Helpful Hints - Quito

A few other things I learned in Quito:

• Quito is 9,350 feet above sea level. Someone flying to Quito from sea level experiences an elevation change of nearly two miles in a matter of hours. Abrupt changes in elevation such as this sometimes have ill effects on travelers. Altitude sickness usually manifests itself in insomnia, headaches, and/or nausea.
• In my own experience, I had a mild headache for about the first 10 hours upon arriving in Quito. It wasn't terrible and it passed quickly enough. 
• We never quite figured out how tipping works in Ecuador. I read that a 10% tip is customary in a restaurant and that sometimes it is added to the bill. Sometimes we would see a line item on a bill for 'Servicio' and assumed it was a tip. One or two waiters told us that that tip was for the kitchen staff and a separate tip should be left for servers. 
• I hate getting cheated so hopefully the explanation of tipping was true. However, $700 USD is considered a good monthly salary in Ecuador so I don't mind leaving a little extra money with the locals. 
• Ecuador uses US currency. I used $100 bills to pay our national park fee at the airport in Baltra but basically you don't want to carry anything larger than a $20. Restaurants and coffee shops will not be able to change a $50 or $100.
• There seems do be a mix of US and local coins given with your change. They have local coins for 50 cents and 25 cents. 
• Most tours are packaged with a hotel night before you fly to the Galapagos and a hotel night when you return from the islands. 
• The free airport/hotel transfers are for your entire group on a small bus. 
• We were able to get our two hotel nights back-to-back before our trip islands. We arrived on Saturday night and stayed in the Hilton Colon Saturday and Sunday before departing for the islands on Monday morning. 
• Your hotel stays will likely include the breakfast buffet so be sure to ask before you go out and pay for breakfast elsewhere. 
• When we returned from the islands we rode the bus with the group back to the Hilton Colon and then took a taxi to our Airbnb.
• We saw plenty of good Airbnb options in Quito for about $30 USD per night. 
• You need earplugs for sleeping. Quito gets quiet but there's always a motorcycle zipping through the streets or a barking dog.