Ayampe - 15th to 17th Feb 2018

Our cabana...

We left Puerto Lopez after our morning coffee at Cafe Blanche on the beach, as had become our habit over the few days we had here, Ayampe bound.  Ayampe is a cluster of dwellings about 9 miles south of PL, situated on a long beach, with regular rolling waves.  It's very different from Puerto Lopez.  Besides being clean, it's very much a surfer's paradise and our lodging at Finca Punta lived up to the stereotype.  Individual cabanas made of bamboo and thatched with palm fronds, nestled into the hillside, a 5 minute walk down to the long wide bay.  The dining room/lounge area was decked out with sofas and surf boards where we were greeted by Santiago, the manager and waiter-come-surf-instructor, Sebastian.

Our cabana was perfect - views of the ocean, surrounded by palms, banana trees and bougainvillea, with a hammock on the balcony. We unpacked and wandered down to the beach.  Despite the clouds, it was a gorgeous temperature and the sea was warm.  We spent hours watching the surfers and being interrupted by the many dogs enjoying the sand as much as the humans.  Eventually the big black clouds on the horizon looked a little too close for comfort and we high-tailed it back along the beach.  Not fast enough!  We were caught in a huge rain storm - we've been in Ecuador for 2.5 weeks in the rainy season and seen almost no rain.  It's finally hit!! Drenched and muddy, we reached our cabana.  Showers (after a quick visit from the hotel engineer) and we walked over to the main building.

Despite the temperature being in the 20s, a fire was burning in the grate and jazz playing over the speakers.  So relaxing... We settled by the fire, with some chilled wine (something of a rarity here) and delicious meal of fish tacos.  Enquiring about the surfers, Sebastian told us he's a surf instructor.  It seems like we don't really have a choice: we're going to spend our last 2 days in Ecuador learning to surf!

It rained all night and hadn't eased up by the time we woke.  Dashing over to the restaurant for breakfast, we figured our only option for the morning was reading and learning Spanish. Eventually the clouds lightened and Sebastian suggested that we go out for our surf lesson while it was still low tide and the waves less terrifying.

On the beach he took us through step by step:
1. Stretch and loosen the body
2. Breathe in deeply. Connect with the sand, sky and ocean.
3. Draw a surfboard in the sand and
 a) lie on it and simulate paddling
 b) practise getting from lying to standing in one jump.  This last point is practically impossible on the sand.  I can't even imagine doing it in the sea...

Next we all went in, Charlotte and I with surfboards, trying desperately to look the part.  Sebastian alternately holding one or other of our boards as we learnt, in the very shallow water, how to stay afloat while paddling through waves, how to turn the board around, and how to paddle ahead of a wave and catch it.  And the first time you get it right, riding the wave all the way back to the shore, it's AMAZING.  The power of the water behind you is totally thrilling - and - this is just lying on the board.  I'd have been happy calling it quits just at this stage, but no - we weren't going to be allowed to do that. After a short rest we were back in the water, with the aim of standing up.  Easier said than done!  Forget the single swift jump, I was using the kneel-balance-stand technique. Sort of.  Kneeling wasn't too difficult - and a lot of fun. Although riding the surf on all fours makes one look a bit like a dog, so stand we must.  After many failed attempts, I finally managed a second on my feet before tumbling off, jubilant.  My best was about 4 seconds, but I really was standing.  Unbelievable.  Very very happy I got that far...

View from the terrace, Finca Punta

2 hours was enough; we were tired, bruised and loved every minute.  The sun had come out so we rested on the beach before heading back for sundowners and dinner on the terrace, watching the beautiful sunset.  One more day like this and we'll be off to winter in the UK.  Golly.

17th February.  Our last day.  And I turn 55 today.  Yikes.

It had rained again overnight, but we only had light cloud cover when we woke, so hopefully our last day would be a nice one.

French toast treat for brekky, but the internet had died, so no birthday love for Ginny yet - other than being spoilt by Charlotte. :)  Charlotte had to head back to Puerto Lopez briefly (we've probably left a trail of items around Ecuador, but the swimsuit was an expensive one and worth retrieving!) so I planned to head down to the beach. She was back before I'd even left the cabana and off we went  together, in search of a surfboard.  $20 later, we had one for the day, rented from a cute cafe-come-yoga-come-surf shack.

The tide was coming in already, which meant we'd missed the diddy low tide waves.  I took the plunge first, heading into the surf.  Up close the waves looked a lot bigger, so I stuck to the ones closer to the shore.  The good thing was that the beach is so shallow that at all times you can ditch the board and stand up.  I tried a few waves, missed two and caught one.  Funnily enough, without Sebastian to instruct and encourage, it seemed a lot more difficult.  A couple more good ones - standing for a second or two before falling off, and I was knackered.  A sum total of about 15 minutes!  Although it didn't help that my ribs and hips were hurting from yesterday's bruising from clambering onto the board.

Birthday beer!

Charlotte had a go after me - with approximately the same results, by which time we both figured we'd earned a birthday beer.  It's thirsty work, being a surf chick!  Another similar try in the afternoon and we were done.  I think I need a full week to get remotely competent - but it is great fun - if a little scary at times!

We finished off the afternoon with a celebratory chocolate muffin (no candles) at the cafe, then back to the hotel for packing, cocktails and dinner.  A pretty perfect birthday all in all.  The only thing missing was my Duncan!