I checked out of my hotel room early in the morning to get to Atacames and look for a place there. As luck would have it, the owners of the hotel at Sua were also going to Atacames, and they were happy to give me a lift in their car. Rooms in Atacames were still in short supply, and all I could manage to find was a tiny place for 10 USD.

Head of a huge fish that was washed up on the shore in Sua

After keeping my bag, I went for a stroll on the beach and found an absolutely superb place to sit and read. Some time later, a guy turned up there and we tried to make conversation. He didn’t speak any English, so we had to resort to my almost non-existent Spanish. The guy was a dentist called Ignacio and said that this was his regular relaxing spot whenever he had some free time. The conversation soon turned to more complicated topics like arranged marriages in India, and then there was no hope. Luckily though, I had an English-Spanish dictionary in my backpack and we found an American girl who spoke perfect Spanish to translate for us.

My personal secluded reading place by the sea

Later Ignacio took me to his office and to an internet centre. We walked all over town before heading to his regular lunch place. After lunch, we went back to the beach and walked along it for almost 2 hours to the next beach of Tonsupa. On the way, we passed many sea-side homes destroyed by a tsunami a few years ago.

Ignacio's workplace

Walking to Tonsupa

Sunset at Atacames

What a view this house would have!!

Tsunami damage

We chilled at Tonsupa for a bit before catching a tri-cyclo back to Atacames. After a quick shower, we headed out to check out the active nightlife of Atacames going from one noisy crowded dancing place to the next. It reminded me a lot of Bangkok, but I was super tired from the long walk earlier, and had to come back early to crash. Ignacio came to my room piss-drunk some time in the middle of the night. I remember opening the door for him in my slumber, after which we were both out in a flash as soon as our heads hit the pillows.

Ignacio & I with our saviour - the dictionary :)

In the morning, I thanked Ignacio for making my time in Atacames memorable, bade farewell to both him and the Pacific ocean and started my journey back to Quito.