Blogs from Baños, Centre, Ecuador, South America - page 4

Nachdem ich den Quilotoa loop beendet hatte, bin ich von Quilotoa nach Latacunga gefahren und von dort aus nach Baños. Die Busfahrt von Quilotoa nach Latacunga dauert ungefähr 2 Stunden (2$) und von dort aus sind es nochmal 3 Stunden (4$) nach Baños (mit einem Buswechsel in Ambato). Im ersten Bus habe ich Shane aus Australien kennengelernt. Ich hatte ihn bereits vorher in meinem Hostel in Isinlivi und ein paar Mal unterwegs gesehen, aber wir haben nie wirklich mit einander gesprochen. Er ist ein sehr netter Mann (um die 40 oder 50 denke ich) und er war schon in fast jedem Land der Welt außer in Südamerika. Er fuhr auch nach Baños, hatte sogar dasselbe Hostel gebucht wie ich, und so entschieden wir zusammen zu reisen. In Latacunga haben wir jeder unser Gepäck abgeholt und haben ... read more

As I dive into this March and April blog entry, let me start by saying "It feels so wonderful to be fully healthy again!!" A full month of challenges to heal after the stubborn kidney stone was removed from my body. I was supposed to need an internal catheter for just 2 weeks, but during the 2nd week a blood clot formed and I finally understood the extreme pain that everyone kept talking about. Sharp, severe pains began about 9:30 pm. I took a hot shower, then a cold one but by midnight the agony was so intense that I called Jean (who had driven down from Quito with me in case I needed help) and asked her to drive me to the hospital. I spent about 2 hours in the emergency room with IV painkillers, ... read more

A break from my typical dashing-around lifestyle -- it’s been really wonderful to be able to just hold still for a while. For more than 2 months I’ve stayed put, not driving more than the 3 miles from my house to town, 2 miles to the thermal mineral baths or to the next village to meet with one of my English students. I stayed over house-sitting at Carol & Kirk's gorgeous home (a mile from mine). CiCi came with me, joining their two dogs and two cats. When we returned home after 10 days I think she was happy to be an “only pet” again. Although these past months have not been filled with new places, they have been rich with pets & people - time with many friends both old and new. I often took ... read more

Møjn! Et par hektiske dage i Banos lakker mod enden. Det har været nogle helt vilde dage med fuld drøn på oplevelser og adrenalin. Banos er en by i de østlige Andesbjerge, og grænser op til skov og junglen, vi er kommet lidt ned højdemæssigt men er dog stadig 1800 m.o.h. Banos er kort fortalt én stor legeplads for alskens aktiviter hvor man kan få pulsen op og nyde den flotte natur. Byen ligger i en bjegdal med vulkanen Turunguaruah på den ene side. Lige ved byen passerer en flod som er udgangspunkt for alskens sjov og spas og flot natur, første dag lejede vi mountainbikes og kørte i bjergene langs floden, langs floden er der så forskellige ting man kan prøve, bla. ziplines (eller "canopy" som de kalder det her). Det måtte vi selvfølgelig prøve. ... read more

The past two months I've mostly stayed home in Baños, enjoying the last of the good weather before our rainy winter begins. Miraculously, we still have more sunny days than rainy, but it often pours all night and gets really cold; down into the 30’s (F) a few times! I suddenly found myself with lots of free time -- how to fill my days? I’ve been going to the thermal baths three times a week, swimming laps and doing the water aerobics exercises I learned from a Dutch physical therapist who was living in Baños. She’s gone now, but I have a photo document to help me remember the moves and I met a German gal who also studied with her, so every Friday Mikaela & I try to do an hour of water aerobics together, ... read more