South America Adventure-Part 1

After 23 hours, four airports, three flights and two very crooked necks we finally arrived in Quito, Ecuador Sunday Jan. 8 around 11:30 p.m.  Aside from the sheer duration of our trip, everything went very smoothly, and it was nice to touch down without any extra stresses-i.e. lost baggage, canceled flights, panic attacks due to my fear of flying.  That night we were looking forward to relaxing and getting good nights rest in an actual bed, but little did we know that our adventure would begin immediately upon stepping into an Ecuadorian taxi for transport to our hostel in Old Town.  It was a bit of a drive-25 minutes or so-and apparently red lights, driving lanes and traffic signs don´t really mean that much here!  Thank God there were handles in that cab, that´s all I have to say. Although, it was a bit...well...terrifying, it was also kind of thrilling speeding down the streets of a foreign country not knowing what will come around the next bend, or hell, if we´ll even make the corner, but it was a feeling I instantly embraced and it reminded me why I´ve missed traveling so much.

Our hostel was located in the historical district of Quito, which meant skinny cobble stone streets, non-existent sidewalks, and a plethora of churches.  We spent a good deal of time exploring this area and the deep history that seemed to ooze from the architecture.  The Central Plaza was a nice spot to hang out and mingle with some of the locals, and we found La Basilica, which rested in the middle of Old Town and was the tallest structure in the area. We were able to enter for $2 and climb up through the steeples, about six stories high.  This trek included multiple rickety ladders and unsteady spiral staircases, but it was well worth the view at the top.

The weather was a bit stormy for our duration in Quito, and we did endure a hell of a freak hail storm while wandering the streets one day. However, our last full day there brought out the sun and allowed us to venture up Volcan Pichincha, a volcano which rests just on the outskirts of town.  Recently Quito installed a $2.2 million Gondola Chairlift called the TeleforiQo to allow easier access to the top of the volcano.  My guess is they were tired of hauling off the multiple tourists that went down on the hike due to the extraordinarily high altitude (Quito sits at about 9,000 feet with the top of Pichincha resting at 15,000) The ride was beautiful and allowed for a spectacular view of the city and surrounding towns.  Two friends from our hostel joined us for the trek, Dominik from Poland and Ceci from Argentina.  Ceci´s spanish was a godsend for us and provided us an opportunity to practice our Spanish and her to practice her English. After descending from atop the volcano, we wandered around the Mariscal disctrict and visited the Artisan Market where we saw some of the beautiful crafts native of Ecuador.

Although we enjoyed the city atmosphere, Quito, like any city was a bit sketchy and dangerous to be out at night.  However, our hostel had a rooftop terrace, so most nights were spent conversing with fellow travelers. We met some amazing people from all over the world.  There is such a beautiful, unspoken connection between travelers.  It is an instantaneous friendship experienced by the similarity of feeling so small in a foreign place.  It was truly amazing to feel those bonds again.  I so frequently find myself reminiscing about other traveling experiences, and I love to send a thought out to those that experienced those times with me, and those I met along the way.  Although, I love those moments, I try to reflect only briefly and remind myself to stay in the moment as I know I am creating memories that I will cherish reflecting on in the future.