Heading home... reflections on the past 6 months

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After an exciting but very busy time in Peru Isabelle and decided to return to the Ecuadorian coast for the final two and a half weeks.. We went back to my second home at Pais Libre in Canoa. The sun was still shining and the surf still pumping, this was the perfect place to wrap up 6 months of travel.

I introduced Isabelle to Canoa on a Saturday night, we went for dinner at Doug's house and then crammed 3 on the motorbike and hit the Rumba (party) on the beach. Weekends are more or less always the same people jam onto the street and bounce between beach bars or loiter outside on the street drinking cheap rum from one of many of the local tiendas. The bars blast music ( always the same 15 songs ) and compete for dancers to occupy their piece of sand...it all eventually gets old, but it felt good to be home 😊

After a week in Canoa we decided to travel down the coast to Ayampe a very small surfing town... there was nothing more than a few places to stay and a couple of restaurants and most importantly, a beautiful and empty beach... this was a paradise. We met Ryan and Vanessa a Canadian couple that opened up Otra Ola a surf, yoga and Spanish school. We were introduced to delicious corviche (platano dough with peanut sauce wrapped around fish and deep fried), the parakeet at the corner store, the most comfortable hammocks at the Finca Restaurant at the top of the hill, and fresh made granola (with chocolate!) at Leone's cafe. After two nights in Ayampe Isabelle and I said our goodbyes, she was traveling back to Lima to fly home and I would stay in Ayampe for a couple more days. The surf had become wild and was too strong for me, but this gave me the opportunity and excuse to do absolutely nothing but lay in a hammock, stroll along the beach, and just think. It sounds crazy but up until this point I didn't feel like l had much time to sit and reflect..

I fell I love with the warmth of the people in Colombia, the culture in Peru, and the coast of Ecuador.. I have learned so much. I have learned to breathe, slow down, and that it is OK to do absolutely nothing. I have learned if you search hard enough you can find calmness in almost all situations and it is OK to let your mind wander and sometimes go a little crazy just as long as you eventually bring it back home.

Throughout this trip I have discovered what, and who is important to me. I have met wonderful people, people who have challenged me, and people I have learned from. Strangers quickly became new friends and bonds with old friends were strengthened (Ali and Isabelle were the most wonderful travel companions imaginable and I guarantee at times I would have lost my sanity without them).The people on this journey have lift my spirit to a new realm I did not know even existed...

As I look back over my photos and entries in my journal I am overwhelmed with happiness.. never did I expect to gain so much. Whenever there was a frustrating moment or time when I felt down someone or something good always found its way into my life... I've realized you simply have to ask and it comes to you.

I have learned to create happiness and not search for it.. happiness comes from within and when you have it it is infectious... I have learned it is not important how many countries you visit, or sites you see, but it is the simple and daily interactions that mean so much more.

I have taken photos, written stories, built sandcastles, rode surf boards, hiked mountains, watched countless sunsets, and dreamed in Spanish...South America truly made me whole and alive.

The best journeys answer the questions you never knew you had when you started... mission accomplished. Thank you for being a part of this journey. America del Sur, gracias con todo mi corazon.

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Comments

[Tim Morrill]

Beautiful
Nice pictures. Thanks for posting them. Just seeing them makes me want to go there!

[Gypsy Blood Wanderer]

thanks :)
Thanks so much, I am glad you enjoyed them :)