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I was told I could ask for a toiletry kit?
So, our day started at 5 am on Saturday. We got up, showered, and finished packing so that we were ready for our 6 am taxi to the Manta airport. The driver showed up right on time and we said farewell to Puerto Lopez. The drive was an hour and a half or so andContinue…
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I need no more exfoliation
December 2, 2016 We had no plans for today. Our intention was to sit in front of our place, read in our hammocks, and get up every once in a while to eat or swim or don more sunscreen. We got up lateish, with power on, and readied ourselves for breakfast. We really enjoyed ourContinue…
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The sun shines in Puerto Lopez
December 1, 2016 We woke up with the chickens, literally today because when there’s no power to run our room fan, you can actually hear them in the morning. So, there’s no power, a limited amount of hot water, and it’s overcast and misty out. I think I was praying too hard for sun yesterday.Continue…
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We see boobies everywhere!
November 30, 2016 Hola, amigos! Today we woke up with the chickens, though not literally. There were a few lodgings that we did wake up to chickens, but on the beach, we are pollo-less. We ate breakfast at our hotel. It’s nice cause they just charge it all to the room and at the end,Continue…
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Our first tuk tuk ride!
November 29, 2016 Today we woke up in Guayaquil, found breakfast at a local cafe/bakery, and caught a cab to the bridge to Isla Santay. Isla Santay is a protected, mangrove island connected to Guayaquil by an 800 or so meter bridge. On the Guayaquil side, you can rent bikes to go across and exploreContinue…
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Don’t say it. I’ve been thinking it, but don’t say it
November 28, 2016 Today we woke up early to try to catch photos of the sun rising over Cuenca. Unfortunately, it was cloudy, but we were still able to see some wonderful scenery with the low-lying clouds in front of the nearby mountains. Ran back to the hotel to catch breakfast before we went toContinue…
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Awe crap, we’re in a gringo restaurant
November 27, 2016 Today, we slept in late (til 7 am!), showered in our delicious hot water, and went downstairs to get our breakfast. Scrambled eggs are either very popular in Ecuador, or it’s what all the white folk eat. We choose to believe it’s the former. We had a couple hours to kill beforeContinue…
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I have dirt in crevices I didn’t know I had
November 26, 2016 Today we woke up, ate breakfast, loaded up Manuel’s burros, and started hiking towards Ingapirca, Ecuador’s most preserved archeological site. Manuel had an 8 or 9 hour walk home today to Achupallas with his horse and burros, so he left our stuff with a camioneta (truck for hire) about an hour intoContinue…
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More stars than Hollywood
November 25, 2016 Black Friday on the Inca Trail. Crap, it rained in the night. Not a huge problem, but Anika’s pack towel and our hiking poles were outside getting all wet. Nathan spent part of the prior evening outside looking at all of the stars. There was no moon and no clouds overhead andContinue…
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Ella es sucio
Thanksgiving Day 2016 Day 1 on the Inca Trail. We were picked up in Riobamba near our hotel and driven to the start of our hike on the Inca Trail near Achupallas. I should take a break here and say that our breakfast in Riobamba consisted of 2 hardboiled eggs each, still hot, cafe conContinue…
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The view from the john is just so lovely or the day Anika nearly lost her cool
November 23, 2016 So, today we left Chugchilan and the wonderful Black Sheep Inn. We had Washington come to pick us up at 8:30 so that we could enjoy another lovely breakfast at a reasonable hour instead of getting up to catch the 6 am bus. I’ll let you take guesses which one of usContinue…
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The day we were pickpocketed by a branch
November 22, 2016 Today we shared a truck ride with other guests to Quilotoa. We set out from the rim of the crater and hiked down to the lagoon, stopping to take tons of photos and talk to other tourists. The volcano is technically still active, as evidenced by the bubbles rising to the surface.Continue…
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The ‘do not choose your own adventure’ hike or the day the ambassador came to dinner
November 21, 2016 Our driver Washington picked us up promptly at 8 am for our drive from Quito to Chugchilan and the Quilotoa loop area. It was a beautiful clear day so we were able to see Volcans Cotopaxi, Cayambe, Antisana, and the mountains Los Ilinizas. We arrived at Black Sheep Inn by noon andContinue…
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Hola mi amor! What are you doing on the southern side of the equator?
November 20, 2016 Yesterday we arrived and got familiarized with our surroundings. Today we saw El Panecillo and Monumento de la Virgen de Quito, which from a distance, looks like a flying monkey from the Wizard of Oz. Don’t tell, I think they’d be offended. Then on to the TeleferiQo and Mitad del Mundo, seenContinue…