I am planning a 2-3 week trip to ecuador in august. i want to spend 3 days or so in quito. Can anyone else suggest an itinerary? I enjoy remote. out of the way places and comfort is not an issue. i like the rural latin american buses and I love trains.What can i expect to pay for a budget hotel 9private bath is nice, but not essential). How about meals? I'd appreciate any help anyone out there can give me.

Robert, we were in Ecuador for two weeks in July/August 1999. We stayed a few nights in Quito and I can recommend Alston Inn This is a very cheap ($30 for a double.) The place was friendly, clean, and in a very convenient location. There's an internet cafe right on the block. They were really helpful...let us leave some baggage there as we travelled around, then we picked it up mid-trip when we stayed there again.

unfortunately, I probably can't help much with places beyond Quito, because we were birding and stayed at birding lodges in various locations, probably not where you'd want to be. But feel free to ask me any questions, and I'll see if I can help. Check out my Ecuador photos on my website!