One week in Quito...

...Is plenty.

There is no denying Quito is a very beautiful city, particularly from above. The city is built on rolling hills, which makes for a gorgeous setting.

However, the horror stories I had been listening to all week from locals as well as fellow travelers on the roof of our hostel is enough to terrify any solo female traveler from grabbing the bull by the horns and taking on Quito. I try to take what people say with a grain of salt, but when every other person is giving you a laundry list of warnings, it's hard not to start nurturing an uneasy feeling in the pit of your stomach. You start calculating the odds of safety and think twice before stepping foot outside the hostel doors.

Muggings, theft, crafty techniques the locals use to distract you, taxi cab kidnappings.. the list goes on, but it mostly all revolves around targeting the gringo(a).

I found myself taking a deep breath of encouragement before leaving, and crossing my fingers when entering a taxi at night, hoping he would take me to my destination rather than on an infamous "taxi cab kidnapping". I was getting completely caught up in the warnings, and found myself tensing up as I walked down the street.

Part of it could have been exxagerated. Because that's how it goes.. People never tell you about the time they walked down the street and didn't get mugged, they only tell you those instances where something did go wrong. You only hear the bad stuff. So as it went, I never ran into any problems, nor did I have any close calls... As far I could tell anyway.

All warnings aside, I had a good time. I attempted to eat bbq guinea pig, an expensive Ecuadorian delicacy here, went to the centro del mundo (the equator line), climbed a church and a couple questionable ladders in order to get a 360 view of quito, had multiple cervezas on the roof of my hostel, played endless card games and even learned a couple new tricks, met so many friendly people from all over the world, took spanish lessons at La Pinchinca school (I highly recommend this place.. they are incredibly helpful and patient, and my teacher Rosarito was just a gem), had tons of laughs with Rosarito over things completely lost in translation, made the mistake of bringing up football in a local bar, took a "party bus" solely because it was cheaper, and then got lucky enough to get the dreaded stomach bug from eating some mystery meat. Again. But this time only one day of lying in bed puking. I consider that lucky.

Quito was a good starting point for me, and although I enjoyed parts of it, I was more than happy to pack my bag and book it out of town after a week.

A couple days ago I took a bus to Mindo Cloud Forest, and I can't tell you how amazing it feels to breathe in fresh air and wake up to the sound of the roaring river, as opposed to waking up in a coughing fit from the pollution.

As it goes right now, I am sitting on the edge of my lodge on a wooden bench next to the river and a swarm of humming birds. Crazy to think this is only two hours from Quito. But, I like countries of contrast.. It's nice to experience the diversity.. And for now, I'm appreciating this one.

Some from Quito...

Off to South America

There's nothing quite like the feeling of sitting alone in an airport terminal, holding a one-way ticket to a foreign country.

It's exciting, scary, nerve-racking and liberating all at once. Depending on the ticket's destination, it also of course has an element of danger... which I will address later.

In any event, I thrive on these feelings. Doing something challenging and seemingly drastic forces you to break down your walls and through your comfort zone... and question how they got there in the first place.

So again I am taking the plunge...

I have booked a one-way ticket to Ecuador all set for the first week of March. I plan to start in Quito, navigate my way through Ecuador, improve my Spanglish, and then make my way into Peru to do some volunteer work in a city called Pisco. Pisco is located on the coast of Peru, just south of Lima, an area which was completely destroyed by an earthquake a few years ago. The volunteer work entails building, drilling, and fixing... all tasks I am certainly unqualified for, but what the hell, why not? I've always wanted to do some hardcore back-breaking volunteer work. For one, helping people in need is a great thing to do, and secondly, it is great for the soul. Everybody wins.

I've always been drawn to South America. A few years ago I spent about a week in Argentina (with travel partners I could NEVER top!), and ever since have wanted to go back and explore other parts of the continent. And there's a somewhat logical reason I've chosen the countries I have. They do flow nicely along the pacific side of the continent, which is a plus. But also, as much as I love the excitement and liveliness that large urban cities have to offer, there is something to be said about the rugged charm of more underdeveloped, remote locations.

My general plan is to navigate my way through Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and if time and resources permit... Colombia.

So the danger thing... People often tell me how dangerous it can be out there, and they have a valid point. However, not to sound completely morbid, we are on the brink of potential danger every day. Walking down the street has an element of danger. And so does driving a car. Every day people are killed in car accidents on their way home from work, or struck crossing the street by a driver who was too preoccupied to see the light turn red. We are constantly facing risky situations, the difference being these risks we have grown accustomed to.

But hopping a plane and embarking on an adventure to a third-world country.. Exciting! But yes, this comes with a new set of possible risks, a little more to be left to the imagination. What if I get robbed? What if I get malaria? What if I get kidnapped by Colombian drug lords? There can be great fear in the unknown.

I guess the most important thing is to be careful, trust your instincts, and enjoy the ride. Life is meant to be lived!

So off I go...

And don't worry, I will be just fine.



"You can be careful every single day, then trip over a bar of soap in your suburban home and break your head open having never visited Colombia."- Mango :)