Montañita - For New Years

New Years Eve In Montanita

There had been talk for a while among many of the backpackers in The Secret Garden, that people were heading down to Montañita for New Years. Many of the long term travelers were thinking of going and now with the knowledge that I had a few days off work, I was also thinking of going to. I didn´t think for long - I just booked it. Anne-Marie wanted to go also, so we booked our bus together and within no time - we were on our way.

It takes 8 or so hours to first get to the huge city (Ecuador´s largest), known as Guayaquil. we took an over-night bus, reaching the city early in the morning. It was then a second bus and two and a half hours or so to get to Montañita.

Montañita is located on the south-west coast of Ecuador. It´s a small, very hippy town with a laid back vibe. The beach is long, and the and the sand is, well, sandy. It´s the place to come if you want to surf, as the Pacific here has decided it should produce waves of colossal dimensions. It thus brings with it a sweeping of surfer dudes along with it´s hippy following. The Rasta vibe has produced a town, where the streets are packed with stalls selling braclets and hair beads, the food is mainly steaming and off the street and the accommodation is cheap but with mandatory hammocks.

We arrived, perhaps a little stupidly, just two days before New Years Eve, without any accommodation booked. Actually it turned out not to be a problem, as we found a hostal on the beach for just $10 a night. Not bad for this time of the year. There are hundreds of places to stay in Montañita as this is considered Ecuador´s party town, yet just a few hours after we arrived, every single bed was taken in every single hostal. Many people brought tents and pitched them up on the beach. After one hectic night out on the town, where we partied in a club which had a live reggae band - New Years Eve arrived.

In the day we swam in the sea, walked the popular beach and watched the incredible sunsets. Anna and I met up (or bumped into) loads of people that we knew. Ravi had come down from Quito, and we met Maha there two. Then we met Mindee and Shaun, who were working in the Secret Garden for some time but had left a week or two before.On our bus down, we met Guilem, a French guy who Anna and I work with at IG, and on the beach I ran into Debbie, who works in the Irish Pub in Quito and who lives just around the corner from me back home in London. One day, while walking the streets of Montañita, a little hungover, I see a girl who I recognise. She recognises me as well but we both couldn´t place where we knew each other from. Eventually we work out that we met in the Fat Camel hostal in Auckland, New Zealand, about a year or more earlier. It´s weird who you bump into and where. We also had other friends with us from Quito, so we weren´t lonley. It was as though everyone was coming here for the party - it was going to be big.

The night started off with drinking in our hostal. Loads of us were there, hanging around the hammocks while consuming our $6 bottles of Rum and Coke. Rum (known here as Ron) is popular here. Then with ridiculously looking headbands on, we all headed out on the town. In Ecuador, the big tradition for New Year, is to make a big fire and then throw on it, a doll. Usually people make them themselves and then dress them up like politicians or celebrities, but others are cartoon characters or animals - its very weird. Some are life size. The idea is that you throw them on the fire and then jump over the fire to put all your sins from the year just gone, behind you. While all drunk, we bought a small duck or chicken, or something bird like - to throw on.

Nearly everyone in town headed to the beach just before the New Year count-down. A series of huge fires were already going. People creating massive circles around them. The count-down began and suddenly everyone starts to throw their dolls into the fire. I´m not sure what they are made of but each one makes a small bang when it is thrown in. Our chicken soon goes up in flames too. At midnight, fire-works go up by the dozen and suddenly everyone is running and jumping over the fire. We all did it too, leaping high over this huge blaze. At the same time - a number of Ecuadorians march through the streets of Montañita holding surf boards above their heads. They head to the beach, past where we are leaping over flames, then take off all their clothes and go naked surfing. Welcome to Ecuador.

The night continued with a huge party on the beach. Drinking and dancing around large fires, while music played from different beach-side bars. Then we hit the streets, one inparticular, where most of the action was happening, reminded me just like the Khao san Road in Bangkok, Thailand. Small stalls were selling fruit cocktails as we all danced salsa in the streets. We briefly made it into a techno club but after that I don´t remember much. I somehow made it to my bed but the time and even the day was a mystery.

The next day Montañita was quiet. I mean people were out but it was a sombre atmosphere. As you walk the streets, you start to see people with New Years Eve injuries. Many had burns who miss-timed the fire jump or were simply too drunk and stupid not to play with fire. The rest were cuts. We had injuries among our party too. Maha, in a drunken state, fell down some rocks and cut her leg badly. We all thought it was a good idea at the time to pour Tequilla on it. Shaun had a bruised and swollen eye because he jumped the fire at the same time as someone else and there was a major collision in mid-air. Injuries or not, everyone enjoyed the night.

I spent five days in Montañita. The days were spent by the beach, in the sea or hanging around the streets listening to Bob Marley. At night we continued to party but not so hard. Most people made small fires outside their tents on the beach. We would sit around them and drink and chat, with other travelers or locals. At one point I remember turning around and seeing two huge cows striding past us. I don´t think I´v ever seen cows on a beach before. It was an odd sight. We continued to party on the streets too. The few nights after New Years were just as busy. Maha had made friends with some local Ecuadorian guys who live in Montañita and who owned bars in the town. so we got a few free or very strong drinks too, which was nice.

Montañita was fun, but it takes it´s toll on you. I don´t think I could have survived longer than five days. In a real state, Anna and I headed back to Quito. The bus journey felt like the longest ever, but it took the same time as on the way down. I collapsed on Sunday and slept. It was back to work for me. Partying time was over. Now it was time for monitoring volcanoes and learning another language. I had had a fantastic New Year, five days of pure chaos. It was 2010. Thats incredible. I think it´s going to be a good year.