Ecuador Out!

C'est fini! Like it says in the song: All the money I had is gone...now we are serious. I have spent every thin dime I could lay my hands on...and then some...the decision to go to Galapagos has put me a few $$$ in the hole.

It was a great trip. Met lots of cool backpackers, made a bunch of new Facebook buddies, interacted with a fair share of locals, use many modes of transportation and sports (walk, run, hike, ferry, fly, bus, hitchhike, car, boat, snorkel, zipline, surf, bike, etc). Other than a small element in Quito (I was robbed by a trio in a restaurant. They got my daybag...no big deal, lost about $15 worth of stuff plus the bag, a gunneysack...still embarrassing to get that sloppy after all this time travelling), I found everyone very friendly and honest to a fault. The transportation system worked like a charm (as long as your safety standards weren't too high and you could handle a certain level of confusion). The hostels and hostals worked out very well, the food was cheap and the sites visited were amazing.

I can see why everyone loves to travel for months in South America. I could easily spend another month in Ecuador, visit all new places and have just as great a time. I didn't get to the Amazon side of the Andes...but I will.

A quick review of the trip: NYC to see Emily, friends and relatives. Washington for the Restore Rally (so cool). Quito, Ecuador, a trip to the coast to surf in Canoa, some hiking above 12,000 ft in the indigenous village of Quilitoa, canyoning/biking/hiking in the volcano erupting town of Banos, snorkeling with turtles off the cruise boat in the Galapagos and lots of town to town walking and hitchhiking. I definitely feel like I know the place.

I also seriously need to learn enough working Spanish. I can get about fine, but interactions with locals are seriously limited by my lack of the local language. Next stop in South America will be Chile or Venezuela.



Ecuador 2010

Winter approaches...what should I do?

I had a great summer, a mix of sports, working on my house 10-12 hours a week and keeping my travel kitty intact. I was outdoors every day, under no stress and now my house is all painted and fixed up, the cash flow is good, the health is good and I have 3 choices...spend my little stored $$$ on another trip, get a real job (Arghhhh!!!) or find a part-time job. My Mom thinks that my spending of this $$$ is stealing from my future. I don't see things the same way. I chose to backpack...this time in Ecuador.

Last year at this time was the perfect scenario, kids moved on, career job about to finish, pension and travel $$$ available, health and mobility good, desire to backpack very high. This year, the only thing that has changed is the access to $$$. To answer my Mom, stealing from what??? If I stay in Halifax another year or so to try and save $$$ to travel, I am losing time and possibly health and mobility.

What is the proper balance? All I know is that of the 5 requirements to get your butt out there and backpack (Time, money, health, mobility and desire), money is the cheapest commodity. You can borrow money, but not health and mobility.

So, Ecuador it is. Actually, the whole trip is fly to New York to visit daughter Emily and mother-in-law Sara. Emily has moved to NY to try and kick-start her business career. While in NY, I will train down to Washington for the Jon Stewart (Daily Show) "Restore the Sanity" rally, spend a few days, back to New York then onward to Quito for a 30 day trip. Why Quito?? It was the farthest away I could receive on my short-wave radio when I was a teenager. It is smack in the Andes, and the plane lands at 9,000+ ft. How cool is that?

I'll get in some hiking, a lot of walking, some surfing in Manta (same place Emily and Matt went for a surfing vacation) and allow things to happen as they will.

I'll be back for Christmas. It looks like both Sophie (coming back from Korea) and Emily will be home as well.

And you run, and you run to catch up with the sun, but it's sinking
Racing around to come up behind you again
The sun is the same in a relative way, but you're older
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death