C

 

To La Balsa (Border)

 

Suddenly, without fanfare there was a bus with Loja and Zumba on signs. I got in, and saw that this was about as good as it gets. The bus was protected by both, Jesus and Speedy. I was in the best of hands.

 

Driver and 'co-pilot' did a great job taking care of the large vehicle. Here you can see where the front actually hangs over a steep and long ledge. The 'road' was just a muddy path that I called a glorified hiking path. Nonetheless, they handled it in style.

 

 

You name it, and we saw it

 

 

Giving you an idea of the winding, wet dirt road the bus negotiated

 

 

But, no complaints here, we were dropped off safe and sound at the Zumba bus terminal, just in time to catch the 'ranchero' to La Balsa. Interesting is that in spite there being no bus from Vilcabamba, I arrived an hour early in Zumba and did not have to wait three hours for the next ranchero departure.

 

 

Regulars greeting each other

 

A couple of real adventurers. The two, living in Australia, had been on the road, if I remember correctly, for nine months, riding their special touring hybrids from Alaska to here (naturally, going around the Darian Gap). They will go as far as the Pan American Road will let them. We traveled together as far as San Ignacio, Peru, and then they were back on their bikes, doing it the hard way.

 

At one point I shared an extra sandwich that I had with the kids. Told them to share it among them - mom supervised

 

 

And there were times when we had to back up and let the bigger guy have the right of way

 

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