My day started early—much earlier than planned. I woke up at 4:00am, likely due to having the earliest night of the trip yesterday. Knowing I had a long journey ahead, I decided to go back to sleep until just after 7:00am. Once I was up for good, I took my time cleaning up, packing my bags, and making my way to a small store nearby to grab breakfast and replenish my water.
With a couple of fresh pastries in hand, I headed back to the hotel to check out. However, that proved to be a bit more complicated than expected. The receptionist tried to charge me an extra $66 for two additional rooms I hadn’t booked. I explained that I had reserved only one room for one night and had been given just one key. After showing my reservation details, the mistake became clear—the staff member who checked me in had mistakenly entered my booking for three rooms. Thankfully, they corrected the issue, and I was on my way.
By 9:00 a.m., I was in a taxi heading to the bus station when my driver suggested an alternative—taking a van service to Cuenca instead. Intrigued by the recommendation and hoping for a more comfortable ride, I decided to follow his advice. At the bus station instead of booking a bus ticket, I asked for the van. At 10:00 a.m., as I went to board the “van”, I was a bit perplexed seeing it was just a bus. Though it was cheaper than the listed bus service so I settled in for the 4hr ride ahead of me. The trip itself was mostly smooth, winding through Ecuador’s presumed breathtaking landscapes but not visible due to heavy fog. Staring out the window, I couldn’t see much more than 4ft ahead of me! The driver must have done this route many times before because we were cruising quickly through the thick fog. By 2:15 p.m., I arrived at my hotel in Cuenca—Hotel Oro Verde, one of the top-rated five star hotels in the city!
After the past couple weeks of crazy adventures and late night shenanigans, I decided to take things slow while in Cuenca and relax a little before heading off to Costa Rica. I spent the afternoon just chilling on the king size bed in my hotel room. Hunger eventually pulled me outside, and I wandered the nearby streets to see what they had to offer. I stopped by a local spot serving cheese pizza. It was a simple yet satisfying meal, exactly what I needed during the lull in my trip.
Back at the hotel, I continued my low-key evening with a quick dip in the hotel pool. And then embraced the chance to catch up on social media and friends lives before the next leg of my travels would keep me too occupied. As the evening went on, I received my pre-trip notification for Costa Rica and began chatting with a few members of the group who would be joining me on the next adventure.
Before calling it a night, I checked in with both of my sisters, catching up with them as the first half of my vacation came to a close. By 11:00pm, I was ready to sleep once again, hoping to wake up refreshed and ready to plan the next two days in Cuenca before jetting off to Costa Rica. With so much more travel ahead, a little rest and recharge was exactly what I needed.
No Regrets: The Only Way To Live 