08.03.21

Oh yes, there are a lot of firsts going on here!

Ecuador is country number 35, and I’m going to throw Panama in there as number 34 even though I never got out of the airport! I figure, hey, if I’m landing on foreign soil then I’m in that country, but in the short while that I was at the airport it felt very Americanized.

And honestly, South America was not very high on my list of places to visit, but I may be changing my tune. I’ve been in Quito for only a few days, but I love the energy and vibe of the city. I am renting a room from a lifelong native and he does tours of the city so knows it well. We went to the downtown historic area, and I got educated and learned that Ecuador was the FIRST (see!) country in South America to be freed from Spain in the early 1800’s. Simon Bolivar was a genius and in turn helped other countries do the same. At one time there was an effort to make most of South America part of COLUMBIA, and had that happened, our maps would be much different.

This area is also seismically active and there are two volcanos just outside the city, Cotopaxi, which is still active (I will see it much closer in a few days), and Chimborazo, which is Ecuador’s highest peak at 20,548 feet (6,263 meters). I will be taking a motorcycle ride and a bus ride through them and look forward to that since volcanos have always been fascinated me.

Another first is the elevation where I am living, which is over 9,000 ft above sea level. So far, I have not felt it and the air is as crisp and clean as you would expect. The mountains surround the city and the view coming in from the airport was amazing as is the view from my room. When I went to bed the first night, I was awed by all the lights before me and the outline of the mountain peak. There is a cable car (Teleferiqo) nearby which takes you up the mountain called Pichincha (also active, last eruption in 1999) and I went to the cable car drop zone which is over 13,400 feet above sea level, the highest I have been. There is a path that goes to the TOP of Pichincha, and that is 15,695 ft., and I am giving that serious consideration…

I can’t say that I was ever really attracted to Latin American countries, but I also never thought that I would find myself living in Mexico! Shit happens, right? There is a large expat community here and I was told that the city of Cuenca is the largest expat haven for Americans in the entire world. I plan to go there shortly.

So South America is my fifth continent, and the first time in the southern hemisphere. The water in the toilet DOES flush counter-clockwise, which I did not even notice at first. In a few days I will straddle the northern/ southern hemisphere line and let you know if I am in fact pulled in two directions! At the equatorial line a toilet flush SHOULD go straight down without swirling. Stand by for videos of that!

I need to be back in the US about September 12th for a trip to Dubai which seems to be taking place. Travel is very day to day, week to week right now but so far the event that I’m due to speak at is still moving forward.

Unfortunately, COVID is not over, and who knows if it ever will be. It will impact our lives and certainly our travel for the foreseeable future, but even with having to deal with face masks, sanitizing lotions, and COVID test with every new country I enter, I’m just glad that it’s open to this point. Later this month I will join Kathleen and hit country #35: Peru.

My heart still lies in Europe, and I think that when this wanderlust is satisfied, that will be the base. Visa restrictions only allow 90 days generally, but I have no problem bouncing from one wonderful place to another every 90 days. And then there are a few safe havens like Albania and Georgia which offer a one-year visa. Like all of us, I am getting older day by day, and eventually we’ll have to stop. Where and when that might be is unknown, but until then I will continue to Travel Younger!