“Torrential rain with thunder and lightning last night – it kept me awake!”
“Can you imagine what the house is like? The windows don’t close or if they do, they still leak. The roof leaks.”
“It’s probably flooded Jackson. While I was unable to sleep I came up with a name for the house.”
“You did?”
“Yes – Golfina – the sea turtles – they’re endangered, so is the house unless timely repairs are completed followed by comprehensive, routine maintenance.”
“Interesting association with ‘endangered’ but a cute name none the less Nilla.”
“The Ts promised to be back at Las Dunas at 8:00 AM, it’s still raining – we’ll get wet.”
“The Ts can handle it, they’re the ones who will get wet!”
“The malecon is a mess – a series of puddles, mud and sand everywhere.”
“Open the door and keep our paws crossed.”
“Jackson, smoke everywhere, there’s a fire somewhere, but where?”
“Nilla, the floor is soaked, water in the living room, dinning room and kitchen, coming down the stairs.”
“Manuel is here, he’s worried about fire too. I’m so glad we were with the Ts at Hotel Java. If we can’t locate the fire we need to call 911 and get the bomberos here!”
“Manuel found the problem – in the bedroom with the twin beds – looks like water came in from the ceiling – short circuited the ceiling fan, heated it up, melting part of it and starting a fire from the ceiling down the wall burning the curtain and the window frame – so hot it broke the window pane.”
“If it had ignited the other curtain panel, the bed would have caught fire too and then it would have been major! The Ts have to throw the circuit breakers – don’t want to risk another fire. It must have burned out when there was no more combustible materials close by. Lucky.”
“Three inches of water on the roof – the drains are plugged – need the plunger or more water will come in down the walls.”
“Everything smells like smoke. We can’t stay here!”
“No internet or WiFi, no way to call anyone – need to go to Diego’s place and use his access.”
“Amarita says she can’t come from Portoviejo because it’s raining. Some property manager!”
“Russell can’t be reached. I think it’s time to leave Crucita Nilla.”
“Aventurero says his house on the loma is flooded with three or more inches of water on the lower floor. At least Wolf is a responsible property manager and will have it under control in short notice.”
“But glad we didn’t stay there either.”
“Need to pack up and head to Manta – call Carlos and have him send a taxi. Hotel Balandra here we come Jackson.”
“We won’t be able to have our photo with the new Crucita beach sign.”
“Nope.”
“We won’t be able to say ‘good bye’ to all our friends.”
“Nope.”
“Once we get to Manta the Ts will work on changing the flights – we may be on our way back to the United States and burrrrrrrr cold weather and snow Nilla.”
“The Ts are talking with Russell finally. He’s worried about the damage, wants to know how the fire started. He wants the Ts to take pictures and send them to him. Isn’t that Amarita’s responsibility?”
“Russell doesn’t seem to worry too much about us or the Ts. We need to file a police or fire department report. Diego is going to take the us.”
“Look at the water. Look at the mud! The malecon and Avenida Portoviejo are a mess Jackson.”
“The police and fire personnel are all on rescue missions. No time to wait around for a report , that will have to be Amarita’s responsibility. I’m sure Russell will need one to file an insurance claim.”
“If he has insurance. Do you think Amarita will even bother with the report?”
“She sure doesn’t seem to know about property management. That back window – the one damaged in the fire, always leaked, nothing was done. Now it won’t close, more rain will surely follow. How can you turn on the electricity – not knowing where another short could happen.”
“Russell has two major barrier issues – language and distance. If someone doesn’t take responsibility for the property now, it is vulnerable to more damage Jackson.”
“Nilla, we need to get the dry goods from the kitchen and bring them to Diego, paper products too. Everything in the refrigerator thrown out except bottled water.”
“Carlos can’t come to take us, Kleber can’t either but Carlos is sending taxi ’08’ to take us to Manta. Aventurero is coming down the hill to say ‘good bye’.”
“He shouldn’t, too dangerous with all the water and the mud Nilla.”
“Already told him that. Wolf has a ‘crew’ bailing out the Pyramid House”
“Make sure we have everything.”
“Taxi is here.”
“Good bye Crucita. Oh there’s Aventurero!”
“He wants to know if we’re coming back to Ecuador in December.”
“Of course we are – just not staying in Crucita – especially that house.”
Taxi ride is uneventful and in about thirty minutes the Ts and companions arrive in Manta.
“Look at all that debris on the beach, it’s awful Jackson.”
“From the rain, from debris carried into the Pacific via the river.”
“Hotel Balandra looks very nice. I wonder how long we will be staying here>”
“It depends on the flights and expense Nilla.”
“Room 126 – very nice, everything we need including WiFi and internet – we can post!”
“Message from Russell – make sure the Ts get the report and take pictures for their insurance claim – but all they have is trip interruption insurance – they may or may not compensate them. It’s his responsibility to obtain comparable accommodations and he is to reimburse the cost as stated in the rental agreement. Sounds like he plans to do nothing! He has not offered once!”
“The report is Amarita’s responsibility, good luck to Russell.”
“Switching flights is financially not an option Nilla. Thousands of dollars to switch and two thousand to buy new tickets. We can stay here for the next six extra nights for just under seven hundred dollars.”
“The hotel is very nice Jackson – we’ll explore tomorrow – time for the Ts to get something to eat, they haven’t eaten anything all day.”
To Mall Pacifico for a bite and then back to shower and early to bed.
“We’re safe Nilla.”
“Yes we are – back to the U.S. in one week.”
“Do you think the Ts will try to go back to Crucita before they leave?”
“Don’t know.”
Adventures of Nilla and Jackson 
You have had quite an adventure glad you are all safe. I Can’t imagine what the road in San Clemente looked like yesterday. Walked down the beach a lot of the cliffs are now beach.
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