Melbourne to Quito, via Sydney, Auckland, Santiago and Guayaquil

No drought here
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I’m finally in Quito Ecuador after a 30 hour journey and while I wouldn’t normally comment on my flight, I will make an exception this time!

Yeah it was long, but it was comfy as I got a bulkhead seat :-) Yes totally unfair given my feet couldn’t even touch the wall in front and much to my amazement my luggage arrived where I did.

How to make a farmer cry

But what amused me mostly was the confused implementation of the new security regime... I lost my half full toothpaste container as it was 160ml (and a potential weapon of mass stinging), but on the upside had a laugh with the security guard about whether you could use quality of teeth as a terrorist profiling tool..

Onwards to Auckland where the zealous customs staff were searching everyone and everything and confiscating any liquids over 100ml, including all the duty-free alcohol people purchased post security at Sydney airport... should be a choice Christmas party eh bro..

Next leg was onto Santiago, Chile where a more relaxed approach revealed itself.. firstly with metal knives! Bless the feel of cold steel in both hands... Once in Santiago the young male customs official was a star performer for being much more interested in looking at a young female colleague than the x-ray scanner.. Love it :-)

Now in Quito and have spent the day meeting up with my friend Narelle, wandering about the city and not being mugged (all quite the achievement) and I will write more on the city later. However just wanted to make comment on the giant culture shock of being in a town clearly not in drought.. the sign in my bathroom kindly asks me to run the water for 10 minutes to get hot water and I just saw a lady hosing down her front steps, while holding an umbrella - I feel so guilty just watching! So, I will do my national duty and say a prayer for rain in each basilica..