Immediately following my previous blog I walked into a transition timezone leading to a blur that I am only now, over a month later, trying to clear. I noticed the winds picking up, but rather than trying to resist I was speedily carried away through five floating weeks without ever finding a rest stop. Somehow, I have now been dropped back in Quito with time to think and to share!At the beginning of February I finally recognized the sound of the ticking clock and realized that my six month period with Rotary was drawing to a close before I ever imagined it would. On past international travels I have noticed how fast time seems to pass. Your lived experience equates to a constant bombardment of new thoughts, words, smells, encounters, and style of life, that once summed, does not allow a "routine" in the true sense of the word to create the stagnancy that makes time slow down. It is an interesting state that I think many of you who have traveled abroad may relate to. As I ponder the incredulity of six months already gone, I also note the sheer quantity of ideas and adventures that have filled the time. It has been like a Cadbury's chocolate bar...so good that you eat it before you know you even started, but even after it's physically gone, the unforgettable flavor hangs on.
The second week of February was the goodbye week at my language school for Shigeki, the six month Japanese Rotary Scholar, and myself. Both of us had coincidentally started our classes on the same day, September 1, 2008, and so finished on the same day as well, February 13, 2009. With classes seven hours a day and one-on-one for an extended period of time, we had shared great conversations, overcome linguistic frustrations, learned to appreciate different teaching and learning styles, and most of all, become friends as opposed to simple teachers and students. Each of us gave our final presentations, which amounted to an hour of nerves and sweat and a desire to do justice to all the work our professors had done in our benefit. And then on lucky Friday, February the 13th, we celebrated our happy despedida (farewell).
Hours later my family landed and we took off on a trip to the Galapagos that exceeded all expectations. The islands are worth every ounce of credit they receive. What amazed me, even more than the untouched beauty, was the unnatural relationship between animal and human. The Galapagos, to the science mind, has been inextricably linked to the theory of evolution, and I felt it immediately in the presence of the wild sea lions, iguanas, blue-footed boobies and numerous other animals. The animals, living in isolation, have never felt a threat from humans, and therefore paid no attention to our presence, allowing for us to venture within inches without creating even a stir. The closeness and variety of unique life was truly impressive. Priyanka, who traveled with us, actually already wrote a great blog on our Galapagos adventures and if you are interested in more I recommend reading what she had to say.
Refreshed from a week in the sun, my parents and brother returned to work in the states, and I took off on a two week hiking trip with Hudson to southern Ecuador. On our first stop, Quilotoa, we were accompanied by Priyanka, Ingred and Angella, and had a great time hiking the crater lake together. Quilotoa is a 3 km in diameter lake that now sits in the caldera created by the collapse of the volcano in an eruption that took place approximately 800 years ago. Thanks to the alkaline content and dissolved minerals the lake has a beautiful turquoise color in the shade that shifts to a green glow in the sun. One of the most breath-taking sights I have seen, and definitely the highlight of my two week backpacking stint, the path along the ridge line circumference of the lake was awesome!
After hiking the lake the girls returned to Quito and Hudson and I gathered are packs. We embarked on the approximately 8 mile hike to the small town of Chugchilan. Following Lonely Planet's description of sandy spots, broken signs, and several two and three-way forks in the road, we found are way from the lake, down to the base of a canyon, past an eight foot jump across a river, and back up to the plateau town of Chugchilan. The picturesque hike afforded great views to go with our tired legs that we were more than happy to put up in hammocks at one of the greatest hostels in Ecuador, Hostal Mama Hilda. Chugchilan was a town of coincidences and happy meetings. There, I properly met a couple I had seen jump off a boat in the Galapagos a week before and was reunited with four friends from England that had actually been on our boat in the Galapagos.
Passing on the milk truck exit out of Chugchilan because of logistical reasons, Hudson and I endured 14 hours of travel on a total of three different buses to make it to Cuenca the next evening. In Cuenca we met up with Ashley, a friend from Fayetteville, and quickly moved on to Vilcabamba, a quaint town set in the folds of the southern mountains of Ecuador. Known as the valley of longevity, the area is "reputed to have beneficial effects on the health and life span of human beings." Who knows if my three days there will have any long term effects, but I most definitely felt healthy relaxing in Hostal Izhcayluma, swimming, and hiking around the area. Unfortunately, in Vilcabamba, also began our streak of bad hiking luck:Hike 1: White out conditions walking through pure mud to a cloud covered peak in Parque Nacional Podacarpus
Hike 2: Diverted on three different trail attempts by five bulls that lead me to make concerned calls to our taxi driver for advice on how to react when face to face with a bull
Hike 3: Up to the refuge of Cotopaxi and above reaching almost 5,000 meters only to remain in clouds and mist the whole time without ever getting a glimpse of the peak
Hike 4: Plan to climb Volcan Corazón failed the morning of due to bad weather and instead we returned to Quito
To go with the bad luck, however, we shared several laughs, games of rummy, and beautiful views of other peaks from our 37 hours of bus rides!!! Travel through the south was a fabulous journey that brought us back to Quito feeling a little fitter and very excited about all the adventures to come!
Since retuning to Quito I have enjoyed a busy week thanks to the overlap of U.S. spring breaks that has lead to visits from several friends. Last weekend we made a getaway to Baños for a downhill bike ride with Hudson's girlfriend Jamie, and our friend Leigh, who was studying abroad here in Ecuador last semester. And this week Priyanka's parents are around and we have enjoyed exploring Quito together. So basically, a couple more meals, a fun night out, and Friday morning I will hop on a plane to Peru. Next week brings a hike to Machu Picchu and the beginnings of southern explorations through Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile, that culminate on April 14th in Santiago! There is no telling how internet will be in the next couple of weeks, but I will do me best to post if I can. Over and out from Quito!!
