Blogs from Otavalo, North, Ecuador, South America

Our first 2 days in Ecuador were spent at a great hostel in Quito (Hostel Revolution) getting used to the altitude and finding the central market for supplies and lunch. We decided not to have the potatoes and leather or the leather and booklet! We learned that the bus system of Quito takes a bit of getting used to….we were warned to keep each other and our other valuables closely guarded which seemed ok until we finally, after a couple of false starts due to nerves, managed to barge our way onto the bus which was soooo crowded that you had to literally throw yourself off the approach ramp which are built into the bus stops and onto the bus before the doors shut. At one point I (Jan) was on the bus but the doors ... read more

I very much enjoyed the time we spent as a group in Otavalo. It was fantastic to be able to see such a different way of life, and only an hour or so from Quito. By far though, my favorite part of the excursion was being able to relate to them in our interactions. In general, at the various stands I purchased items at, I could tell that they knew I was from either Europe or the U.S. At one stand in particular, I struck up a conversation after my purchase of a Quena (a flute/recorder hybrid instrument), and he asked me where I was from, inferring that he knew I wasn't from around here. He was very kind though, he complemented my Spanish speaking and I'm sure he talked a little slower so that I ... read more

All kind of people travel. You have the single travellers, the couples, the friends, the families, and infrequently the mother-daughter pair. But it is not often you encounter the mother-son combination. The eyes stop to look, the minds wonder. We are different. Not the norm for the road. We stand out. But the reactions are invariably positive. How is it to travel with my mother? Not hard. But there are differences with travelling alone of course. Probably the biggest issue is the discrepancy in spending power. My budget is lower than my mums. It’s not always easy. I don’t want my mum to have to travel like I do, vice-versa, my mother doesn’t want me to break my bank to keep up with her. For the Galapagos I decided to go on par with my mother, ... read more

We arrived in Otavalo exhausted by the bus ride but excited for the markets on the following day. We quickly found accomodation in supurb hotel with a stunning view of the surrounding volcanic formed mountains. After a short rest we eagerly ventured out into Otavalo eager to get a feel for this well known town. We enjoyed some outstanding mexican food, discovered where the local panderia's were. Important information as fresh bread has quickly become our favoured breakfast when on the go. We walked through the market area full of questions about exactly what these famed markets would be like. We realised the following morning that our imaginings could not possibly have prepared us for the chaotic fiesta of the market. We hesitantly ventured out into the neighbouring street to our hotel which had almost by ... read more

I have arrived in Ecuador no problem transferring in Houston although I did get a bit worried when it was taking what seemed like ages to get through customs! Whilst queuing for security in Houston I got talking to a guy called Renan(sp?) unfortunately he was flying to DC not Quito but he did give me a note from Honduras which is worth about 25cents apparently! So I finally landed in Quito at 11pm (5am British time). I got a bit concerned that I should only be bringing 1 phone into the country & I had 2 but apparently it's fine especially as the one doesn't actually work in Ecuador. Then I had a slight panic that my luggage hadn't arrived because it wasn't going around the carousel but it turned out airport staff had taken ... read more