Catching Up

For days at a time I was off the grid. Ecuador is one of the most remote countries I have ever been to, and there were periods when we didn’t have electricity-- let alone cell phone service or internet. It was nice giving all those beeping, flashing electronics a rest, but it made blogging from the road impossible.

Luckily I still had an old fashioned notebook and pen so in the next few posts, I’ll be catching you up on what we ate, saw and learned. Here are a few of the basics.

The currency in Ecuador is the U.S. dollar.

Bus rides are about $1 an hour making a four-hour ride $4.

Livestock like cows, pigs, chickens, sheep and horses are everywhere. I’ve never seen so much poo.

With a spot on the equator and a hole in the ozone, the sun in Ecuador brutal. Sunburns are difficult to avoid.

The food was not to my taste, but lots of fresh fruit and abundant bakeries kept my stomach full.

Fresh juice (for those who can afford it) is an important part of the Ecuadorian diet.

For those unaccustomed to high elevation altitude sickness can be a serious problem. My first night in Quito, keeping up a conversation made me lose my breath.

Tourist and locals are often robbed in the tough city of Quito, but outside the city is safe, and the people are kind and helpful.

It’s time to get ready for work. There will be more to come. Let me know if you have any questions, and I’ll be happy to answer them.

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