Moving from Quito to the coast

I've moved twice and both times hired a moving company. Both times I had to go to the nearest police station to get a paper signed by police saying the moving company had permission to move my stuff (I guess in case they got pulled over). From the last move, I am missing an iPhone and a camera, so my advice is to keep your stuff in sight.

Do you have an agreement in black & white that fixes your costs?
You'll need it in Englsh as well as in Spanish if the crap hits the fan. Sign the English only version unless you're well versed in Spanish and it is a duplicate version.

By the way, once on board it's there stuff not yours and by the time you get to any court if at all most will be sold off.

$200 bucks is absurd. Remember you get what you pay for and in this case you're looking right down someone elses gun barrel.

Even with the agreement, are they insured to carry your shit in the event of a crash and loss?
Did you ask for other gringo references.

I am often surprised and disappointed in so many ex pats lack of attention to their homework and it's details.

Better do yours my friend.

One other thought, why not rent your own vehicle (one way) and hire  crews on each end. I'm certain $200 bucks won't get close to the real costs.

We'll be following behind the moving truck and loading & unloading ourselves. My Ecuadorian wife negotiated the price. They wanted $280 at first. I guess I'll let you'all know how it goes.

Well, the move went ok. Nothing missing that I know of. They did try to jack up the price $70, but they'd already unloaded the truck. We paid an extra $20 just to avoid trouble, since the driver did have to wait a couple hours for us to arrive.

Where are you now?
Did you find a nice place to live in?

MariaPiaBlog wrote:

Where are you now?
Did you find a nice place to live in?

We're in Las Peñas, a small tourist town way up north. Our place will be nice with a little more work.

I can not believe any one is asking questions at the last moment.  Please tell me you are not asking questions now the deal is made now you ask questions.
The answer is plain first....don't ask questions after you made the deal and did it.  That is not smart.
You ask questions first, you get instructions first, you talk to lots of people before you move not after you load the truck and the truck driver raises the price.  This is not smart. 
You do not ask advise after the mess that is advise from a Grandmother.

Thanks for the oh so constructive advice, smmr.