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Published: December 6th 2008
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The View from my Hostel room
In the center is the Basilica del Voto Nacional at night I have felt weird since I woke up this morning. There is excitement to return home, to be around familiar surroundings and see friends and return to a more normal life with it's benefits. I have to admit I am ready to speak English and hear English regularly again, the last three weeks of being so challenged due to my lack of Spanish has worn me out, it gets quite tiring. I was told at an early part of my trip, by a veteran traveler, that there are three necessities to travel: having patience, having a sense of humor and having spare toilet paper. I came to Ecuador with all three, the first two are starting to wear a bit thin. This morning I went into a cafe and tried to order breakfast, so through miss communication I ended up with a dinner plate (of meat and rice, again!) at 730am, I was more frustrated then amused. Immediately afterwards I was laughed at by the growing line of Ecuadorians at a shop because I couldn't figure out what the price was from the woman behind the counter, numbers can be hard to understand. These little things have occurred time and again
but today I felt ready to have them stop. All of this was expected before I left and I have certainly gotten used to it. I would jump at the chance to stay longer but I also feel a sense of relief to return to what and where I know. At the same time I am truly sad that I have to leave already, I have enjoyed this trip so much and it, as most good times, has flown by. I already have the post trip blues and I'm not even on the plane.
All that being said I have really enjoyed the bit of time I spent in Quito. The hot springs in Papallacta were everything I had heard they would be. Many different pools of varying temperature, all neatly designed surrounded by breath taking views of the mountains in a beautiful lush valley. 3 great hours of soaking and relaxing. Then last night I was invited out by a couple of Americans living in Quito teaching whom I had met last weekend on the hiking tour in Cajas. I met one of the girls Angie at a restaurant opening at a hip little place where I was
treated to free drinks, food, and some conversation with a few Americans living in Ecuador, fun evening. The taxi ride back got a bit complicated when I told the driver that my hostel was on Ruis and Espinoza. He looked at me with complete confusion. He called his dispatch, no ideas. We walked into a hotel where eventually the whole staff was drawn into a discussion, of which I offer nothing but "Ruis and Espinoza...hostel Margarita" that was met with looks of doubt and confusion. I became really worried that I had totally forgotten the address. Finally after much time and discussion and shrugs and phone calls the address was revealed "RIOS and Espinoza"...yep I felt silly but not too bad, I was awfully close. None the less the taxi driver received an enormous tip which hopefully made his night and served as stupidity tax for me not writing down the hostel address.
This morning I wandered around the Old City, a really interesting hilly area. Beth, the other American I met in Cajas was nice enough to offer her spare room at her great house in Quito. The view is superb out her living room window. She was
also nice enough to show me a bit of Quito and even get me to place to eat cuy. Oh yes, I have now eaten Guinea Pig! I will not share any of my opinions on the cuisine, that's for everyone else to find out for themselves. The vacation is over, I am relaxing tonight and probably waking up early for one last walk around an Ecuadorian city, who knows when if ever I will do that. Look for one last blog in a day or two after I return, I have some thoughts I'd like to sort out and share. This trip has given me so much to think about and so many memories, just a lot to take home with me and no regrets, none on this vacation (okay yes, I regret not learning Spanish...but that was a given before I left).
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