GoodBye Ecuador

So I was finally able to leave Ecuador. A country that i fell in love with - for the people who are so friendly, open, curious and helpful. Most of the people will go out of their way to help someone. I loved the ability ot explore the natural environments - whether it be the forests, the cloud forests, the mountains, the volcanoes and the coast. The land, the Andes are just incredible!

Here is one last photo of the Alto Choco Cloud forest. The river that i could hear all day and night from the cabins. AAAAhhhhhh luscious tranquility! I also found out that cloud forests make up only 2.5% of the earth´s tropical forests. They are cloud forests when they are at elevations of 1500 -3000 meters and are frequently or seasonly covered in fog or clouds. In the case of ALto Choco, we typically had cloud cover in the afternoons. Cloud forests typically have a realtively high humidity, low temperatures and lower levels of light penetration. These conditions make it possible for the incredible diversity of epiphytic plants (plants that live on tops of trunks and branches) such as orchids, mosses, bromeliads etc

I took a bus from Quito to Guayquil and then Guayquil to Lima. The bus rides were actually fun and quite comfortable. I was making some bracelets out of natural fibra and macrameing. Some of the people were really curious. So I ended up teaching the woman sitting next to me how to make one and then a 9 year old girl in the back. She was just super fun and it wasn´t only because she thought I was 21 and then 17 years old. HeeHee. Another woman asked if I was selling them so I might have a little business starting. For now, at least it will help cover the costs of the materials.

It is amazing to me how the people here do not like to have people traveling alone. On my trip down to Guayquil people showed genuine concern for my well being and were worried. Fellows here see a single woman and they instantly want to help. I have had 2 men help me and specifically say you shouldn´t be alone. They will take you anywhere you need to go just so you are not alone and then of course try asking for a date. Then I found out I will be traveling with a friend I met in ZooBreviven - Neil - and that I will meet him in Lima. On my 31 hour bus trip down to Lima, people again asked if I were traveling alone and when they found out I was meeting a friend in Lima - they were so relieved. This is quite a big cultural difference for me. It is quite funny at the same time because I feel like a samurai warrior with swords trying to keep the men back because they can not take no for an answer and because they believe that a woman should not be alone.

South along the PanAmerican highway, there were tons of bananas for kilometers and kilometers. Instead of corn, we have bananas. It is Ecuador´s biggest transport behind oil.

I want to thankso many people for making this Ecuadorian trip such an amazing journey! Marisol, German, Andresm Germancito, MaryPaz, Muñeca, Myriam, Ramiro, Santos, Rebecca, Elena, Neil, Mimi, Dylan, Krysi, Dennis, Julie, Klara, Nikki, Ben, Matteo, Miguel, and Diego. This truly was an adventure of a lifetime!!!!!