a bus and not eating more than a handful of peanuts, I was completely satisfied. Already 9pm, we walked back and crashed for the night.
I dragged myself out of bead extra early the next morning for a walk around the city in the morning light. Over breakfast we debated whether to get back on the bus or spending the day in Popayán and utilize a night bus. We both wanted to get a move on and headed back to the bus terminal to find a bus going farther south. We wanted to get to a border town called Ipiales.
Initially it seemed like only evening buses were leaving. Then, out of no where an older women told us there was a bus leaving in five minutes. Frantically we paid her whatever she asked and repeated "gracias, muchas gracias señora" as she ushered us down the platform towards a little white bus.
Feeling very lucky to have gotta on this bus, I hunkered down at my window seat with some peanuts and my podcasts. Quite content. Little did we know this bus journey would last the entire day, hours longer than I expected. I didn’t anticipate just how massive the Andes between us and our destination were. The views were incredible, but my snack game was weak, consisting of an apple and just a couple handfuls of peanuts left in the bag I had purchased in Salento.
Being vegan has been easy enough through out Colombia. At all my destinations so far I have been able to explain what I don’t eat, ask for no cheese, find a vegan place or cook for myself. However, being vegan while traveling by bus for days is not easy.
Buses often stop to let on people selling food, a kinda of symbyosis I really admire. Everyone is hustling here and I find it really kind that a bus driver will slow down to let someone on to have a fair shot at making a little money. But mostly food sold on buses is candy, fried, with cheese, meat or both. Not very helpful for a very hungry, traveling vegan.
Some people sell fruit which is seriously refreshing three hours into a bus ride, but it all comes in plastic creating a pretty serious dilemma for me. Single use plastic really breaks my heart. The fruit is such a welcome sight, as the lady carrying sliced watermelon and mango singes down the isle of the bus, but I am left weighing my hunger for her produce and the life time of the single-use plastic cup it sits in. I’m pretty stubborn about trying to avoid plastic at all costs, especially single use. So I let the lady hop off the bus. In hindsight I should have bought the fruit because eating nothing but peanuts for days isn’t healthy and doesn’t make for a happy person.
More so, I should have planned ahead and stocked up on snacks. You live and you learn.
Not only did the mountains significantly add to the travel time, but a large protest lead by Indigenous people closed the bus route for a couple hours. From what I could gather with my improving but still pretty minimal Spanish, the indigenous community was protesting for better wages or a higher minimum wage, a universal struggle.
In appreciation of their protest I didn’t mind sitting by the side of the road, especially since we were lucky to be stopped right in front of one of the scares trees providing necessary shade. My travel companion was less amused by the whole situation, but hey, it is all apart of the adventure. Slowly but surly we made it to Ipiales late in the evening. Completely exhausted we headed to another hostel and crashed instantly.
After two days on buses we had just three hours to go. Three hours and how ever long it took to cross the border. We got a taxi to the border and officially exited Colombia with a stamp in our passports. Then we walked from the Colombian side, under a big green sign that said “Colombia” and towards a big blue one claiming “Ecuador”. We stood in line for not very long at all, got our entry stamps and found a taxi to take us to the nearest bus stop. The fourth bus in three days loaded up and started towards a small Ecuadorian town north of Quito called Otavalo. Unfortunately multiple police checks slowed our last leg of the journey and again it was a little longer than expected.
With my bum half asleep, my stomach the size of a dime and my hair looking like a small animal had built itself a home, we finally arrived in Otavalo. I said good buy to my companion from the last three days, and headed to a very cute hostel. The End.
I took zero pictures during those three days, though that in its self is somewhat representative of how exhausting it was. With the exception of some I took of the beautiful historic center of Popayán. Hopefully my writing helps your imagination along. Anyways, it feels really good to be in Ecuador. Though the journey here was the completely opposite of refreshing, it feels rejuvenating and exciting to be in a new country. Especially since I know absolutely nothing about Ecuador or what I will do here.
Stay Tuned,
lil
Tips For A Fellow Traveler:
Do Over: I think if I had to travel by bus from Colombia to Ecuador again I would do it a little differently. I think the way to go is a day bus from Salento > Popayan. Then spend a night and one day in Popayan before hopping on a night bus to Ipiales. Hopefully you would get a couple hours of sleep before arriving at the border in the early morning. Likely there would be only a small line and then you would be in your Ecuadorian destination by noon.
Bring Snacks: Even if you eat everything under the sun I think snacks are still a good idea and investment. Head to the market and pick up some essentials to tide you over during your journey: apples, bread, nuts, chips, and something sweet to pull out when you’re at your bus is taking longer than expected.
Yellow Fever: Before heading to the border I read somewhere that you needed a yellow fever short to enter Ecuador. This is false. I don’t want to say it caused me stress but it caused me serious thought. A yellow fever shot is a good idea if you are heading into any part of the Jungle or Amazon while in any South American country. It doesn’t sound fun and you can actually get the vaccine for free at the Bogota Airport. But, to set the record straight, no one at the immigration center in Ecuador will ask you about Yellow Fever or ask for proof that you have had the vaccine.