Seizing the Day, Northern Ecuador
We have been on the road for almost three years. While there are so many more beautiful places to visit, it is our friends that mean the most. Experiencing a place with others makes the experience much greater. The laughter, the sharing, the food, and the love. Hugging goodbye knowing we will meet again still doesn't make the sting any softer. There are so few of us remaining from the original group we started our journey with, most are back in their home countries. Those new friends we have made are cherrished as equally as the old, yet rejoining those from the beginning holds a very special place in our hearts. When our paths cross, no day is more wonderful.
What We Did
Papallacta, Napo
We were wanting a soak in some thermal pools, our last foray while in Colombia was mostly unsatisfactory, but we were concerned with the altitude of Papallacta. At 10,800 feet (3,300 meters), it was close in height to where Mandi started feeling horrible at El Cocuy. We decided to take a chance and visit the thermal pools of Papallacta anyway, surprisingly both of us felt normal. Possibly our long stay in Villa de Leyva, at 7,100 feet (2,165 meters), might have done us some good... besides all of the great food and friends. Termas de Papallacta, $8.50 per person to access the thermal pools and $6 per person to camp, was well worth the total of $29 it cost for the two of us for the one night we spent there. We liked it so much, we returned after visiting Otavalo for two more nights.
Quito, Pichincha
We had been messaging Joe & Josee more than usual since we were fairly close. They were in Quito getting some dental and truck maintenance performed, giving us the chance to catch them after 18 months apart, we last saw them in Guatemala (August of 2016). Josee and I also have the same birthday so it was really great to spend it together eating and drinking like no time had separated us at all. Adding that extra icing, two other overland couples joined us for the occasion, Chris & Nicole and Ioannis (Yianni) & Rochelle (Overland Diaries).
Our four days spent together camping at the Circulo Militar parking lot, $8 per 24 hours, was absolutely wonderful. We mostly drank coffee, chatted, and had big meals together. We did visit a fantastic gear store recommended by Chris & Nicole, Tatoo, spending way too much money on replacement backpacks and a new rain jacket for myself...happy birthday! We also ventured to the old city with Joe & Josee, Josee and I toured an old opulent church (La Compania de Jesus) complete with a gold plated interior for $6 each including tip. Photographs weren't allowed, it was really over the top since almost everything was covered in gold. **Note - After attempting to stay at the parking lot again when we returned from the Galapagos we were told they no longer allowed foreigners to stay there, boo.
Cotopaxi National Park, Cotopaxi
Our plan was to head north but we just couldn't leave all of our friends so we followed them south to Cotopaxi. Entrance to the park, as well as camping, is free so it was a great offset to our spending spree in Quito and camping practically all alone with friends in nature cannot be beat. At 12,600 feet (3,845 meters), it was the highest place we had stayed overnight, but we both felt fine and drank lots of coca tea just in case. Again lots of coffee (tea), conversations and big meals were shared. After three nights we left the group to venture north and to get ready for our upcoming visit to the Galapagos. It was a hard goodbye, now only a month separates us from Joe & Josee, we will catch them sooner next time!
Mindo, Pichincha
Trying our luck at a rain forest, it living up to its designation, we decided to visit Mindo for slightly warmer temperatures and a much lower altitude. We camped at La Bicok, $7 per person per night if you stay more than 1 night - $9 per person normally, for four nights. It rained almost the entire time so my new rain jacket proved useful and we mostly only visited El Quetzal for breakfast and one really fantastic dinner. All of the famed birds were hunkered down just as we were so insects proved to be majority of the active wildlife. We did happen upon a really nice craft brewery, Pileus Brewery, after meeting the owner while wandering town. Mandi had a flight of the 6 available brews for $12 (Mango Habanero IPA, Smoked Pumpkin Ale, Hoppy Ale, IPA, Organic Cacao Vanilla Stout, Organic Cacao Stout), choosing the Mango Habanero IPA as her favorite.
Otavalo, Imbabura
Many had told us to check out the Condor Park in Otavalo, $4.75 per person, so we left Mindo earlier than we had originally planned to give it a try. We camped at Hostal Curinan, $5 per person per night, since we arrived on a day the park was closed. Visiting the park the next day was well worth it. The weather wasn't the best but wandering around the grounds reading about the different species onsite then catching the 11:30 flight show was fantastic. Otavalo is famous for its Saturday market, we visited during the week and have been to many markets during our trip, so we again changed our plan and drove back to the hot springs of Papallacta before parking just outside Quito and flying to the Galapagos.
Where are we now
Look Rock, TN
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