Alethea's Excellent Adventures

A Year of Building, Growing, and Showing Up

2026-01-12T19:04:00.006-06:00

This year was less about checking destinations off a map and more about putting down roots—literally and figuratively—in Galápagos. It was a year defined by construction dust, permits, community, resilience, and the satisfaction that comes from seeing multiple projects come to fruition.

The year began with continued construction at Plaza Comercial Surf Discovery (PCSD). The Campbells arrived in mid-January, hauling supplies and energy for their month-long visit. Together, we built out the shipping container office for Galapagos Surf Discovery and added much-needed storage to our apartment terrace. Progress was steady, hands-on, and very real.

February brought a major milestone: the occupancy permit for PCSD was officially issued. Considering the scope of the project, the fact that we managed to complete primary construction in eight months still feels remarkable. We celebrated with an inauguration party—though construction continued well beyond the ribbon-cutting as we added more windows, pergolas, and other refinements and improvements throughout the year.

In July, the Campbells returned for two intense weeks of projects—both for us and for our friends—while we also remodeled the empty space behind the plaza. The month ended on a dramatic note with a tsunami alert, a reminder that life in the islands often comes with a dose of the unexpected.

August opened new doors when PCSD received official permission to host events in the back lot and on the third floor. Since then, the space has come alive with movie nights, streaming of live sports, birthday parties, festivals, and gatherings that have transformed the plaza into a true community hub.

In September, I launched a GoFundMe for our friends, Bella and Andrés. We have now raised almost $5,000 which puts us close to halfway toward our overall goal. If you are reading this and are able to make a donation, please know that every little bit helps! At the same time, I was also dealing with the diagnosis of serious medical issues for two dear friends, and the subsequent implosion of their business here in San Cristóbal, a reminder that not all challenges are structural—and not all solutions are simple.

In November, Fabian and I made a long-delayed trip to Guayaquil for medical checkups. Thankfully, we are both in overall good health, but MRIs confirmed my cervical spine issues and a rotator cuff tear. For now the treatment is more physical therapy, which has not been particularly effective. It also marked a personal statistic that still feels surreal—887 consecutive days in Galápagos, from May 30, 2023 to November 2, 2025.

In December, another milestone arrived: PCSD was finally rented out at full occupancy. While modifications continue, the plaza is now operating as we envisioned. Even more meaningful, on December 13 we officially began construction on a home for Bella and Andrés, turning collective effort into something tangible and lasting.

Throughout all of this, our travel agency and tour operation continued to grow as we personally operated or coordinated over 566 unique tours, transportation, and other services in Galapagos and Ecuador. I also translated a book from Spanish to English, continued to provide administrative support for local businesses, and attended community meetings and participated in local events as much as possible.

In summary, this wasn’t a year of pause. It was a year of commitment—to projects, to people, and to the long game. And as always, the adventure continues.

2024: An Entire Year in Galapagos

2025-01-05T18:48:00.000-06:00

Wishing a slightly belated New Year's greetings to all of my blog readers! Another year has gone by in which I didn't manage to write a single blog post. Well, that's not entirely true, as I continue to create and update content on the Galapagos Surf Discovery website on a regular basis. When you're an independent business owner and are responsible for running an entire company, there's little time for much of anything that's not work-related. That also means that 2024 was the first year that I did not set foot outside of the Galapagos Islands; I didn't even go to continental Ecuador. As of today (January 5) I have been on the islands for 586 consecutive days!

With that as an intro, here's a month-by-month recap of some of the highlights (and a few of the not-so-great moments) of the year that was.

January

10 - The Campbells arrived in San Cristobal for their annual month-long visit. While we are usually pretty busy with tours during this time, we love cooking meals together, going on walks, visiting with friends, and just hanging out playing dominoes and other games on our fourth floor terrace.

Enjoying the sunset from our terrace in San Cristobal

February

5 - Fabian and I flew to Isabela with the Campbells and walked to the Wall of Tears, did the Sulphur Mines volcano hike and the Los Túneles excursion by boat. We flew back to San Cristobal on the 7th. A few days later, the plane we had been on for both flights had a mechanical failure during takeoff from SCY, made an emergency landing on the water, and quickly sank to the bottom of the ocean. Thankfully the pilot and passengers were rescued with no injuries.

Us at Sierra Negra Volcano Sulphur Mines

19 - GALAPAGOS SURFDISCOVERY S.A.S. was officially registered with The Superintendency of Companies, Securities and Insurance, the technical body that oversees and controls the organization, activities, operation, dissolution and liquidation of companies and other entities under the circumstances and conditions established by law in Ecuador.

25 - I went to Isla Lobos on a familiarization (FAM) trip with our clients Sandy and Ellie. During this week we had multiple clients visiting San Cristobal and were able to organize some unique activities for them with the support of the local Chamber of Tourism (CATURCRIST).

26 - Fabian and I started training for IRF (International Rafting Federation) certification. We completed one week of online classes followed by one week of intensive practical training and graduated on March 8.

29 - I ordered five paddleboards directly from a U.S. manufacturer who said they would handle all logistics for shipping them to Galapagos. After an unbelievable amount of drama with Ecuador customs, fines, threats of a lawsuit, etc. they were finally delivered to our door in San Cristobal on April 17. One month after that, we (Galapagos Surf Discovery in conjunction with Islanders Store) were granted full permission by Galapagos National Park and the local port authority to operate SUP tours in addition to our kayak tours.

March

16 - We hosted our first "dinner with the locals" in which Fabian and I prepare a meal with as many locally-sourced ingredients as possible for clients of Come To Galapagos. This is now a regular feature of their custom island-hopping tours.

April

2 - Galapagos Surf Discovery was officially registered with MINTUR, the Ministry of Tourism in Ecuador, as a licensed travel agency and tour operator.

May

22 - Our construction permit for "Plaza Comercial Surf Discovery" was approved by the local authorities.

Render of the building based on the original plans

June

1 - The latest edition of Lonely Planet Ecuador guidebook was published. Fabian is featured in a sidebar about surfing in Galapagos.

6 - After months of online training and assignments, both Fabian (representing Galapagos Surf Discovery) and I (representing Galapagos Brewery Project, a sports bar concept) were notified that we had been selected as finalists in Emprende Turismo Ecuador, a program that promotes the creation, implementation and consolidation of innovative ventures with potential for development and growth.

10 - We broke ground on the construction of Plaza Comercial Surf Discovery.

12 - Fabian's 50th birthday; we celebrated on the 15th with a cookout with friends on our terrace.

30 - The Campbells arrived in San Cristobal for a last-minute 10-day visit.

July

3 - I went on a day trip to Española (Punta Suarez and Bahía Gardner) with the Campbells.

12- My 50th birthday; we celebrated a few days early with the Campbells and then my friend Christina treated me to lunch on the day of.

27 - The crew poured the first floor foundation for Plaza Comercial Surf Discovery.

August

31 - The crew poured the second floor foundation for Plaza Comercial Surf Discovery.

September

5 - I started having severe neck pain. It came out of nowhere and by the following day I was forced to stay in bed as it restricted almost all my upper body movement. It continued to get worse so I went to the emergency room in the early morning of the 7th. I was treated with IV pain killers and muscle relaxants and sent home with instructions to follow up with the trauma doctor (we don't have specialists here). After multiple evaluations and X-rays, they said my cervical spine is compressed and lacks the proper curve. Every doctor who sees the imaging asks "Were you in a car accident?"

26 - The crew poured the third floor foundation for Plaza Comercial Surf Discovery.

October

1 - I started daily physical therapy at the hospital. As of this writing in early January 2025, I continue to go to PT as often as possible. They have tried various types of treatments: magnet, laser, ultrasound, electrical nerve stimulation (TENS unit), whirlpool, massage, and home exercises. My condition has not improved i.e. I'm in constant mild to moderate discomfort and sometimes severe pain. The physiatrist, general practitioner, and trauma doc have urged me to get an MRI but that requires flying to continental Ecuador. Hopefully I can coordinate a trip in March.

8 - We filed a formal complaint against one of the cargo companies for charging 10 times more than the regulated price for shipping building materials from mainland Ecuador to Galapagos. The difference in cost was over $2,000. In their eventual response to the government's Maritime Transport office, the company lied about how the material was packed. The government chose not to pursue the matter further and told us to resolve it directly with the cargo company whose executives will not respond to our emails.

17 - Installation of the PANELEGO walls continues for Plaza Comercial Surf Discovery.

November

12 - Fabian and I took a FAM trip to Española to try a new-to-us itinerary: Playa Manzanilla, Islote Tortuga, and Punta Cevallos.

15 - Structural work is essentially complete on Plaza Comercial Surf Discovery.

21-24 I flew to Isabela on a FAM trip with the Come To Galapagos crew and did several tours: Tintoreras; Los Túneles + Playa Cormorán; Sierra Negra; and had an early Thanksgiving dinner at the Hauser's.

December

13 - The crew finished installing the glass roof for Plaza Commercial Surf Discovery. The project now enters the final phase of construction.

18 - Fabian and I received our certificates of completion for Emprende Turismo. While neither of us was chosen to receive seed capital, the business training and one-on-one mentoring we received during the second half of the program was invaluable.

23 - I went on a FAM trip to Isla Lobos to try out another boat/operator and assess the trail conditions.

31 - The crew cleans up the third floor of Plaza Comercial Surf Discovery and connects some provisional lighting so we can toast the new year in style.

Summary

I scanned my personal calendar for all of 2024 and apart from the Campbell's visits and some gatherings or meals with local friends and attending a few local events, there are just reminders to call friends/family in the U.S., birthdays and graduations missed, annotations of changes in the weather, reminders to do laundry or take out the trash, pay bills, etc.

My business calendar on the other hand is packed with all of the tours and transport I booked for clients along with the tours that Fabian and/or I personally operated; work-related meetings; training; accounting/legal meetings and deadlines; construction meetings, milestones, and payment deadlines; and never-ending To Do lists.

My phone's camera roll tells a similar story: daily construction progress, design renders, samples, and cargo bills; clients and tour info; local wildlife and scenery; food and friends.

In short, it was a very busy year and 2025 is off to a big start!

I am so thankful for the love and support from my family, without whom all of this wouldn't be possible. Thanks to my friends for your patience and understanding as I try to find balance in these crazy times. And thanks to our clients, many of whom we now call friends, for entrusting me/us with any and all aspects of your Galapagos vacation.

Galapagos Surf Discovery's 2024 by the numbers

784+ tours or transport sold via 250 unique reservations, all coordinated and managed by Alethea
176+ tours/activities personally lead by Fabian and/or Alethea

Five Ways to Celebrate Fall near Portland, Oregon

2024-09-15T19:47:00.003-05:00

This story was originally published on my now-defunct website Coast to Prost on October 4, 2017.

The harvest season is upon us! Within an hour's drive in almost any direction, you can find a bounty of beverages, food and other products that are made with locally grown crops. Add in the beautiful natural scenery and lingering summer sunshine and you have the perfect recipe for enjoying fall in and around Portland.

Drink Some Fresh Hop Beers

Commercial hop production in the U.S. occurs primarily in Washington, Oregon and Idaho, thus making Portland and the Pacific Northwest an ideal place to sample these unique beers. Many breweries offer fresh hop beers only during the months of September and October as they are made with freshly picked hops. The harvest typically starts in late August and continues through mid-September. Brewers add the fresh or "wet" whole cone hops to the brew kettle, often on the same day they are harvested, to preserve the aroma and "green" flavor of the perishable flower.

Some breweries package their fresh hop offerings in limited edition bottles and cans. Beer bars often devote some or all of their taps to a rotating assortment of fresh hop beers from the region. There are also festivals dedicated to fresh hop beers and ciders. Plus you can always stop by your favorite bottle shop and ask what they have in stock.

Wherever you choose to imbibe, do it soon. These beers won't be around long and are intended to be consumed immediately.

Go Wine Tasting

The Willamette Valley harvest season typically starts in late August and ends by early October. It's a beautiful time of year to visit the region, as the vines begin to change from bright green to gold, competing with the trees already exhibiting their fall colors. The most common grape varietals are pinot noir, pinot gris, and chardonnay, but you can try many wonderful and unique wines from over 500 wineries located from Portland to Eugene. Many tasting rooms are still open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. but be sure to check their website or call ahead to verify hours. Also check the calendar for harvest parties, winemaker dinners, and other fun fall activities.

Pick Your Own Fruit

Fall is the perfect time to visit the Hood River Fruit Loop, one hour east of Portland. Farms along Hwy 35 offer an abundance of apples, pears, pumpkins and gourds, some of which you can pick yourself. Farm stands feature fresh cider, apple butter and other locally made products. There are also many wineries and breweries in the area. Don't forget to stop by Cascade Alpacas of Oregon to visit their fluffy camelids!

Get Lost in a Maze

Just over 20 miles northwest of Portland, the largest island on the Columbia River is comprised primarily of farmland and a dedicated wildlife refuge. Sauvie Island is always a peaceful place for bicycling, hiking, boating and bird watching. But, in the fall, most people bring their family and friends to tackle one of the three corn mazes in addition to enjoying a multitude of pumpkin patches, hay rides, climbable hay pyramids, petting zoos, and other kid (and adult) friendly activities.

Go Leaf Peeping

The Pacific Northwest is known for its old-growth forests of coniferous Douglas firs and western hemlocks. The average age of these giant trees is 350 to 750 years old. They are beautiful to look at and walk among any time of year, as they are evergreens. For a few weeks in fall, you can also enjoy the colorful foliage of deciduous trees, which are primarily located in and around cities but can be found all over the state if you know where to go.

One of my favorite places for leaf peeping that's right here in Portland is Washington Park. Here you can experience a couple of unique outdoor spaces that are filled with fall color: Hoyt Arboretum and the Portland Japanese Garden. An added bonus is that you can visit the park without a car by using the free shuttle from the Washington Park MAX station. You'll still be walking a fair amount, but that's the best way to fully experience the beauty and solitude of these two natural attractions.

Another go-to spot is the Banks-Vernonia State Trail. This multi-use trail was the first in Oregon to repurpose an abandoned railway corridor. Located about 30 miles west of Portland, the 22.7 mile long trail is mostly level and is paved the entire length. It is suitable for wheelchairs, walking, bicycling, inline skating and horseback riding. In the fall, the lush greenery of Douglas firs contrasts with the vivid reds and yellows of the alder, ash, cottonwood and maple trees among other deciduous varieties. Don't miss the 80-foot-tall curving Buxton Trestle near the Buxton Trailhead.

Going Straight to the Source

2024-03-13T19:03:00.002-05:00

A Weekend Class Inspires a Portland Beer Writer to Visit the Pilsner Urquell Brewery

This story was originally published on my now-defunct website Coast to Prost on September 26, 2017.

I didn’t plan to go to Plzeň -- Pilsen in German -- during my trip to Europe this summer. In fact, I was specifically focused on researching and exploring the emerging craft beer scene in the Balkans and eastern Europe. But when I had to find a way to get from Munich, Germany to Szczecin, Poland in early June, I realized that if I went by train I wouldn’t have to deviate too far off the most direct route to visit the world-famous Pilsner Urquell brewery.

The seed of this idea was actually planted in my mind months before, when I attended OSU’s Origins of Beer Flavors and Styles course in mid-March. The two-day course covered everything from the sensory evaluation of beer to brewing techniques, ingredients, styles and defects. Pilsner Urquell was featured several times, in the fermentation lecture as well as the history of beer styles. Class attendees even got to sample representative beers and Pilsner Urquell was among them.

First brewed in 1842 at the newly built Burghers’ Brewery in Plzeň, the beer was created as a better tasting and higher quality alternative to the top-fermented dark ales that were widely available at the time. In addition, the brewery allowed the burghers (citizens) to retain control of the entire brewing and sales process, and to better compete in the local market. The meaning of the beer’s name is the same whether you use the German urquell or the Czech prazdroj; it translates as “pilsner from its original source.” This year is the 175th anniversary of the first batch of golden lager brewed in the Burghers’ Brewery. It was high time that I paid my respects at the birthplace of pilsner beer.

I entered the expansive Plzeňský Prazdroj complex through the historic Jubilee Gateway built in 1892 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Burghers’ Brewery. The complex includes a visitor center, souvenir shop, restaurant, beer garden, conference center and administrative buildings, along with the brewery and packaging hall. I showed up without a tour reservation which I don’t advise, especially during the busy summer months. The number of daily tours in English varies according to the season; there were four when I visited on a Monday in early June. However, the first tour was already fully booked, so I had to wait for the next available one that afternoon. After browsing around the visitor center and gift shop, I settled in for a pint in the beer garden and watched a steady stream of tourists entering the complex.

Finally it was time to meet up with the tour guide. Our group of almost 40 people included visitors from every continent except Antarctica. The tour started with our guide giving us a brief history of the brewery and a look at some important documents and awards from the late 1800s.

Our next stop was the 100 liter pilot brewery, which is used for training employees, testing ingredients, brewers experiments, and to make special batches like a beer for the President of the Czech Republic, Miloš Zeman. From there we took an environmentally friendly bus running on CNG (compressed natural gas) to the packaging hall. Completed in 2006, the 20,000 square meter building houses state of the art filtration and pasteurization technology, two new packaging lines capable of processing 120,000 bottles and 60,000 aluminum cans per hour, and a distribution warehouse.

The bus took us back to the learning center where we rode the largest passenger lift in the Czech Republic to a panoramic cinema and watched a film about Pilsner Urquell beer production as the floor rotated. Then we entered the sensory exposition hall which features hands-on exhibits of the special ingredients used in the beer including Czech barley malt, Žatec (Saaz) hops, soft water from Pilsen and special brewer’s yeast.

Next we entered the brewery, first admiring the early 20th century brewhouse with copper kettles dating back to 1931, then the modern one built in 2004. Below the brewery is an exhibit on the people (brewers, maltsters, coopers, etc.) that have had a hand in making Pilsner Urquell what it is today. I was amazed to see the original copper kettle in which the first batch of golden lager was brewed in 1842.

Finally we descended into the damp, cool underground cellars which comprise almost nine kilometers in length all together. The constant 7℃ year round temperature is perfect for lager fermentation in open wooden vats and maturation in oak casks. Since 1992, only a small amount of beer is made this way; the rest is kept in modern stainless steel and glycol-jacketed conical fermenters.

For me, the highlight of the tour was sampling unfiltered, unpasteurised Pilsner Urquell tapped directly from an oak lager cask. This special beer is available exclusively to tour guests and those who participate in the brewery’s šalanda programs. It tasted completely different from the bottled version that’s available worldwide and also distinctly different from what I drank earlier in the onsite beer garden. Add to that the experience of drinking this unique beer in an underground cellar dating to 1839 while surrounded by massive 28 hectoliter barrels. It was surreal!

After emerging from the cold darkness of the tunnels, I couldn’t resist having another pint in the sunshine of the beer garden. While it was good, it didn’t compare to the freshness and sensory pleasure of drinking Pilsner Urquell straight from the source.

For more information and to book a tour of the Pilsner Urquell brewery, please click here: Plzeňský Prazdroj

Footnote

I was awarded a scholarship from Pink Boots Society to attend the Origins of Beer Flavors and Styles course. This article is part of my Pay-It-Forward obligation requiring scholarship recipients to pay forward the knowledge they gained from their scholarship course within six months of completing the course.

For more information about Pink Boots Society, please click here: https://www.pinkbootssociety.org/

2023: The Best and Worst of Times

2023-12-31T15:10:00.001-06:00

Another year is in the books so, in keeping with tradition, I am sharing the highs (and lows) of 2023.

I tend to censor what I post on social media and, many times, I have put on a happy face when in reality I am suffering deeply. There are very few people who know the full extent of everything that happened to me this year, partly because I had to stay silent for legal reasons, but also because it just hurts too much to talk about it. Even now I will not go into all the details, but I will share enough so that you can understand why I may not have been in touch as often as before or perhaps seemed distracted or distant at times.

But first, let's start with some of the best of times:

I was thrilled to have more friends and family visit us this year:

In early January, we spent many great times with our friends from Brazil, Eduardo and Carol, and we also enjoyed a visit from Fabian's friend Carla and her daughter June from New York City.
My mom and stepdad came to Galapagos in mid-January and spent 11 days with us here, then we all flew to the mainland and spent another 10 full days touring around Ecuador.
In late March, my friend Anna from Ukraine came to visit. We always have fun exploring together and her time here was no exception.
In April, Fabian got to hang out with my friend Morten from Denmark (sadly I was in the U.S. during his visit), and we had a great time catching up and drinking excellent beer with my friends John and Lindsey from Portland, Ore.
In June, Fabian's friend David from Switzerland came to visit and surf. By chance, another surfer from Switzerland was also here during that time and thus we became fast friends with Britta.
In early August, my friend Hilda came from Houston. Our story goes back to Portland, Ore. and extends to her family in the U.S. and Guatemala. We did just about everything you can do in three full days!
In late August, my friend Adena from Miami arrived with her niece Anna and future nephew-in-law Jarod. As they only had five full days, two of which were devoted to day trips by boat, our time together was short but we tried to make the most of it.

We also made many new acquaintances through our business and we continued to expand our circle of friends on the islands. I especially enjoyed developing some existing friendships and spending lots of fun times watching soccer and attending events and hosting cookouts with our closest friends here.

Other highlights of 2023 include:

getting Starlink internet service in May and going from an average 1mbps download speed to almost 200mbps
continuing to grow our business, Galapagos Surf Discovery
Fabian winning a scholarship for Misión Ecuador, a two-week series of intensive classes and workshops that took place in November with the focus of developing business skills and supporting entrepreneurs
purchasing land in the center of town (Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristóbal) 250 feet from the waterfront
hiring an architect to design a residential building on the land we purchased two years ago
replacing our apartment's terrace roof in November (finally!) -- no leaks and better sun protection means we can enjoy more time outside
learning that our submissions for Emprende Turismo, which provides seed capital for innovative tourism ventures with potential for development and growth, were selected for advancement to the next phase of the program which includes online training as well as one-on-one mentorship

Some of the challenges of the past year include:

Fabian had his long-awaited U.S. visa interview in February but he was turned down and our appeals were also denied. The entire reason we were trying to obtain his visitor's visa was so he could meet my grandmother before she passed.
Fabian finally had much-needed eye surgery and gallbladder surgery in February which required us to live in Guayaquil for almost six weeks.
We continued the roller coaster ride of buying a house in San Cristóbal that started in early 2022 and that we ultimately gave up on in June.
Fabian tested positive for COVID in late August and was sick with a fever for almost a week. I never took a test but developed a wheezing cough in early September that took me the better part of the month to recover from.
I had to give up my dream of becoming a certified Galapagos National Park guide. In late October, the local university published the enrollment process for the next guide course and I discovered that I am not eligible because I'm not yet a permanent resident of Galapagos; I have to complete my 10-year temporary residency first. I was very disappointed to say the least, especially since this criteria has not been strictly enforced for previous applicants. It is unlikely the course will be offered again anytime soon as the last one was six years ago.

The unbearable sadness of 2023:

My sole surviving grandparent, my paternal grandmother Betty Smartt, passed away in May. You can read the tribute I wrote and shared at her memorial service.

My grandmother desperately wanted to live out her life on her own terms, but her declining health robbed her of the independence she cherished. To make matters worse, she had to face the truth about the one person who had the ability to resolve everything for her. While my sister and I worked diligently to help her fulfill her final wishes, the last few months of her life were miserable, not just for physical reasons but because she was consumed by grief and emotional pain.

Unfortunately, due to our attempts to help our grandmother and even though we had a legitimate basis for doing so, my sister and I were dragged into a legal battle. Instead of being able to properly mourn her death, we were forced to hire an attorney to defend ourselves and fight for the small inheritance we were lawfully due from her last will and testament executed two years earlier.

So, in addition to making two unplanned, expensive, emotionally draining trips to Tennessee, I still have pending legal bills, I was denied access to my grandmother's personal belongings that had only sentimental value and were instead sold as part of an estate auction, and I lost my father.

In summary, 2023 was one of the most difficult years of my entire life. I did my best to focus on the positive, to be thankful for my health and the loving support of family and friends, and to enjoy the life I have created with my husband in Galapagos. But I continue to struggle mentally and emotionally, and often prefer solitude over socializing as it's the only way to avoid having to lie and say that everything is great.

I have a lot to look forward to in 2024 and am hopeful I can put the challenges and heartbreak of the past year behind me.

Wishing you all peace, hope, love, health, and happiness in the new year!

Highlights of 2022 and a Glimpse at 2023

2023-01-01T11:40:00.000-06:00

Greetings everyone!

It's time for my traditional end-of-year blog post in which I recap some of the highlights of the past 12 months.

But first, I acknowledge that it has been a full year since I have posted anything on this blog. That doesn't mean I haven't been writing; in fact, I created all of the content on our new Galapagos Surf Discovery website (more on that below). Still, I do wish I could find more time to write about life here in the islands, among other things. But one glance at my "Plans for 2023" list below already tells me that's probably not going to happen anytime soon!

My Top 10 of 2022

My mom, stepdad, and aunt visited Galapagos for 17 wonderful days in February. We went on a 6-night cruise, did many fun activities on San Cristobal island, and spent lots of quality time together.
On March 9, Fabian and I began the process of buying over 300 square meters of land a few blocks from the town center of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. On June 8, we were registered as the new owners of our own little piece of Galapagos (circled in the photo above).
On July 3, Fabian and I moved to a new-to-us apartment. While our indoor living space was reduced by more than half, our outdoor space went from zero to one of the best views in town. We are much happier here!

On August 1, after more than one year and an extraordinary number of hours of hair-pulling, teeth-grinding, tear-inducing work, I completed one of my biggest projects to date i.e. the new Groundhopper Guides website (August 2021 prototype shown above; my work was done in conjunction with a developer) and I resolved to have a better work/life balance going forward.
On August 19, I launched the Galapagos Surf Discovery website which I built from scratch, wrote all of the content, did all of the SEO, etc. in a span of two weeks. With this business, Fabian and I offer activities on San Cristobal island in partnership with local tour agencies, and we also sell branded apparel. Check out our GoPro videos, surf photography, and more on our Instagram feed.
On September 15, I officially became a permanent resident of Ecuador. This means I no longer have to worry about renewing my visa, and that I will be eligible for citizenship in another three years should I wish to apply. Note that this is completely separate from my Galapagos residency, which will be considered temporary until 2031.
Fabian has many friends on the islands, and sometimes those connections lead to unplanned adventures. Such was the case on September 18, when we were invited to go on a truly last-minute cruise, as in, "You have 15 minutes to pack your bags if you want to go." Of course, we went!
After almost two-and-a-half years away, I returned to the U.S. to visit my family and friends in Tennessee in October. The month flew by too fast, but I am thankful I could finally make the trip and see so many people. I also enjoyed a few fun days in Miami on the way back to Ecuador and I was able to bring a lot of supplies for our business, including two new 8' long teaching surfboards.
One of the perks of living in a world-renowned tourist destination is the opportunity to meet other travelers. Fabian and I are blessed to be able to get to know new people on a daily basis, and we are very thankful for our clients, many of whom are now our friends!
I am also thankful that I have finally been able to build more friendships on the islands. The pandemic years were a stressful time for everyone, with fewer opportunities to gather and participate in local activities. While it took me some time to adapt to island life and a different social culture, I am very happy to call Galapagos home.
Finally, I am extremely thankful for our continued health. After the insurance ordeal we experienced in 2021, it was nice to have a reprieve from the drama (and from hospitals and medical appointments) for an entire year.

Plans for 2023

My mom and stepdad are returning for their second visit in mid-January. We'll have 11 nights in Galapagos, then we fly to Guayaquil and go on a 9-day self-guided "Tour of Ecuador." Our itinerary includes time in Baños, Puyo (where we will spend time with Fabian's family), Tena, Quito, and Mindo.
Fabian and I have rented an apartment in Guayaquil for an entire month (February) so we can have medical checkups including the surgeries to remove the pterygium from Fabian's left eye and his gallbladder. Fabian’s long-awaited U.S. visa interview is on February 22. Fingers crossed he is approved so we can make plans to travel in 2024.
We are excited to have some friends confirmed to visit in 2023 and are hoping to see many more of you in the months and years ahead.
Our business, Galapagos Surf Discovery, is off to a great start and we already have many bookings for the new year. We're exploring all of the options as to how to provide the best service to our clients, and we'll continue to publish helpful, interesting content on our website and social media feeds, as well as offer fun activities that everyone can enjoy.

We've met with a local architect and have several ideas for constructing something on our property. Whether that is a single family home or a multi-use building with residential and office space has yet to be determined. Stay tuned for possible investment opportunities!
There's a rumor floating around that, after a five-year lapse, the Galapagos National Park Naturalist Guide course will be offered sometime in late 2023. Check out this old (2015), not-entirely-accurate post about why it's almost impossible to become a guide here. If the course is offered, and I meet the criteria and can make it fit with my schedule, I intend to get certified! A special shout out to the guides (friends) who have loaned me their books and other materials so I can get a head start on my studies.

I wish you all a very Happy New Year! I hope that 2023 is filled with special people, memorable moments, and all the activities you love. May you always keep expanding your horizons!

Highlights of 2021

2022-01-02T17:16:00.035-06:00

While it would be just as easy to write a very long post about the challenges I faced in 2021, it's equally important to celebrate the positives. So here are my top 10 memories of events last year.

January 12

I got married!

January 26

My husband and I flew from Guayaquil to San Cristóbal (with seven pieces of checked luggage and four carry-ons!) and, 10 days later, moved into our new-to-us apartment.

March 30

I officially became a Galápagos resident!

April 25

This is the first day that I have photos of me in the ocean. I'm still adapting to being surrounded by wildlife in the water!

May 3

We received our new bikes (ordered via WhatsApp and flown in from Quito) and went for a sunset ride to Playa La Lobería.

May 8 & 29

We got our first and second doses of the Pfizer vaccine.

June 12

We celebrated Fabian's birthday at Hacienda Tranquila with a big group of friends who hail from near and far, including our new sailing friends from New Zealand and Germany.

July 5-14

The absolute highlight of the year: our honeymoon in Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz, and week-long cruise on the Samba, during which we swam with an orca and a giant manta ray among other amazing adventures!

October 7

While we had some enjoyable days during the four months we spent on the mainland, most of which involved spending time with friends or celebrating local holidays, I worked too much and was beyond stressed about Fabian's health and the insurance drama we encountered while trying to get him treated. Still, in the spirit of focusing on the positive, a few highlights would be going to Ecuador's World Cup qualifier on October 7, as well as a couple of LigaPro Serie A games on October 24 and November 7 (all of which you can read more about at Groundhopper Soccer Guides).

December 22

We finally returned home to Galápagos!

A Digital Nomad's Life - 2021 Edition

2021-12-27T16:22:00.002-06:00

As the year draws to a close, I thought it would be fun to share photos of all of the places that have served as my "office" during 2021. Call this "A View from My Laptop" if you will.

January

I rang in the New Year in Puyo, in the Amazonia region of Ecuador. My soon-to-be husband and I stayed at his brother and sister-in-law's home, and I worked at their dining table on the second floor with a view of the neighbor's chickens below, the main cemetery on a nearby hilltop, and the Andes Mountains on the horizon.

Working from home in Puyo.

We then spent a few weeks in Guayaquil, finalizing all the documents and legal processes required for us to get married. We stayed at Hotel 9 de Octubre, where I worked at the desk in our standard hotel room. As per the name, the hotel fronts the busy main thoroughfare in the city center, and you never know what you might see on the sidewalk and street below.

Avenida 9 de Octubre in Guayaquil's historic city center.

We flew home to San Cristóbal Island, Galápagos in late January. We initially stayed at my husband's tiny ground-floor apartment, which did not have a suitable place for me to work. Thus I spent most days at CiberMarcus, a basic internet cafe run by the resident computer expert. Their 1024 Kbps download speed (yes, you read that right, that’s only 1 Mbps!) was the fastest publicly accessible internet on the island.

I trekked across town to work here most days.

February

We moved into our new third-floor apartment on February 5 but it did not have a pre-existing internet connection. After researching options for setting up service, installation was projected for early March. In the meantime, I tethered my laptop to my phone’s T-Mobile service, and made almost-daily trips to CiberMarcus. We also bought new furniture, including a proper desk and chair so I could, eventually, work from home.

The view from my desk at our new apartment.

March to Mid-August

Our new fiber optic line was installed on March 5, but for $150/month iFotoncorp only provided 768 Kbps download speed. Remember, all internet on the islands comes from satellites, and if it’s a particularly overcast or windy day, you will probably lose the connection entirely. I found myself working twice as long to do the same work I could do, with better/faster internet, in half the time. There were too many days when I screamed, cried, and literally was pulling my hair out because I lost hours of work when the connection failed and whatever I was working on didn’t save or upload properly. At least I had a beautiful view from my desk in Barrio Peñas Bajas!

Sunset in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno.

Mid-August through September

Due to some new, concerning health issues with my husband, and an upcoming work project that would require far better internet than exists in Galápagos, we flew to the mainland on August 18. We spent the first month and a half (until October 4) in a third-floor apartment in Manglaralto, a small community on the coast, three hours northeast from Guayaquil. The apartment had a sizeable balcony with unobstructed ocean views, however the weather was not often amenable to sitting outside. Thus I spent way too many hours working from a table squeezed into the cramped kitchen area.

A rare sunny day in Manglaralto in September.

October to Mid-November

We returned to Guayaquil at the beginning of the month to seek medical treatment for my husband and, not knowing exactly what that would entail, we booked two weeks in a sprawling 4-bedroom, 5-bath sixth-floor apartment in the city center. I set up my office at the dining table in the main living room, where I had an expansive view of the cityscape and the Carmen and Santa Ana hills in the distance.

A desk with a view is always desirable!

Unfortunately, the apartment was already booked beyond our stay, so we were forced to move again on October 16. This time we rented a 2-bedroom third-floor apartment in the Nueva Kennedy neighborhood of north Guayaquil. The second bedroom, modified to include a plastic folding table and chair, served as my office. It came with a view of the neighboring houses, the planes departing from Guayaquil airport (the apartment was directly in the flight path), and San Eduardo hill in the distance.

Watching World Cup qualifying games in November.

The last two weeks of November

After an extremely difficult month of medical interventions and insurance drama, we decided to take a break from the stress of the city and returned to the coast on November 17. We rented a small, 2-bedroom house in Olón for two weeks. I set up my office at the dining table in the main living room and, while there were a couple of windows, there was no view to speak of because of the cinder block wall and fencing that surrounds the house.

When the chairs don't match the height of the table...

December

With no definite plans for further medical treatment due to ongoing insurance issues, we decided to stay on the coast a bit longer. The house in Olón was too closed-in for my taste and was also expensive by Ecuador standards, so on December 1 we moved yet again, this time to a third-floor mini-suite (i.e. a basic hotel room with an outdoor kitchen) on a hillside in the La Punta area of Montañita. My office was primarily the outdoor dining table, as the only other alternative was the bed. Due to the trees, I didn't have a great view of the ocean, but at least I could hear the surf and observe lots of birds, other wildlife (squirrels, iguanas) and the free range cattle that roam this part of the coast.

My outdoor office in Montañita.

On December 20, we returned to Guayaquil to get our required PCR tests before flying home to Galápagos for the holidays. We spent two nights in our go-to hotel, 9 de Octubre.

Sunset from Room 523.

Thus, for the last week of the year, I actually got to use my own desk again, and am better equipped to work from home using the Claro SIM card I picked up on the mainland. I still only average around 2 Mbps download speed, but so far it has been enough to work (and write this blog post!), so I'm good with that.

Happy Holidays from Galápagos!!!

An Update from Ecuador

2021-11-28T10:45:00.000-06:00

I haven’t been doing much of anything focused on me personally for what seems like forever. Outside of work, all of my spare time has been spent dealing with my husband’s insurance or doctor appointments, trying to make plans for the future, and completing the day-to-day chores of buying groceries, paying bills, and dealing with the typical challenges of life in Ecuador. As such, I also now realize that many of you who follow me here on my blog or on social media don’t know the full story of what has happened over the past few months.

Our week on the Samba was the highlight of this year.

Fabian has essentially been sick in some form or another since shortly after we went on our Galápagos honeymoon cruise in July. Even then he wasn't feeling 100% but, despite keeping records of the dates of illness and his various symptoms, I just didn’t consider that it could be anything really serious. He, of course, downplayed the severity of the pain and/or attributed the brief spurts of illness to environmental factors like surfing in cold water, seasonal allergies, or using an air conditioner in our bedroom.

But then he had his worst “attack” yet in early August, during which he ran a fever of 101 for almost 72 hours, had upper abdominal pain so severe that he could not stand up, was constantly spitting yellowish phlegm, and, in the end, vomited blood. At that point I insisted we go to the emergency room, but he assured me that he was already feeling better, and besides, what would they do anyway -- while the hospital on San Cristóbal Island is modern, there are limited diagnostic tools and no specialists.

Our last sunset on the island in mid-August.

He did turn the corner that day, but after months of being worried about his health, it was the final straw for me. That, in combination with the demands of my job and, specifically, the lack of high speed internet on the islands, cemented our decision to come back to the mainland.

We searched for and booked an apartment via Facebook Messenger with someone in the expat community and flew to Guayaquil on August 18. We decided to stay on the coast for the first month, because we were in the process of applying for private health insurance for Fabian, and we knew that the waiting period for coverage to kick in was 30 days. So there was no point being in the city, although it did concern me that the nearest full-service hospital was more than two hours away.

There were few sunny days on the coast in September,
but I worked outside when I could.

Throughout our time in Manglaralto we laid low and were super-vigilant over Fabian’s health, especially since he was then suffering from yet another new illness -- some type of inflammatory response that caused an itching sensation all over his body but with no visible signs of infection. We went to multiple pharmacies, tried countless creams and pills, and consulted our friends with medical training. For one entire week, Fabian followed a variation of the BRAT diet, eating nothing but rice, bananas, boiled potatoes, lentils, and baked chicken. But the symptoms persisted for an entire month.

This is how we travel from the coast to the city, a 3-hour ride.

Not wanting to delay seeking medical treatment any longer, we rented an apartment in Guayaquil’s city center for the first two weeks of October and made a series of appointments at the Centro Médico de la Clínica Panamericana. Thus, by the 6th of the month, we had the first definitive diagnosis: Fabian’s gallbladder was full of gallstones and immediate surgery was recommended. Unfortunately, we were not impressed with the administration or facilities at the Panamericana, so we started researching other, more exclusive, private hospitals to ensure a better standard of care for his treatment.

In the meantime, we were in touch with our insurance broker on an almost-daily basis, verifying coverage, policy details, and the process for making claims. She reassured us that, if needed, we could go to the ER at any time and everything would be covered and, if it was not an emergency, we could schedule the surgery for 60 days from policy initiation (so, November 1) and it would be 90% covered as per our plan.

Based on that information and the results from all of the tests done at the Panamericana, we made an appointment with a gastroenterologist affiliated with the well-regarded, fully private, Hospital Clínica Kennedy. During his thorough exam and review of the test results, which also led to a diagnosis of chronic gastritis and a significant bacterial infection, he recommended that we go to the ER should Fabian have even the slightest hint of stomach pain. Thus, in anticipation of his impending surgery and multi-week recovery, we moved to another apartment within walking distance of the hospital. And, a few days later, on October 18, we went to the ER.

Fabian's first day ever as a hospital patient.

This is the point in the story that, even more than one month later, it’s hard not to scream and cry in frustration. Because, in spite of all our efforts to do everything right, Fabian has still not had surgery.

It turns out that our broker, a woman who has made a name for herself among the expat population in Ecuador for helping them get insurance and navigate the healthcare system, provided us with incorrect information from the beginning. The first, and perhaps most egregious error, is that she continued to insist, even as I sat in the administration office of Kennedy Hospital and had them call Humana (the insurance company), that Fabian’s ER visit and subsequent hospitalization were fully covered by his policy. When, in fact, ER visits are only covered up to $500 and the hospitalization (and surgery) would not be covered at all, because he was still within the waiting period. And second, she reconfirmed that the policy covered hospitalization after 60 days, but the reality is that it has a 90 day waiting period.

By the time I discovered the administrative errors, Fabian had already been in the hospital for 24 hours and was scheduled for surgery a few hours later. The hospital bill, almost all of which would have to be paid out of pocket, was already around $2,000 and would double or triple if he had surgery. So I made one of the hardest decisions of my life by deciding to forego his treatment, and I took him home.

In the month since then, the worry and stress over what has happened have, at times, felt insurmountable. And to make things worse, the insurance broker refuses to take responsibility for her failure at all levels, for which she has now cost us over $3,000. Yes, we can take her to court, and considering we have written and audio evidence to back up our claims I think we would win, but the Ecuadorian legal system is notoriously dysfunctional and corrupt, and I’m just not sure it’s worth the effort. Not only that, but there are strong libel laws here, so I can’t publicly denounce her as I would risk the possibility that she could sue me for slander.

As we had already paid for the apartment (a nonrefundable Airbnb in the Kennedy neighborhood of Guayaquil), we hunkered down for the remainder of our time there and, besides me staying busy as always with work, tried to focus on keeping Fabian healthy, while occasionally enjoying an evening out watching a soccer game or visiting with friends.

At the Barcelona SC museum in Guayaquil.

We also scheduled a few more medical checkups that were covered by insurance, but that resulted in more diagnoses: pterygium (a growth on both eyes that requires surgery to remove); ringworm (a skin rash caused by fungal infection -- no worm involved); and xerosis (excessively dry skin which contributes to the itching sensation).

You may be wondering about a few things, like if Fabian has always had these illnesses. The answer is both yes and no -- yes, because he has had similar symptoms in the past, long before I met him; and no, because he has never been to a doctor, at least not on a regular basis, and thus never diagnosed or treated for them.

That leads to the next question: What about Ecuador’s free public health system? Yes, the country does have free public healthcare, but it’s really only useful for emergencies and the standard of care is generally very low. Anything that’s not a life-threatening emergency requires waiting weeks or months for treatment, post-op care is an afterthought, and medications are not covered. And if it was an emergency, the operation would not be laparoscopic -- it would be a full incision with more risk of complications and much longer recovery time.

Which brings us back to Galápagos. As it happens, we have a good friend in San Cristobal who is friends with the surgeon who works at the hospital on the island. And the surgeon is now qualified to perform laparoscopic surgeries! While there are still no specialists and no in-network insurance coverage (meaning everything must be paid out of pocket and we can apply for reimbursement), the reality is that if Fabian has another gallbladder attack, we can go to the ER at the public hospital there and have the surgery for free. True, it would not be a good situation if there are complications, as we would have to fly him to the mainland for further treatment, but it’s a risk we’re willing to take right now.

Happy to be surfing after more than six weeks in the city.

So with that in mind, we came back to the coast, as we needed an escape from the confinement, noise, traffic, and ever-present threat of crime in the city, but cannot go back to the islands just yet because of my work responsibilities. We rented a small house in Olón for a couple of weeks, but are moving to a mini-suite (basic hotel room with outdoor kitchen and view of the ocean) at a hotel in Montañita on December 1. We will stay there until the 21st, when we’ll take the bus back to Guayaquil and spend one night out by the airport, then fly to San Cristóbal on the 22nd.

That means Christmas and New Year in Galápagos!!! There are still many challenges ahead, and plenty of uncertainties. And we'll definitely have to come back to the mainland in the early part of 2022 for the eye surgery and further medical treatment. But, for now, I am thankful to have a short-term plan and that we can look forward to the holidays at home with our friends, not to mention the sea lions and blue-footed boobies.

We're hoping to see this again sooner than later!

We're Crowdfunding Our Honeymoon!

2021-04-24T20:35:00.001-05:00

Dear blog readers and followers of my excellent adventures,

Fabian and I celebrated our three-month wedding anniversary on April 12. Since announcing our marriage in January, many of our family members and friends all over the world have asked how they can send us wedding gifts. Initially, we were telling people to wait until they can come visit us. We now realize that for many people that won’t be possible anytime soon, and for others, it’s just not possible at all. Also, the cost of sending a tangible gift to Ecuador is prohibitively expensive due to international shipping costs and high import taxes. So with that in mind, we decided to crowdfund our honeymoon!

Due to the pandemic and complications of traveling outside of the islands at the moment, we have decided to keep our adventures closer to home. Fortunately, we live in one of the most unique places in the world for exploring and experiencing nature, the Galápagos Islands!

While we have both had a chance (me in 2019, Fabian over the past 25 years) to visit many wonderful places in the Galápagos, there are still many more neither of us has ever been. That is why we have decided to go on a very unique cruise on the Samba Yacht. It's the only boat that visits Marchena Island, and the only cruise that operates this particular route, which goes to a total of 12 places we have never visited before!

We have included more details about the boat and the itinerary in our Honeyfund wish list. We've divided the cruise into daily activities and categories of expenses so you can easily choose for what exactly you'd like to contribute to our dream honeymoon.

Thanks so much in advance for your love and support, and for helping us make our dream a reality. We can't wait to share our honeymoon (well, the photos anyway) with you!

Our Honeyfund Registry

The Challenge of Being a Digital Nomad in the Galápagos

2021-02-26T17:29:00.001-06:00

I'll start this post by asking you to try to overlook the fact that I haven't published anything here since early December when I wrote an introductory post about the process of getting my residency visa for Ecuador. An incredible number of things have happened in the past three months: I traveled across the country (from the coast where I was living in Olón, to the Amazonia region of Ecuador) for the holidays, ended up living in a hotel in Guayaquil for three weeks while waiting on legal documents, and I also got married!!! Yes, I know, I've got a lot of explaining to do! 😇 Then, exactly one month ago today, I moved to the Galápagos. I've been posting photos somewhat regularly on my social media accounts and, for now, that continues to be the best way to stay up to date on my adventures.

So, with that being said, and assuming you've seen some of my recent photos of the beautiful scenery and wildlife that is viewable from where I'm sitting at my desk while writing this post, let me tell you about one of the biggest challenges of life in the Galápagos Islands.

Why It's Hard to Be a Digital Nomad in the Galápagos

As a digital nomad who relies on a steady internet connection to do my work for Groundhopper Soccer Guides and Bumerang180, to say that it has been challenging to get anything done since I landed on San Cristóbal a month ago is a total understatement.

Keep in mind that the Galápagos Islands are 600 miles from the mainland. Currently, all internet connections are via O3b satellite. In May 2020, the President of Ecuador announced that Galápagos Cable Systems would construct a submarine cable from Manta to the Galápagos, bringing 4G and 5G service to the islands. However, I cannot find any recent news about the company or the project, other than allegations of fraud that the contract was awarded without proper bidding.

Ecuadorian Ministry of Telecommunications announcement in May 2020

As I have mentioned in several of my social media posts since moving to San Cristóbal, I still do not have internet service at home. Thus, in order to work, I have to use my cell phone as a mobile hotspot (I have a US-based T-Mobile business plan with unlimited international data) or walk across town to the cyber café and pay $1.50/hour to use their WiFi.

Now you may be wondering why it would take so long to get home internet? The simplest explanation is that the only way to get the minimum speed required to do my job (without wasting literally hours per day waiting for webpages to load) is with fiber optic service. And to get that type of service there are only a few options, none of which are cheap, and all of which require setting up a business plan and getting on a waitlist for installation.

First, for a simple explanation of what the technical terms mentioned below mean and why speed matters, read this article: How much speed do I need?

Internet Options in San Cristóbal, Galápagos

There are mobile internet plans, but service is not reliable and speeds are comparable to what I’m getting on my phone currently (see below).

The only “traditional” internet service on this island is provided by government-owned CNT. You have to go to their office, wait in line outside, and then finally speak (from six feet away while wearing a mask) with one of the two employees who handle contracts. Besides being almost impossible to hear/understand them, they have not been very helpful (I ended up going a total of four times!). Their residential service requires having a landline telephone which costs about $12/month. Then you have to pay a one-time $60 fee for internet installation. The maximum bandwidth possible is 512 Kbps. Internet service costs approximately $35/month.

CNT's process is that once you provide all of the necessary documentation (including the names and landline phone numbers of the neighbors), they come to your house to verify that they can actually do the installation. The quoted timeline for this was 72 hours to 10 days. But honestly, why bother, when the absolute maximum speed is 512 Kbps?! I have tested their home internet service at several friends' houses here and was unable to load my work-related applications.

CNT also offers business internet. Their 512/256 Kbps plan (the cheapest available) is via copper line, has 4:1 sharing, requires a 24-month contract and costs $152/month, taxes not included, plus a $100 inscription fee. Their cheapest fiber optic plan is 3 x 1 Mbps and costs $849/month (no, that's not a typo!).

Puntonet is a 20-year-old company based in continental Ecuador who partnered with Speedcast in 2019 to bring fiber optic internet to the Galápagos. They have an office in Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island. All of my communication with them was done via WhatsApp. Their cheapest plan at 1024/384 Kbps costs $295/month with a one-time $450 (again, not a typo!) installation fee. At those prices, I immediately nixed them from the list of possibilities.

ifotoncorp is a brand new fiber optic company based in Santa Cruz. A friend of ours told me about them the first week that we arrived on the island. I reached out to them immediately via their online contact form as well as WhatsApp, but they told me the earliest they could come to San Cristóbal to do an installation would be “in about a month.” Why the long delay? Besides the fact that they are busy doing installations in Santa Cruz, they are also waiting for more equipment to arrive via cargo ship! Their cheapest plan has 512/256 Kbps bandwidth and 8-to-1 sharing. It costs $85/month plus a one-time $100 installation fee.

Internet Speeds in the Galápagos

To give you an example of what I've been getting by with the past month:

Here at the apartment using my T-Mobile phone service (which "borrows" the signal of local providers, in my case, Claro) my ping rate is 750 ms and my download speed is typically around 0.17 Mbps (170 Kbps).

At the cyber café, which has a business plan with CNT, I ran the same speed test and the ping rate was 346 ms, with a download speed of 1.0 Mbps.

The struggle is real, people!!! As my friend Paul said the last time we talked, it’s like I’m living in the 1990s. And he's right! Be sure to check out this fascinating infographic about the history of internet speed, courtesy of Entrepreneur.com, excerpted below.

Internet speeds and prices in the U.S. in 2013

Now let’s do a fun experiment. Go to speedtest.net and click the "GO" button. Then reply in the comments (here on the blog or on any of my social media accounts where I've shared this post) with your download speed. Be sure to clarify if your number is in Kbps, Mbps, or Gbps. If you want to include a screenshot of your test results, that would be awesome!

Oh, and in case you're wondering what I ultimately decided to do about my internet service... I am on ifotoncorp's list of fiber optic installations when they come to San Cristóbal next week! Stay tuned to find out what happens.

The cargo ship, anchored near Punta Carola, San Cristóbal,
that was carrying the internet equipment for ifotoncorp.

How I Got a Residency Visa for Ecuador - Part I

2020-12-05T10:47:00.003-06:00

If you follow me on social media then you are already aware that I finally received my Ecuadorian residency visa in November. Thus I had even more to be thankful for this Thanksgiving!

Celebrating the presidential election results.

I know many of you are interested in what the process of becoming an expat involves and what it costs. I will share my experience, keeping in mind that turnaround times were significantly impacted by government office closures and reduced work schedules due to the COVID pandemic. But first, a bit of background on my decision to move to another country.

I started researching the possibility of living in Ecuador in September 2019. At the time, I had been traveling solo through Central and South America for an entire year and had begun to make a list of the pros and cons of living in Latin America. Having already explored all 50 U.S. States and almost 100 countries around the world over the past 25 years, I have a pretty good sense of how to discern what I like and don’t like about a place and identify where would make a good home. I also had already decided that I no longer wanted to live in the United States at this point in my life, so I was open to all the possibilities. Ecuador checked off a lot of boxes on my list.

As a tourist with a U.S. passport, you can visit Ecuador for 90 days in a 365 day period without needing a visa. You’ll just get a standard stamp in your passport, and the immigration officer will handwrite the number 90 over the stamp. Those 90 days are cumulative, so if you leave the country for a few days or weeks after your first entry, the clock stops, and your time outside Ecuador does not count toward your total. However, unlike some other countries in the region, the clock does not reset when you reenter the country.

For example, you fly into Ecuador for the first time on January 1 and travel around the country for an entire month. Then you cross into neighboring Colombia and spend a month there. When you reenter Ecuador on March 1, you still have 59 days remaining (of your original 90). If you want to stay longer than that, you can apply at one of the Apoyo Migratorio offices for an extension on your tourist “visa." I ended up doing this in both 2019 and 2020; each time it cost me $131. This extension, called a prórroga, is valid for another 90 days, but this time it is a consecutive 90 days, meaning the clock does not stop if you leave the country during that time. Continuing with this example, your prórroga, which would have started on April 30 (your 91st day in Ecuador) is valid through July 29.

So now you’ve enjoyed 180 days (half a year!) in Ecuador and you’ve decided you want to stay even longer. There is one more extension you can get as a tourist, and it is valid for an additional 180 days. However, you must apply 30 days in advance of the expiration of your prórroga, you must have a health insurance policy issued by an Ecuadorian provider, and you must provide proof of sufficient funds to cover your stay. The government fee for this extension is $450. Note that you can only apply for this 180-day extension once every five years.

But what if you want to actually live in Ecuador? You’ll have to apply for a temporary residency visa. If you click on the link, which directs you to the Ministry of Exterior Relations website, you will see that there are more than 30 options for this type of visa. But the reality is that unless you are in Ecuador as a student, on a work or volunteer contract, or in some other very specific capacity, then you would only qualify for less than a handful of these visas. And while that aforementioned website does list the requirements for each type of visa, you will not find a government-issued how-to-apply guide anywhere.

I already knew from my thorough online research and reading posts in expat community groups on Facebook that, while it is possible to go through the visa application process on your own, there are many steps that are challenging to accomplish even in non-pandemic times. So I started contacting immigration attorneys who specialize in helping U.S. citizens obtain Ecuadorian residency. By the end of 2019 I had narrowed my list down to two attorneys based on their responsiveness and thoroughness in answering my questions via email and also based on the testimonials of other expats who had retained their services. I also contacted the Consulate of Ecuador in Atlanta, GA to verify the required documents and costs to decide if I could reasonably go through the process on my own.

I returned to the U.S. in January 2020 to finalize my divorce and to start preparing to file for my visa. Based on my previous communications with the attorneys and the consulate, I knew that I would have to complete this legal process and change my residence address before I applied, as all of your official documents need to have the same surname and mailing address. For the 16 months I was out of the country, I had been using my now ex-husband’s address in Portland, OR, plus my Oregon-issued driver license was going to expire in July. So I decided to "relocate" to Nashville, TN, to be closer to my family. My grandmother’s house would be my new, albeit temporary, residence for legal purposes.

By the time the divorce had been filed, all of the address changes had taken effect, and I had my new Tennessee driver license (issued on March 20, 2020), the world was in lockdown mode.

Stay tuned for my next post which explains how the pandemic affected my application process and details all of the documentation and costs of getting my residency visa.

90 Days in Ecuador

2020-10-07T14:13:00.000-05:00

This past weekend marked three months since I became an unofficial expat. And it’s the first monthly anniversary since the day I arrived that I am not on the move again! Continue reading to find out why.

Embracing life in another country.

First things first… Since my residency visa is still in process (currently my immigration lawyers are having my US university degree registered with the Ecuadorian government as I am applying for a “professional” visa), I had to get an extension on my migratory status as a tourist. Last year I crossed the 90-day mark when I was in Galápagos for the second time. I was able to go to the immigration office in San Cristóbal and fill out a one-page application for the extension; it cost $131.33 and was processed in about 15 minutes.

Me on my last day in Galápagos in October 2019.

This year, due to the ongoing pandemic, the provincial government offices are open but are doing most work online. Unfortunately, it is not a straightforward process, so I had to ask my immigration lawyers for help. Thankfully they were able to file for the extension on my behalf (the cost is essentially unchanged from last year) and I received the prórroga via email yesterday. This allows me to stay in Ecuador for another 90 days (until 12/31/20), during which time I expect (hope!) to receive my residency visa.

Ghost crab on the beach in Olón.

In case you are interested, I plan to write a detailed blog post about the entire process and costs for obtaining my residency visa as soon as it is issued.

Besides dealing with the ongoing legal process, I am staying busy with work and life in general.

My neighborhood cat friend, Bosco.

As I wrote about in my last post, I officially started working for Groundhopper Soccer Guides this past June. My job encompasses a lot of things but one of my recent tasks was to proofread and edit a 597-page manuscript i.e. the 2020-21 edition of The Groundhopper Guide to Soccer in England. If you have any interest in soccer at all, even if you don’t currently follow soccer in the UK, you will enjoy this book because it’s as much about the history and culture of the game as it is a travel guide. Email me at alethea@groundhopperguides.com to get your insider’s discount!

We just finalized the cover for this season's edition.

One of my favorite pastimes (besides watching games on TV) is walking a couple of blocks to the Olón stadium to see some of the local leagues play soccer. It is a unique cultural experience that, no matter what level of talent is on display, often involves children and dogs on the pitch, various types of food and drink vendors, a fair amount of cursing, and plenty of unpredictable moments.

Watching a local soccer game in Olón.

Besides work-related activities, I spend most of my spare time doing my best to learn more about local life. I enjoy chatting with the various shopkeepers and restaurant owners, fishermen I encounter on the beach or at the local seafood market, and vendors that pass by on bicycles or motorcycles. Some of my favorite experiences recently have been a direct result of these conversations, all of which take place in Spanish. There is no question that mastering the local language is an essential part of full cultural immersion if you plan to live abroad.

It takes dozens of men to haul in a fishing net this big by hand.

For exercise, and to take a break from screen time, I go for long walks on the beach. A few weekends ago I walked all the way from Olóncito to Las Nunez, which is a small town about five miles north of where I live. The best part about this walk is that you can stay on the beach the entire way as long as it’s not high tide. I saw lots of shorebirds, a few sea turtle nests, plenty of interesting waterfront houses, and, generally, very few people. I capped off the two-hour walk with a huge bowl of fresh ceviche and a large beer. Then I hopped on a local bus for a quick ride back to Olón.

Nest of an olive ridley sea turtle.

The following weekend I walked the opposite direction a few miles to Montañita, which unfortunately involves a solid 20-minute stretch along the busy main road. But I was rewarded for my efforts with continuous humpback whale sightings and beautiful views from the unique open-air sanctuary that sits high on a cliff above the ocean. After a filling lunch featuring fried calamari, I walked a bit farther south to check out a small arts and crafts fair, then doubled back to the only large-ish grocery store in this area to stock up on provisions.

View of Olón from the Santuario Blanca Estrella de la Mar.

It has now been two months since I moved to the coast and, as you can probably guess if you follow me on social media and see my almost-daily posts of beautiful sunsets, interesting wildlife, and other scenes from daily life; I don’t regret it! I love this town and my cozy, comfortable apartment just steps from the beach. It is the perfect place to work, rest, get fresh air, etc. I recently extended my lease until late December and will wait until I have my residency visa before making further plans.

Sunsets like this are just a few steps away from my apartment.

A Reason to Celebrate

2020-09-20T11:53:00.002-05:00

I know many of you have wondered how I was able to make this international move during the pandemic, especially after having spent a large part of the past few years traveling extensively. The reality is that I have been preparing and planning for a big change like this for a long time, especially the past four years. While I didn't know for sure exactly when it would happen or where I would end up, I have always believed that, if you create opportunities and are open to all the possibilities, then you will be rewarded with the life you dream of. Thus, I am writing this post from the sunny beaches of my current home in Ecuador.

I also have some exciting news... In June, I officially became the first employee of Groundhopper Soccer Guides!

Here is a link to the newsletter that announces me as part of the team: The Groundhopper Issue #71.

And here is the link to the blog post that Paul and I wrote: Meet Alethea. I have excerpted part of it below, but I hope you will read the entire story on the website.

As always, I want to say thanks to my family, friends, and readers around the world who follow my adventures and cheer for my successes. All of your comments and likes inspire me to continue sharing!

From Paul Gerald, founder of Groundhopper Soccer Guides:

When I first came up with the idea that would become my book and, eventually, my business, I first sought out advice from the smartest person I knew. Several years later, in 2020 and with the business well up and running, I was ready to hire my first employee.

So again I sought out, and this time hired, the smartest and most organized person I knew. And it was the same person!

So say hello to Alethea Smartt, first employee of Groundhopper Soccer Guides. I like to say her last name needs the extra “t” because she’s just that damn smart. She will provide the administrative and organizational backbone while I do … whatever it is I do. Go to games and write, I suppose.

But she’s a lot more than smart and organized: For example, how many people do you know who have been a firefighter and a flight attendant? Also among the many interesting things about her, and about doing business in the modern age: She lives in Ecuador! So we’re a British football outfit based in Oregon with an employee in South America. Because why not?

And now I’ll let her say hello to you.

“Who are you?”

That’s the question Paul sent me in an email earlier this week asking me to introduce myself to you, the Groundhopper Guides community. There are books to be written on the subject (embed link here to Kickstarter campaign for my forthcoming autobiography — just kidding!) but, for now, let’s focus on how my life intertwines with the world of soccer.

Let’s start with, “Hi, my name is Alethea Smartt. Once you get to know me, you may discover that I’m one of the more interesting and unconventional people you’ll ever meet.” (Note from Paul: She is being a little silly, perhaps, but this is absolutely true.)

I have always been athletic and enjoyed competing in lots of different sports. I started playing soccer in high school as a way to stay active during softball’s off-season. I was a fullback and was selected for the All-District and All-Region teams during my senior year. I continued to play during college but eventually had to quit as I needed more time to study — Major in French, Minor in English Writing — and work as a firefighter and firefighting instructor. (Paul again: What did I tell you?)

I remember going to a friendly between the U.S. Women’s National Team and Sweden in 1997 and was thrilled to see my favorite players (Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, Kristine Lilly, Michelle Akers) in person. I continued to follow world soccer and particularly enjoyed watching games when I was traveling to Europe for work during the early 2000s. I loved the sport enough to set an alarm for the pre-dawn hours to watch many of the 2010 World Cup matches in South Africa. I attended my first MLS match in 2009 in Seattle (Paul: I’ll just say I hope to hell they lost!) and, when I officially moved to Portland, OR in 2012, I became a devoted Timbers and Thorns fan. (Good choice.)

(From Paul: She also forgot the part where she worked in the beer industry for years. Talk about soccer-related experience! Check out CoasttoProst.com.)

Another Month, Another Move, and An Anniversary

2020-09-11T12:34:00.004-05:00

It has now been over two months since I officially moved to Ecuador. As always, time is flying by! I am really enjoying life on the coast and, particularly, that I never feel cold. The weather continues to be mild, which also means overcast the majority of the time. But other than missing occasionally seeing the sun, I am happy to be here.

In Olón; my first sunset in an entire month!

After being closed for almost six months months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has gradually been reopening the beaches to the public. As I mentioned in my last post, other than the lack of tourists, you almost wouldn’t know that there was a public health crisis based on observations of local behavior where I’ve been living in Montañita.

Fishermen transporting their boat across the beach in Montañita.

Most of the beaches in Santa Elena province reopened, with restrictions, on August 25. Many more throughout the country, including the popular malecon in Salinas, opened on September 1. The nationwide “estado de excepción,” which was instituted on March 16, officially ends in two days, signifying that there will no longer be curfews or the prohibition of public or private gatherings; however local authorities can regulate transit (like which cars can circulate on specific days), the consumption of alcohol in public venues like restaurants and bars, and opening hours for beaches. Basically the government says that it is now up to individuals to act responsibly to help prevent further spread of the virus.

A dog's view of the beach at Montañita.

During the past month I have gone on a couple of day trips to explore some nearby coastal areas. On August 15, I joined a couple of friends (one of whom owns a car) on an excursion to Salinas, 70 km and 1.5 hours south. They were scouting surfing spots; I went along to enjoy the scenery. At the time, all the beaches in that area were still officially closed, so we spent most of the day riding around, talking about how life has changed this year. Like many people in Montañita, my friend’s business is almost 100% based on tourism. He is more fortunate than others in that he had saved enough money to survive the past few months without a steady income.

The beach at Punta Carnero near Salinas.

On August 28, I took a local bus 46 km and one hour north to Puerto Lopez. I had previously visited the town, famous for whale-watching tours, in early September last year. Since I’ve been observing lots of whales over the past month while walking on the beach, I decided not to spend the money on a boat tour and, instead, enjoyed watching the fishermen at the bustling seafood market and ate a delicious freshly-made ceviche for lunch. I then backtracked to Rio Chico, a secluded beach that is accessible via a 20-minute walk from the main road. I spent the rest of the afternoon there enjoying the solitude and watching the surfers who come for the best waves during low tide.

A stretch of the mostly deserted beach in Rio Chico.

After one full month of living in Montañita, I moved a few kilometers north to the even smaller town of Olón last Saturday. Since I was nearby, I had the opportunity to come to Olón a couple of times in August to scout out potential accommodations. After looking at several different properties, I settled on a beautiful one-bedroom apartment just steps from the beach. It is much cleaner and quieter here, and I am thoroughly pleased with my decision to relocate. I have committed to staying here until mid-October and am currently researching options to return to Galápagos.

Home sweet home (and outdoor office) in Olóncito.

In other travel-related news, today is the anniversary of my departure from the U.S. on my life-changing Latin America adventure. This recent blog post provides a summary of everything that has happened in the past two years.

At Teotihuacan in Mexico on September 14, 2018.

As always, I am thankful for every day of health, happiness, and the ability to travel and live in this beautiful country! I continue to post daily updates and photos on my social media pages so be sure you’re following me on Facebook and Instagram if you want to see what life is like for this expat in Ecuador.

Shifting Perspectives: My First Month as an Expat in Ecuador during the Pandemic

2020-08-13T15:20:00.000-05:00

On August 5th I “celebrated” one month of living in Ecuador. At the time I was still in Cuenca, a city of about 600,000 inhabitants (third-largest in the country) situated at over 8,000 feet above sea level in the sierra of the Andes in the southern region of Ecuador. Cuenca is known for being one of the cleanest and safest places to live in Ecuador, and is particularly popular among expats. The city has the highest literacy rate and the most skilled workforce in the country. The economy is mostly driven by textiles, farming, mining, and logging. The UNESCO-recognized city center is a tourist attraction as are nearby Cajas National Park and the well-preserved Inca ruins at Ingapirca.

The usually busy flower market near the main square in Cuenca is now quiet.

During my first month in Ecuador, I lived in two different apartments. The first was a spacious two bedroom, two bath apartment with a rooftop terrace featuring 360 degree views of the city and mountains. It was situated in a neighborhood about 20 minutes walking distance from the historic city center. As I was under a mandatory quarantine order for the first 14 days after my arrival in Ecuador, I was less concerned about the location and more about overall comfort and having plenty of space and all the amenities I might want. Plus the owners lived in the same building and were available to help me with shopping for food or anything else I might need.

Sunset from the roof of my first apartment in Cuenca.

After assessing the overall situation by observing activity on the streets from my rooftop perch and reading social media posts from other expats living in Cuenca, I eventually decided I could venture out every few days to go for a walk and purchase supplies at the local market. During that entire two weeks I never saw anyone outside without a mask, and every business, no matter what type, had protocols for entry including temperature checks, hand sanitizer, shoe cleaning mats, and often a disinfection tunnel/shower.

Mandatory mask use and social distancing on the new streetcar in Cuenca.

On July 20, I moved to another apartment closer to the city center. As much as I loved the first place, it was a bit expensive, and there weren’t that many options for shopping and dining nearby. Since I was now free to move around without restrictions i.e. no more quarantine, I wanted to be more centrally located.

The second apartment was a smaller two bedroom, 1.5 bath on the third floor of a multi-unit residential building (it's the middle building in the above video which shows workers spraying disinfectant on the streets). While it lacked some of the comforts and amenities of the first place, it made up for this in location, being only a 5-minute walk to a local market, 10 minutes to a large supermarket, and about 10 minutes to the historic center.

Mercado 12 de Abril near my second apartment in Cuenca.

By now I had a daily routine of going for a walk (usually including a stop at the market), cooking most meals at home, working online an average of three hours per day, watching a movie on Netflix in the evening, etc. It was a simple, low cost, and relatively stress-free mode of existence with only one small problem: I was cold all the time! I guess the block construction and orientation of the second apartment, which also lacked any form of heating, trapped the chill and dampness and made it feel colder inside than outside. I had to wear layers of clothes all the time, including socks, shoes and a jacket, even indoors.

While exploring the second apartment building, I discovered I could access the roof above the 5th floor.

In Cuenca, the average high in July is 68F and the low is 49. It rains at least 10 days out of 30 and is often foggy in the morning but gives way to sunshine and partly cloudy skies by midday. I personally love the climate and geography of Cuenca but, in planning to live in Ecuador indefinitely and only being able to check two pieces of luggage under the current restrictions, I did not bring many clothes suited for cooler temperatures.

Out for a walk in Cuenca.

Thus, after a full month of living in the mountains, I was ready for a change of scenery and some sunshine and warmth. On August 3, I traveled over three hours back to Guayaquil and then another three hours west and north to the coast.

Home sweet home in Montañita.

Upon my arrival in Montañita I was immediately shocked by the differences in pandemic-related protocols versus in Cuenca. Specifically, that they are almost non-existent. The majority of the people here do not wear masks in public and, other than signs reminding you to practice social-distancing, you won’t see disinfection tunnels, be subjected to a temperature check, or find hand sanitizer being liberally dispensed at shops and restaurants.

Just like the old days...

While the province of Santa Elena is still under the yellow light just like Azuay (where Cuenca is located), in the 10 days I have been here I have only seen the police do a safety check one time and that was on a national holiday (Independence Day, August 10). There were large gatherings of people without masks drinking alcohol and playing soccer on the beach, all of which is prohibited right now. The two policemen simply asked everyone that was grouped closer to the town center to disperse. Most just moved farther up the beach.

These guys were playing soccer on the beach closer to town and the police told them
to move away from the more populated area i.e. where there aren't security cameras.

The reality is that the beach, like almost all beaches in the country, is technically closed indefinitely and has been since mid-March, but there are no signs anywhere stating that you cannot access the beach or the ocean. Especially on weekends, you will find a number of beach-front restaurants and bars open and serving customers, many of whom are tourists from Guayaquil or other inland cities in Ecuador.

The beach is practically deserted most days.

There are two factors at play here. First, the local economy is almost 100% driven by tourism. Montañita, with around 1,000 inhabitants, is a year-round party destination for Ecuadorians and budget travelers. You can’t walk far without catching a whiff of a certain herbal substance being smoked openly and, in normal times, loud music blasts from discotecas and bars that stay open until the early morning. The streets are usually packed with shouting vendors, mobile cocktail bars, and friends laughing and swaying drunkenly.

One of several "cocktail alleys" is now dry.

Second, the population is much less educated and generally lives day-to-day, with no means of earning enough money to improve their standard of living. In times like this, i.e. the pandemic, which has brought tourism and therefore income to a complete standstill, they do not have many (or any) options other than just trying to survive. Many have abandoned their businesses and are forced to sell anything they have of value (e.g. property, electronics). And while the mood here is one of resignation, that this is how life is for now, still they will make the most of it. There is a sense that it is better to go out and do something versus staying at home and doing nothing... Some will live, some will die, and that is life.

In spite of my mild concerns about health and safety, I have decided to stay here for an entire month, maybe longer. I managed to rent a rustic but functional two-bedroom apartment directly from the owner, a young woman who owns a hostel here in Montañita. She and her boyfriend live in the apartment downstairs and I have the entire second floor with its own private entrance. The only real grocery store in town is less than five minutes walk away and the town center is less than 10 minutes.

A panorama of the deserted town center of Montañita.

As I write this blog post I am sitting outside on my screened-in porch and I can hear the ocean one block away. The only other sounds are the birds chirping in the large trees that surround this property, the next-door-neighbor’s children playing, the occasional vendor who drives by selling fruits and vegetables or seafood or 20-liter jugs of water, and the airbrakes of the local buses slowing for speed bumps as they travel along the main coastal road known as the Ruta del Spondylus.

The E15 highway, aka Ruta del Spondylus, has very little traffic these days.

It is 75F with about 80% humidity so I am comfortable wearing shorts, a t-shirt, and sandals. The past two days have been overcast and rainy, but the sun is finally coming out again and I can see blue sky. Most mornings I walk to the store or into town to buy fresh produce and other necessities, then I work for most of the afternoon and cap off the day with a long walk on the beach around sunset.

Walking the beach in Montañita at sunset.

Life is simple, and life is good.

*******

In case you are wondering about overall infection rates and other statistics regarding COVID-19 in Ecuador, the Ministry of Public Health publishes the current numbers every day on their website. Here’s the latest report:

Also, be sure to check out my Facebook and Instagram pages for more photos and videos from my world travels and (now) life in Ecuador.

A New Beginning: Independence Day 2020

2020-07-19T12:07:00.001-05:00

First, a disclaimer. I honestly had no idea that the last post I published was in November 2019 which is over eight months ago now. I switched to writing more long-form posts on Facebook and Instagram versus using my blog. My apologies for not being more consistent; I really do have a lot to say about everything that has happened in the past year and, overall, about my travels in Central and South America.

Me, testing my limits, in a cave (Jumandi) in Ecuador in December 2019.

For now, here's a recap:

After packing up my relatively few possessions to store in a friend's basement, I said goodbye to my husband and friends in Portland, OR and flew to Nashville, TN on August 30, 2018. I spent a couple of weeks visiting with my family and making final preparations for my trip, then I flew to Mexico City on September 11. From there I traveled a total of 489 days visiting 15 countries and 184 cities throughout Central and South America.

Celebrating Independence Day in Mexico City on September 15, 2018.

I carried a 26” wheeled duffel bag that weighed 40 lbs and an 11.5” laptop backpack that weighed 15 lbs. I wore the same clothes over and over, and never bought anything new until the last few months of my trip.

My suitcase and backpack in a dorm in Santa Ana, El Salvador.

I stayed in hostel dorms the majority of the time. That means I slept in a twin bed, often a bunk, in a room with strangers and we all shared one or a few communal bathrooms. The nice thing about traveling this way, besides saving money, is that you meet other travelers from all over the world. I made many new friends who I continue to stay in touch with and hope to see again someday.

Sometimes hostels have house pets like this one in Salta, Argentina.

With only a few exceptions, I traveled alone the entire time. I used almost every imaginable mode of transportation, from airplane to horseback. One of these, a bicycle, resulted in the only injury I sustained during the entire trip: a badly sprained left wrist while I was in Galapagos in September 2019. The injury forced me to change my plans to travel down the Amazon River into Brazil at the end of the year, but it didn’t stop me from continuing to travel in Ecuador and Colombia for a few more months.

This photo was taken about about an hour after the bicycle accident.

Yes, I continued to ride for several more hours even though I knew I had injured my wrist.

Of course, I also got sick. I had a few sinus infections and several bouts of intestinal illness that likely were a result of eating contaminated food. But the only time I ever went to a doctor was when I had the bike accident. As luck would have it, my 364-day travel insurance policy had just expired a few days before the accident. However, in Ecuador, public health care is free, and I was treated for my injuries (including x-rays, two casts, and multiple doctor visits as well as physical therapy) and did not have to pay anything.

Cast and all... I still made the most of my time in Galapagos.

I think it’s really important to mention that I learned to speak Spanish, which made traveling in Latin America a much more rewarding (and overall better) experience. I started building my vocabulary using the Duolingo app every night for 30 minutes for a few months prior to my departure from the U.S. In October 2018, I lived in a friend’s home (alone) in Guatemala for the entire month and studied Spanish, primarily by watching Professor Jason’s YouTube videos, an average of three hours per day. In November 2018, I took 32 hours of one-on-one classes at Copan Spanish School in Honduras. I continued to study on my own and improved rapidly by resolving to only speak Spanish, except when talking to my family in the U.S. or when I met another traveler who did not know the language. Finally, in November 2019, I took another 20 hours of advanced Spanish at Lingua Viva in Cali, Colombia.

My teacher Dunia and I at Copan Spanish School.

I enjoyed all of the countries and places I visited, but I particularly loved the Galapagos for the laid-back lifestyle, sense of community, and, of course, for the abundant nature. Even though I knew it would be almost impossible to live in the islands due to very strict residency laws, I decided to spend more time in Ecuador to find out if it was the best match for me in terms of a place I could see myself living for awhile. Once I had maxed out the number of days I could stay in Ecuador without a visa (180), I returned to the U.S. to start planning for the future.

My friend Adena and I drove down to the Florida Keys and
visited some breweries on one of my first days back in the U.S.

I landed in Miami on January 13, 2020. After visiting with friends there and in Houston for one week, I flew to Portland. I spent a couple of weeks visiting with friends, sorting through my personal belongings to get rid of some excess, and I met with a lawyer.

Fun times with friends in Houston.

As most of you already know, Greg and I formally ended our marriage earlier this year. We had looked for many solutions over the years to find a way to be happy together but, in the end, nothing could change the fact that our lives were going in opposite directions. We split amicably, and our divorce was finalized in April.

Greg, my mom and stepdad joined me for a two-week cruise
from Buenos Aires to Santiago in February 2019.

I flew from Portland to Nashville on February 4 and spent a few weeks visiting my family. However, after a month of being back in the U.S. and, particularly, dealing with the legal process of the divorce, I was a bit stressed and needed a break.

On the beach in Puerto Escondido, Mexico.

For me, the easiest escape was to Mexico, where I ended up spending eighteen days traveling from Mexico City to Acapulco to Puerto Escondido and through Oaxaca. Unlike my recent travels, this was pure vacation. I was less worried about sticking to a strict budget and instead focused on enjoying my time to the fullest. In short, it was absolutely fabulous, and I came back replenished and looking forward to getting things done and visiting more friends and family in the U.S.

Tornado damage less than one mile from my grandmother's house.

I landed in Nashville on March 2, a few hours before an EF-3 tornado devastated the city and surrounding areas, coming within ½ mile of my grandmother’s house in Hermitage where I was startled awake by the warning sirens, cell phone alerts, and roaring wind. It was a terrifying and traumatizing event that reminded me how the future is never guaranteed and, therefore, it is so important to make the most of every day.

A family gathering after my mom's surprise 70th birthday party.

In spite of the chaos caused by the tornado and the unsettling news of a deadly virus that had recently made its way to the U.S., my sister and I still followed through with our months-long plan to host a surprise 70th birthday party for our mother on March 7. A few days later, on March 11, my mom and I flew to Canada for her birthday vacation. We had a wonderful time exploring Ottawa, Montreal, and Quebec City.

My mom and I had a wonderful time in Canada!

We kept a close eye on the news but were still shocked as we watched popular tourist sites close their doors indefinitely and once-busy public places become strangely silent. Not wanting to gamble on the possibility of the border closing, we flew back to the U.S. on March 18. The experience of traveling that day, on planes with only a dozen other passengers and through airports that were essentially empty, reminded us of what it was like immediately after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

The empty immigration hall at Montreal's airport.

Our vacation together was a life-affirming bright spot in what would soon become a previously unimaginable descent into chaos and uncertainty around the world. I had to make a quick decision as to where I would go (or stay) for the indefinite future. While it was tempting to go back to Mexico (most other countries had already closed their borders and imposed strict stay-at-home orders) where I could rent an apartment for a few months relatively cheaply, I ultimately decided to stay with my grandmother so I would be able to help her if and when things shut down in Tennessee.

Celebrating my nephew's 20th birthday in June.

As we all know now, the U.S. as a whole and the majority of states did (and continue to do) a horrible job in their response to the virus. As weeks turned into months with no end in sight, I focused on the future. More specifically, I hired an attorney to help me navigate the visa process for becoming a resident of Ecuador and started gathering all of the necessary documentation for the application.

A rainbow over the complex where my grandmother lives.

There were a lot of ups and downs in the 109 consecutive days I was in Nashville during the pandemic. I stayed busy organizing all of my accounts, reading, writing, studying Spanish, talking to friends on the phone, helping a neighbor whose mother was in hospice, and caring for my grandmother. I am thankful for the quality time I did get to spend with my family and a few friends, even while social distancing and wearing masks. But, of course, I am also sad that I didn’t get to visit my friends along the east coast or to travel anywhere at all as I had originally planned.

One of the few social outings I enjoyed during my final month in the U.S.:
Lunch and a long walk with Heidy and Ivy.

With my birth country falling apart at the seams and countries around the world starting to impose travel restrictions specifically on U.S. citizens, I decided that if I wanted to get back to Ecuador this year, I should probably leave as soon as possible. After a nine-hour layover in Miami where I spent a relaxing day with Adena and Raul, on July 4, 2020 a few minutes before midnight and exactly one year to the day I first visited the city of Guayaquil, I landed in my new home country. Thus for me, going forward, Independence Day will always be a time to celebrate new beginnings.

In the pool at Adena's house in Miami on July 4.

Galapagos Islands Two Ways Part III: By Sea

2019-11-22T08:07:00.000-06:00

This is the third post about my adventures in the Galapagos Islands. So far I have described how to visit the islands independently and on a budget, as well as how and why I decided to book a last minute cruise. Here's more about my adventure at sea:

I booked and paid for my cruise in cash at Galapagos Mockingbird Travel Agency in Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz less than two days prior to embarkation. As mentioned in my previous post, the Millennium was the only boat that met my requirements regarding the itinerary and a schedule that would fit my travel dates. Since I had already spent one week on San Cristobal island (including taking two day trips to other islands and places I could not visit on my own) plus five days on Santa Cruz, I was not interested in repeating any of those experiences during the cruise. The Millennium's northern and western islands itinerary was almost exactly what I would have designed myself if I was chartering a boat.

A screenshot from a travel agency's website showing the typical
northern and western Galapagos Islands cruise itinerary.

The Millennium is a 16-passenger first class catamaran. It is one of the oldest boats currently operating in the Galapagos. It has been refurbished so, besides the fact that it is heavy ("military-grade steel!" our guide said repeatedly throughout the week) and therefore slow, it is quite comfortable and well-appointed.

A stock photo of the Millennium.

The boat has six double cabins featuring two twin beds and a split bathroom (the toilet and sink are separate from the bathtub/shower). Five of these cabins are on the main deck; the one on the upper deck is actually a triple with three twin beds. There are also two suites on the upper deck; they are twice as large as the standard cabins and feature king size beds, a sitting area, and a huge bathroom with walk-in shower. All of the staterooms are air-conditioned and most have balconies.

Stateroom #4 on the Millennium.

There is an indoor dining area and a lounge/bar area on the main deck forward. On the rear upper deck there is an outdoor dining area. The top deck is completely open air, though partially covered, with lounge chairs and bench seating.

The dining room set up for dinner on Day 1 of the cruise.

Since I was traveling alone and the cruise was fully booked, I had to share a cabin with another passenger. My roommate was Helen, a fun-loving girl from Stuttgart, Germany who had been traveling around South America for five months. Helen was wonderful, as were the other 14 guests plus nine crew on board the Millennium. Including myself there were five North Americans (all from the U.S.), a couple from Denmark, a couple from France, two couples from Switzerland, and a mother and daughter from China. The average age was early 30's. None of the passengers were smokers. Everyone was very friendly, relaxed, well-traveled, physically fit, and eager to make the most of our adventure together.

My cruisemates and our captain (lower right) on Day 4 of the cruise.

Our naturalist guide was Whitman Cox, a San Cristobal native who coordinated all of our meal times and activities, led our excursions, and educated us about everything in the Galapagos.

Whitman and I at the Centro de Crianza de Tortugas Terrestres
(Land Tortoise Breeding Center) on Isabela island.

The crew consisted of the captain and his first mate, an engineer, two dinghy drivers, one cabin steward, two cooks, and one bartender/waiter.

The crew gathers in the common area for a welcome toast.

I will elaborate more about the itinerary below but first I want to say a few things about my experience overall. On a small boat like the Millennium, your fellow passengers can make or break your cruise. You are in close quarters and will spend an average of 14 hours per day together eating, riding in the dinghies, hiking, and snorkeling. The atmosphere is very relaxed; the crew prefers that you don't wear shoes inside and there are no locks on the cabin doors. There are no private spaces to hide away and just chill for awhile, with the exception of your cabin, which you are likely sharing. There is a schedule to keep, so if other passengers are late it affects everyone. Meals are served buffet style and seating is open, so conversation is a big part of the dining experience.

I feel like I hit the jackpot regarding my cruisemates for the first five days. I say this not only because they were all super friendly and enthusiastic about the cruise and about making the most of our experience, but also because everyone was very conscious of how their actions affected the others. No one hogged the photo ops, or was constantly late or lagging behind, or interrupting the guide, or taking too much food on the first pass at the buffet, or always talking about politics, or whining when the weather wasn't perfect or when we didn't get to see or do something as planned.

I actually have something to compare to because the entire group, with the exception of myself and two other North Americans, disembarked on the morning of Day 6 and new passengers boarded later that afternoon. The new group was completely different! The average age was now mid-50's to 60's and there was also a family with three children (approximate ages 8, 10 and 12). While everyone was still very friendly, the vibe was much more low key. About half of them were not in great physical shape (i.e. they were overweight) and they skipped some of the excursions. The kids, while generally well-behaved, had a tendency to scream or shout especially when snorkeling. Several of the passengers were carrying expensive photographic equipment and often fell behind the group during our hikes because they were taking so many photos. You get the idea.

Now, without further delay, here are my daily notes from the cruise.

Day 1: Wednesday, July 17 - Santa Cruz highlands
I met my fellow cruisers for the first time this afternoon at Rancho El Manzanillo where you can walk among the free-range land tortoises. About half of the group came directly from the airport; others had already been on the islands for a few days and thus had taken a taxi from Puerto Ayora. Whitman led us on a tour for about an hour and then we ate a late lunch at the onsite restaurant. We bused back to the port and took our first dinghy ride to the Millennium at 6 p.m. We received our cabin assignments and had time to unpack before dinner. We set sail shortly after we ate which forced everyone to go to their staterooms as the boat was rocking violently and most of us felt motion sick. While I never got physically ill, it was the first of many times that week where the only thing I could do was lie in bed; it felt like being in a washing machine on agitate cycle!

Our group observing a land tortoise at Rancho El Manzanillo.

Day 2: Thursday, July 18 - Isabela (Tintoreras and Puerto Villamil)
The original itinerary included a trip inland to hike Volcan Sierra Negra but, because it was overcast and we wouldn't have been able to see much, we opted to stay closer to the water. We ate breakfast at 6:15 and boarded the dinghies at 7:00. First we landed at Islote Tintoreras and hiked around the lava for 1.5 hours. We saw tons of wildlife including our first sharks and penguins. Then we took the dinghies to Puerto Villamil and transferred to a van for the trip to the Land Tortoise Breeding Center. We spent an hour there observing the tortoises (saw one pair mating!) and then followed a trail/boardwalk through a saltwater lagoon (flamingos!) to the beach. We watched some marine iguanas swimming and climbing around the lava rocks, then transferred back to the dock and took the dinghies back to the boat for lunch.

White-tipped reef sharks rest in the Tintoreras Grotto.

We had a couple of hours to rest, then returned to the beach for a free "do what you want" afternoon. I decided to walk along the beach to the old cemetery outside of town which took about an hour each way. I also went back to the lagoon for more birdwatching, and spent the remaining time chatting with my cruisemates and relaxing with a beer at a beach bar. Back on the boat we were served a complimentary welcome cocktail before dinner. We had another long night of rough sailing ahead, so most of us retired to our staterooms shortly after dinner.

I mostly had the beach to myself on my long walk to the cemetery.

Day 3: Friday, July 19 - Isabela (Punta Moreno) and Fernandina (Punta Mangle)
We ate breakfast at 7 a.m. then took the dinghies to shore for a two hour hike around the lava fields. We passed several lagoons (more flamingos!) and saw lots of interesting lava formations and cacti. Then we reboarded the dinghies for a ride around the shoreline where we saw our first flightless cormorants, some penguins, and lots of marine iguanas. We returned to the boat for lunch and then set sail for Fernandina around 1 p.m.

A couple of hours later we had reached the island and went deep water snorkeling for one hour. After taking a quick and much needed hot shower (the water was very cold!) we went for another dinghy ride around the shoreline and saw lots of birds and boobies diving for dinner. We set sail again just before sunset and within just over an hour were anchored for the night. After listening to an informational lecture from Whitman, we ate dinner at 7 p.m. Since we were anchored and the sea was calm, we went up to the sundeck to look at the stars before going to bed.

The Millennium at anchor off of uninhabited Fernandina island.

Day 4: Saturday, July 20 - Fernandina (Punta Espinoza) and Isabela (Tagus Cove)
We ate breakfast at 6:15 and by 7 a.m. we were in the dinghies heading for shore. We spent two hours hiking around the lava formations and a small lagoon where we observed rays feeding. We also saw a large marine iguana colony, flightless cormorants nesting and our first snake, plus I spotted a whale spouting in distance. Then we went deep water snorkeling (tons of sea turtles and marine iguanas feeding underwater) before sailing across to Tagus Cove.

After lunch we hiked up to the Darwin Lake overlook. We saw a pair of hawks and were entertained by a lonely sea lion that followed us up the path from the water and back down again when we left. We didn't have time to snorkel and Whitman said there wouldn't be much to see anyway, so about half the group took turns jumping off the back deck into the water.

A selfie at Darwin Lake, formed in a volcano crater.

We spent the rest of the afternoon sailing north and finally saw some whales plus lots of manta rays jumping and flipping. A large group of frigates stayed with the boat, flying overhead and occasionally landing on the roof of the sundeck. We had an informal party (it's the first time we had a chance to sit around and drink during the day) and then the captain invited us into the bridge just before sunset. We celebrated as we crossed the equator near the northwestern-most point of Isabela at 6:30 p.m. and eventually went inside for dinner. The sailing was rough again later so most of us retired to our staterooms after we ate.

Can you see the equator? ;)

Day 5: Sunday, July 21 - Santiago (James Bay/Puerto Egas) and Sombrero Chino/Chinese Hat
Per routine, we ate breakfast at 6:15 and were on the beach just after 7 a.m. We hiked for almost two hours and saw tons of birds feeding, a few sharks, plus our first fur seals (they are actually another species of sea lion) and our first land iguana. Then we had one hour for optional snorkeling or beach time. I chose to hike alone around the shoreline and then up to an old house (there was once a salt mine here) and viewpoint. I also found an adorable baby sea lion that was less than one week old. We returned to the boat and set sail for Sombrero Chino.

A quiet morning on Egas Beach.

After lunch at noon and some time to rest, we went deep water snorkeling. The water was a bit rough but it was a great snorkeling experience because I got to swim with some playful penguins and sea lions. After a quick shower, we hiked around Sombrero Chino for one hour. The scenery was completely different from the other islands and was really beautiful. We also found a baby sea lion that was probably only one day old. Back on board, we had a complimentary goodbye cocktail and took some group photos before dinner. It was a beautiful, clear night so most of us went up to the top deck to stargaze and admire the Milky Way.

See the baby sea lion? It blends in so well with the rocks!

Day 6: Monday, July 22 - Santa Cruz (Black Turtle Cove) and Seymour Norte
This morning we went for a dingy ride in Black Turtle Cove at 6:30 a.m. We saw sharks, rays, lots of birds, and turtle tracks from where they nest on the beach. We ate breakfast at 8 a.m. and then everyone disembarked at 9 a.m. except myself, Debby and Jack.

One last dinghy excursion with my original cruisemates.
Here we are looking at blue-footed boobies.

From 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. the three of us were not given any activity options or information other than that the crew would be resupplying the boat and we would wait for new passengers to arrive. I spent most of the day on the sundeck reading. The new passengers finally boarded around 2:30 p.m. and we sailed to Seymour Norte.

Returning to the boat after a dinghy excursion.

We took the dinghies ashore and hiked for about two hours. This island is known for its bird life and it did not disappoint. We saw nesting cormorants and boobies with their chicks plus many other birds, along with land iguanas and sea lions. We returned to the boat just before sunset and set sail for Bartolome. After dinner I spent several hours on the sundeck watching the shooting stars.

Those puffy white balls are baby frigates. They have black wings.

Day 7: Tuesday, July 23 - East Bartolome and Santiago (Sullivan Bay)
We ate breakfast at 6:45 and then took the dinghies ashore. We hiked to the summit of East Bartolome where there is a 360 degree view of the beautiful and diverse island landscape that epitomizes the Galapagos. Just under two hours later we were back in the dinghies for a ride around Pinnacle Rock where we spotted a lone penguin. Back on the boat, we changed into our wetsuits and went snorkeling on the beach near Pinnacle Rock. We ate lunch on the boat at 11:30 then sailed the short distance to Sullivan Bay.

Notice all of the boats in the background. Bartolome and Sullivan Bay are
on most cruise itineraries and are also popular day trips out of Puerto Ayora.

In the afternoon we hiked for about an hour around the spectacular lava formations. We saw a small snake and penguins as well as a large shark in the bay. Immediately afterward we went snorkeling off the beach in that same spot! We returned to the boat without incident and spent the rest of the afternoon and evening sailing back to Santa Cruz. I went up to the sundeck to enjoy a few cocktails and to watch my last Galapagos sunset.

I love the contrast of the lava, the dried salt, and the ocean at Sullivan Bay.

Day 8: Wednesday, July 24 - Santa Cruz (Bachas Beach)
There was a bit of chaos this morning because the crew, particularly Whitman, didn't realize I was booked on the first flight out of Baltra at 10 a.m. We took the dinghies to the beach at 6:15 a.m. and walked around on the sand for an hour. We were hoping to see flamingos in the lagoon but only saw a few other birds and a couple of iguanas sleeping in the mud. Back on the boat we ate breakfast
and Jack, Debby, and I disembarked on Baltra at 8:30 a.m. We took the shuttle bus to the airport and my flight left on time at 10 a.m.

My last Galapagos sunrise in July.

Summary

With the exception of the crazy, somewhat stressful process and effort required to book this cruise at the last minute plus some wasted time and lack of organization on Day 1 and especially on Day 6, my entire Galapagos cruise experience was fantastic. The wildlife and scenery were amazing. Most of the time we were the only visitors on the uninhabited islands. The boat, while not perfect, was clean and comfortable. The food, snacks, and drinks were delicious. The crew and my fellow passengers were awesome. In the end, while of course I would have liked to spend less, I think it was worth $2,000 for the week. But I'm not sure I could say the same if I had paid the regular $4,000+ rate.

If anyone asks me for recommendations for visiting the Galapagos, I would generally tell them to do something similar to what I did: Fly into San Cristobal and spend a week or so sightseeing independently with a couple of excursions (to Espanola and maybe a 360 tour) and then ferry to Santa Cruz and spend a couple of days sightseeing on your own there. Then do a full week cruise to the northern/western islands (same itinerary as mine).

One final note about cruising and the Galapagos in general. While I did have wifi access at my accommodations in San Cristobal and Santa Cruz, it was very slow. I didn't have wifi or cellular service for the entire week on the boat. I had to wait until I was back on the mainland to upload all of my photos and videos. Thus it is a good idea to have a way to back up your photos daily to another drive or device in case something happens to your cell phone or camera during the trip.

You can read my abbreviated daily summaries, which are split into two posts per day for morning and afternoon activities, by searching the keyword "Galapagos" on my Facebook,
Instagram, and YouTube accounts, or by scrolling to the posts that occurred between July 24 and August 8, 2019. There are also photos from my independent Galapagos adventures prior to the cruise that start on July 5.

This is a slideshow of some of my favorite photos from the cruise. Enjoy!

Galapagos Islands Two Ways Part II: Decision Time

2019-11-17T10:48:00.000-06:00

This is the second in a series of posts about my adventures in the Galapagos Islands. I wrote about the cost and logistics of touring the islands independently here: Galapagos Islands Two Way Part I: By Land

Playa Brava at Tortuga Bay, Santa Cruz island

After a wonderful 13 days exploring San Cristobal and Santa Cruz islands on my own, I was planning to take a lancha (ferry) to Isabela island for a final week of rest and relaxation. However, while I was researching day trips, availability, and pricing with the numerous travel agencies in Puerto Ayora, I started to seriously consider another option: a last-minute cruise.

A water taxi in the harbor at Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz

One of the travel agents in particular, Larry at Galapagos Mockingbird Travel Agency, encouraged me to go on a cruise. When I sat down in his office and listed the places I still wanted to go on day trips, I quickly realized that I would have to spend an average of $200 for each of the three or four excursions that were at the top of my list. I also would have to stay in Puerto Ayora (the most touristy place in the Galapagos) and transit back and forth across Santa Cruz island multiple times as there is no lodging on the northern part of the island where the boat trips to North Seymour, Bartolome or Santiago depart.

Getting ready for dinner on Charles Binford Street in Puerto Ayora

I already knew that the only way to visit the more remote, uninhabited islands like Genovesa, Marchena or Fernandina was on a cruise. That's because they are too far away for day trips and daily visitor numbers are strictly limited by the national park service. The main reason I wanted to go to any of these islands was the diverse wildlife, landscapes, and lack of people. But I had already told myself that I would be happy just visiting the inhabited islands and doing as much as possible for free on my own, plus splurging on a few day trips to the other most accessible uninhabited islands.

There are plenty of free activities you can do on your own
including a hike to Las Grietas on Santa Cruz island.

I told Larry that the only way I would consider a cruise was if it was at least one week long and the itinerary had to include places that I could not go on my own. Plus it had to include the islands I had planned to visit on day trips from Puerto Ayora. I also said my budget was around $1,500 which I had calculated to be a reasonable price based on the cost of accommodation, food, day trips, etc. for seven nights (eight days) if I was trying to do everything possible in my remaining time on the islands.

Marine iguanas at Tortuga Bay, Santa Cruz

After a thorough search, we discovered there was only one boat that had a suitable itinerary during the dates I still had left. And it had availability. The only issue: it was a first class catamaran with a price tag to match. Over the next 48 hours I was at the travel agency multiple times a day trying to negotiate i.e. lower the last-minute price plus find a way to avoid paying for extras like a wetsuit, better quality snorkel equipment, etc.

Plantains for sale in Puerto Ayora

Here's something you should know: The seemingly hundreds of travel agencies in the Galapagos are all selling the exact same day trips, cruises, etc. because there are only a limited number of boats and permits to visit certain places. Thus you have to shop around if you want to get the best price because one agency may have a better relationship with the boat owner/operator and thus will give you better odds of snagging a last minute spot or cancellation at the absolute lowest price.

Colorful accommodations on Santa Cruz island

Also, access to cash is a necessity. Many agencies on the islands charge an additional 10-15% (or higher!) fee to pay for excursions with a credit card. If you book a last minute cruise, you have to pay for it IN CASH. There are ATMs on San Cristobal and Santa Cruz; Isabela just got its first ATM in September 2019. Those ATMs have daily withdrawal limits according to their local bank affiliation. Plus you pay a fee to use the ATM for each withdrawal (the average was around $4.00 on the islands). In addition, even though the currency is U.S. dollars, you will still be charged a foreign transaction fee by your bank unless you specifically have a card/account that does not charge these fees. For example, in Puerto Ayora, there are three main banks with ATM machines. One lets you withdraw $500 in one transaction; one only $300; and one only $200, but then allows multiple withdrawals up to a maximum of $600 in one day.

Those 48 hours were really quite stressful between haggling over the price of the cruise, figuring out how to get access to that much cash in a very short period of time, and deciding if it was worth it to spend so much money to see and experience more of the islands than I could do on my own. But, in the end, I basically said "You only live once" and "I'm here now; who knows if I'll ever have a chance to come here again; I might as well see as much as possible while I have this opportunity."

Laguna de las Ninfas on Santa Cruz island

That is how I ended up on the Millennium, a 16-passenger first class catamaran on an eight day, seven night cruise of the northern and western Galapagos Islands from July 17 - 24, 2019. I paid $2,000 for this cruise; the regular price is $4,360.

Be sure to read my next post about my experience touring the Galapagos by sea!

An Alternative to the Long Bus Rides

2019-08-30T14:39:00.001-05:00

Yesterday was a long travel day: 12 hours total from door to door. But that's not as long as it would have been had I traveled the 1,126 km from Cali, Colombia to Guayaquil, Ecuador overland. That would have taken more than 30 hours on multiple buses, taxis and a border crossing on foot. After some pretty rough rides through southern Colombia, which involved not only the usual winding mountain roads but also major road construction and/or horrible road conditions like huge potholes, on buses and in minivans with no air conditioning which means inhaling tons of dust and diesel exhaust through the open windows, I didn't want to experience that again.

Standing on the Pan-American Highway outside Otavalo waiting on a bus.

Thus I decided to fly from Cali to Guayaquil to position myself for a return to the Galapagos Islands (more on that below). Direct flights were over $400 so I looked at other options. After diligent research, I did something I would never recommend to the average traveler: I bought three flights on three different airlines on the same day. My itinerary was Cali to Bogota (on Avianca), Bogota to Quito (on Wingo), and Quito to Guayaquil (on Tame). The total cost for these three flights was just over $200. The bus(es) plus one overnight along the way plus the taxis at the border crossing would have cost at least $100.

The Colombian side of the border crossing at Rumichaca.

Because I flew on different airlines, that means I had to check in three times, clear security three times, and reclaim my checked luggage three times. Plus I had to go through immigration twice (out of Colombia in Bogota and into Ecuador in Quito) and customs once. Obviously if a flight had cancelled or been significantly delayed then I would have been in trouble and at risk of missing the next flight and therefore forfeiting my ticket. I was willing to take that chance because I'm not on a set schedule and don't have anywhere I have to be on a specific date or time, and, worst case scenario, I could always take a bus.

The minivan I took from Popayan to San Agustin, a 6-hour journey on horrible roads.

Each airline has different requirements regarding carry-on and checked luggage. The only one that was strictly enforced was Wingo, which is a budget airline that charges extra if you don't print your boarding pass in advance, if you want to choose your seat, if you want a drink of water on the plane, etc. They have a 20 kg checked bag limit and my bag currently weighs 22 kg so I had to remove a couple of small packing cubes to reduce the weight. No problem!

My luggage at my Airbnb in Cali. I have a suitcase that normally weighs 20 kg plus a
backpack for my electronics. I also have a collapsible day bag for carrying food on travel days.

While I was standing in line to check in for my second flight, I remembered that you are required to have proof of onward travel when entering Ecuador. When I entered by bus from Peru they did not ask. But it is much more common to be checked if you fly into the country. If you really don't have definite onward travel plans like me but need to have something to show the immigration officers if they ask, then there's an easy solution. Buy a one-way airline ticket out of the country through Expedia, as they have a 24 hour free cancellation policy. I purchased a flight from Guayaquil, Ecuador to Lima, Peru while I was standing in the check-in line in Bogota. Then I cancelled it after I cleared immigration in Quito a few hours later.

Traveler's tip: purchase a refundable flight for proof of onward travel.

As it turned out, the immigration officer in Quito did not ask for proof of onward travel. She only asked if I had visited Ecuador before and how long I planned to stay. I told her that I knew I could only stay 47 more days (because you can stay a maximum 90 days in one year without a visa and I've already spent 43 days in Ecuador on this trip) and that I knew what date I had to be out of the country. She was happy with this answer and stamped my passport while saying "Welcome back!"

I'm collecting a lot of stamps in my passport on this adventure.

So now I'm in Guayaquil and plan to go to the beach for the next few days. From there I will decide if and when I will return to the Galapagos. It would be nice to spend a month there just relaxing and enjoying the beautiful scenery and wildlife and not feeling obligated to visit all the islands. As I wrote in my recent blog post, it's really not that expensive, especially if you're not spending money on day trips. Also, I'm in no rush to go to Brazil and particularly the Amazon while the fires are so widespread. Of course, I will get there eventually and am looking forward to spending several months exploring a new-to-me country.

I miss these Galapagos sunsets!

Galapagos Islands Two Ways Part I: By Land

2019-08-25T18:54:00.001-05:00

When I decided to go to the Galapagos I was already in Peru (read more about my trip in the footer below this post). I had been thinking it would be nice to celebrate my 45th birthday somewhere special, but other than reading the pages of several guidebooks that I checked out from the local library and photographed before I left the U.S. last September, I had not done any serious research on the cost and logistics of visiting the islands. I contacted a few travel agencies based in Ecuador to get quotes on land versus cruise packages. I read every blog post written in the past two years about how to visit the Galapagos on a budget. I searched the Backpacking South America Facebook group for tips and recommendations from other travelers. I also found two extremely detailed and helpful Tripadvisor posts. When I was confident that I really could go to the islands for my birthday without spending thousands of dollars, I bought my flights. The date of purchase: June 11, 2019; the nine-month anniversary of my departure date from the U.S.

Arriving on San Cristobal Island

Based on everything I had read during my extensive research, I bought a flight from Guayaquil to San Cristobal and a return flight from Baltra to Guayaquil. You can also fly from Quito, but I planned to travel overland from south to north through Ecuador after visiting the islands and did not want to have to backtrack. Both of my flights were on Avianca which, for the days I chose to travel, offered the cheapest fare. You can also fly on LATAM or (at that time) Tame.

As my July 5 departure date neared, I continued to travel overland through northern Peru. In my spare time I made a checklist of all the things I needed to do before going to the islands as I had read that cellular service would be limited or nonexistent and that wifi was not particularly fast or reliable. I also created a Google Doc that would be available offline (although I ended up printing a copy as well for making notes on the go) where I compiled all of the information I had gathered from my research. I did not book anything in advance other than my flights and my first three nights at a hostel in Puerto Baquierizo Moreno, the main town on San Cristobal Island. My return flight was on July 24 so as to give myself plenty of time to see and do as much or as little as I wanted once I reached the islands.

My first on many beautiful Galapagos sunsets

While I could write pages upon pages about how much I love the Galapagos, the primary goal of this post is help you understand the pros and cons (and costs!) of visiting the islands independently versus taking a land-based group tour or a cruise. All of the information below is based on my personal experience as well as the research I did while I was in the islands. Prices are per person and include all taxes and fees unless otherwise noted. I have embedded links to other websites, blogs, travel agencies, etc. for easy access to more detailed information about a particular topic.

Transportation - Flights

As mentioned above, I purchased my flights only three weeks before my departure date from mainland Ecuador. Since I didn't have a specific date I needed to travel (other than wanting to celebrate my July 12 birthday somewhere on the islands) and I was already in Peru and could travel overland to Guayaquil, I did a flexible date search on each airline's website. Remember that I also wanted to fly into one island/airport and out of another, so I specifically searched for one-way tickets. FYI - I did check round-trip prices using only one island airport and Quito just to compare. I would not have saved any money either way, but it's definitely a good idea to check.

At the time of my search in mid-June for flights in early to mid-July, all three airlines were charging $100-200 one way from Guayaquil to San Cristobal in economy class. For the return in late July to early August, the average was closer to $200-300 (Baltra to Guayaquil). I chose the dates with the cheapest flights and paid $121 inbound and $202 outbound for a total of $323 round-trip on Avianca. Note that the prices included one checked bag up to 22 kg and one piece of hand luggage.

View of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristobal from my inbound flight

Since returning to mainland Ecuador, I have continued to check flight prices. For flexible dates in August, September and October, I can easily find flights for $100 each way.

One other unavoidable expense is the $20 Transit Control fee you will pay when you check in at the airport on the mainland. You receive a receipt in the form of a card which shows your dates of entry and exit (don't worry if the exit date is not correct) and states that you cannot earn money or stay in the Galapagos longer than 60 days in a given year. You must retain the duplicate of this card as you will have to present it when you check in for your return flight to the mainland (that's when the proper departure date will be recorded in their system).

Transportation - On or Between Islands

Once you are on the islands, you don't need to spend much money to get around. Most of the free sights are walking distance from the main towns on each of the inhabited islands. Depending on which airport you fly into or out of and where you are staying, you might need to take a taxi or public bus to get to your accommodation. My hostel on San Cristobal covered the cost of my taxi from the airport, which is actually walking distance from the main town.

La Loberia beach on San Cristobal is on the far side of the airport but still walking distance from town

To travel between islands you take a lancha (a speedboat that holds around 30 people). This is a fixed price of $30 but you can negotiate to $25 each for multiple ferry rides if you purchase your tickets in advance from one of the travel agencies on the islands. Note that there are also limited inter-island flights operated by Emetebe but expect to pay at least $150 one way.

Inside the lancha going from San Cristobal to Santa Cruz. Two hours on rough seas!

Accommodation

We all have different comfort levels. I am accustomed to sleeping in bunk beds in hostel dorms, with no air conditioning or heating, and shared bathrooms which often have no hot water and sometimes no toilet paper, in places that are not the nicest or the cleanest. I do read reviews thoroughly if I am booking accommodations in advance, and I always try to balance the price with the possibility of a decent night's sleep. While there are fewer dorm beds on the islands and almost no possibility of camping due to strict national park rules, there is still plenty of budget accommodation available.

It might be tempting to camp on the beach with the sea lions, but it's not allowed.

I ended up paying an average of $15 per night for a variety of shared and private rooms; some even included breakfast and all had communal kitchens so I could cook or refrigerate leftover food. I found that the best way to get the cheapest rate was to: 1) speak Spanish; 2) ask locals if they know someone with a room to rent; 3) deal directly with the owner and tell them you don't need a receipt; 4) pay in cash. You can also usually negotiate a slightly cheaper rate if you stay longer. Note that the average cost in well-reviewed budget accommodations is $25 per night and can easily exceed $70 per night at many places.

Food and Drink - DIY

As mentioned above, I usually stay in hostels with kitchens so I can occasionally cook my own meals, boil water for coffee or tea, or store items like yogurt (or beer!). Each of the main towns on San Cristobal, Santa Cruz and Isabela has a local market as well as a variety of grocery or convenience stores. In anticipation of prices being higher on the islands, I purchased a few staples on the mainland and put them in my checked luggage: wine, granola, peanut butter, energy bars, spaghetti sauce and pasta. Note that your luggage will be inspected before and after each flight and ferry ride; most fresh fruits, vegetables and meat products are prohibited to be transported from the mainland or between islands.

Supplies I purchased on the mainland. I saved more than 50% on about half of these items.

I went to the markets and multiple stores on each island to purchase items and/or check prices. On average, packaged goods were 50% more expensive than on the mainland. Fresh items, if purchased at the market and particularly if grown locally, were comparable in price. For beer, wine or liquor, it definitely pays to shop around as I found a wide range of prices for the exact same items. The difference between stores, even just a few blocks apart, was anywhere from 25-50%.

Food and Drink - Restaurants and Bars

I love to try the local or regional specialties and the Galapagos was no exception. However, after traveling throughout much of South America and spending a week in southern Ecuador before I flew to the islands, I had already tasted much of what was available. Eating out in the more tourist-oriented places on any of the islands will cost you an average of $5 for breakfast, $10 for lunch, and $15 for dinner. Some places have the same menu all day long; others have different prices according to the time of day. A large bottle of beer, glass of wine or cocktail is usually at least $5. Many places offer all day happy hour where you get three beers for the price of two, or two cocktails for $8.

This huge bowl of ceviche which came with rice and plantain chips cost $6.

I rarely eat at a "upscale" restaurants while traveling long-term unless I am celebrating something (my birthday!) or researching the craft beer scene. Instead I seek out the busiest local spots that are away from the main tourist streets or at/near the local market. In the Galapagos, you can eat from the "menu del dia" at one of these places for an average of $4. That includes a fresh juice, large bowl of soup, and a choice of entree. Occasionally it even comes with dessert! If you want to drink alcohol you can go to the market and buy a 330 ml bottle of the national lager beer (Pilsener or Club) for $1.25 ($2 for the larger bottles) and then take it to your hostel or sit on the beach or on the boardwalk.

As referenced above, I did splurge by going to a local brewery for dinner on my birthday. I had two pints of beer and a burger with fries. The total cost was $27.

Birthday burger and beer at Santa Cruz Brewery

Sightseeing

One more unavoidable expense is the Galapagos National Park entry fee. This is currently $100 for adults and $50 for children under 12 years old. You must pay the entire amount in cash (U.S. dollars only) upon landing at the airport in the Galapagos. That means you must have sufficient cash with you when you leave the mainland.

Each of the three main islands has a variety of wonderful places you can visit for free just by walking from the center of town. There are beautiful beaches and snorkeling spots, hikes through the forest, volcanic craters, and land tortoise research centers. You can also take the local bus (on Santa Cruz), rent a bike, or hire a taxi (cheaper if shared with other travelers) to explore places a bit farther inland.

Snorkeling at Tijeretas Bay, San Cristobal with playful sea lions

I went everywhere I could possibly go on my own on foot on San Cristobal and Santa Cruz Islands. One day I rented a bicycle ($15) and loaded it in a taxi ($20) to go to Puerto Chino, a beautiful beach on the southeastern side of San Cristobal. From there I rode (and walked as a lot of it was uphill) 25 km back across the island, stopping at multiple places of interest along the way.

Bicycling across San Cristobal Island

You will also want to do a few guided tours by boat as these are the only way to visit the uninhabited islands and see some of the unique endemic wildlife or to get to places that are not accessible overland (other than on a cruise). Prices for day trips range from around $110 up to $250 per person depending on the destination and if you are snorkeling versus diving.

Waved albatross on Espanola Island, the only place in the world where they nest

I chose to do two full day snorkeling and hiking trips from San Cristobal. I booked both through Islanders Galapagos after I got to the islands. My Kicker Rock day trip cost $115 and my Isla Espanola day trip cost $180. Note that I got a discount for paying cash and for booking two trips with the same travel agency.

Kicker Rock, a popular snorkeling and diving spot, off the western coast of San Cristobal Island

Miscellaneous

As mentioned above, everything generally costs more on the islands and you will save money by coming prepared. Don't forget to bring items like sunscreen, wide-brim hat, swimsuit, beach towel, sandals, a refillable water bottle, etc. from home. You can rent snorkel gear (mask and snorkel) for about $5 per day. The price is higher if you also want fins and/or a wetsuit but it makes sense to bring your own if you have it (and if you're not traveling long-term like me). I bought a cheap snorkel set at a sporting goods store in Cuenca and then sold it to another traveler when I left the islands. My only other cost in this category was washing a load of laundry on Santa Cruz Island.

Preparing to snorkel at Kicker Rock. The water was very cold!

My Expenses

These are my total costs for 12 nights (13 days) on San Cristobal and Santa Cruz Islands. Note that I was actually on the islands a total of 19 nights (20 days) but the final week was spent on a cruise, which I will write about in detail for my next post.

Transportation - Flights $322 + $20 transit control fee
Transportation - On or Between Islands $52
Accommodation - $206
Food and Drink - DIY $78
Food and Drink - Restaurants and Bars $85
Sightseeing - $310 + $100 national park fee
Miscellaneous - $22

Total expense = $1,195 or an average of just under $100 per day.

Be sure to subscribe to my blog to be notified when my next post, Galapagos Islands Two Ways Part II: By Sea, is published.

*******

Hi! My name is Alethea. I am a 45-year-old female with a U.S. passport. I speak English, French, and Spanish. I am currently traveling through all of Central and South America solo. I travel on a budget, stay in dorm rooms in hostels, eat at the local markets, and walk or take public transportation everywhere. I have been traveling like this as often as possible for the past 25 years. As of today, I have been to all 50 U.S. states as well as 89 countries on six continents.

An Overnight Bus Ride That I Would Prefer to Erase From Memory

2019-06-18T21:02:00.000-05:00

Before the bus even left the terminal in Cajamarca last night, they distributed plastic bags to anyone who wanted one. If I hadn't previously done my research, I would have thought they were for trash.

The view of Cajamarca while returning from Cumbe Mayo yesterday

on a winding and unpaved mountain road.

I had booked seat 4 using Turismo Virgen del Carmen's online reservation system. I've been traveling all over Central and South America for more than nine months now and, ninety-nine percent of the time, seat 4 is in the first row on the passenger side next to the window. It's generally my preferred spot, depending on the overall configuration of the bus. The online seat map indicated that would be the case. But, of course, it was wrong. I was still in the front row, but on the opposite side, directly behind the driver. There was a floor-to-ceiling wall in front of me and almost no leg room, but at least I could still see out the side window.

A screenshot of the bus company's seat map. I reserved

seat 4 which was actually where seat 1 is on this diagram.

The bus had approximately 30 seats total.

Virgen del Carmen is the only company currently operating the route from Cajamarca to Chachapoyas, which follows the incredibly scenic but, by most standards, terrifying road 8B. I had been looking forward to traveling this route for weeks but, when I arrived in Cajamarca and started researching bus schedules, I quickly discovered my options were even more limited than I expected. I even went to the official Peru tourism office to verify that what I was seeing online was accurate. The verdict: due to construction work during daylight hours which blocks a section of the one-lane road completely, it is only possible to travel this route at night.

We departed Cajamarca on time at 6:00 p.m. as the clouds changed from white to golden to fiery pink. There were a few other international travelers (backpackers) on board besides myself, but everyone else was Peruvian. The age 20-something guy beside me immediately started talking at full voice on his cell phone as did the woman in traditional dress sitting directly behind me. The older man beside her was coughing frequently and sounded heavily congested. None of them smelled great either; in fact, I immediately put menthol balm under my nose to mask their collective body odors and stale breath that hovered in the air around me during their lengthy phone conversations.

Soon we were outside of the city limits and quickly climbing up a two-lane paved road. There was a fair amount of traffic in both directions and, of course, the bus driver didn't waste an opportunity to pass anyone going too slow by his standards. In spite of the movie playing on the overhead TV screen at a loud volume, I could still hear the driver talking on the phone and was worried he might get distracted while navigating the frequent, sharp curves with little room for error. People started vomiting within the first hour and, if you haven't already figured it out, used their plastic bags as intended. Thankfully none of them were near me, so I managed to avoid a second-hand barfing incident.

As soon as it was completely dark I realized the moon must be full, as I could still see the majority of the landscape from my window on the left side of the bus. It was also getting much colder as outside air was coming in through a couple of open windows, but I was thankful for the fresh air circulating around me.
After two hours of riding on the winding mountain road, we arrived at the bus terminal in Celendin. We all got off the bus to eat dinner, which was included in the price of the ticket (total 80 soles or around U.S. $15). We sat in a small communal dining room on plastic stools and were all served the same thing: a plate of rice plus a starchy potato concoction and a small piece of chicken, along with a cup of sweetened chamomile tea. It was a bit bland but was hot and tasted fine.

We departed again by 9:00 p.m. and now the bus was completely full plus there were at least three additional people, including a second driver, in the front compartment along with a ratty twin mattress pushed up against the only entry door which they seemed to be taking turns laying on.

I had already attempted to wear my seat belt during the first leg of the trip, but quickly discovered that, while there were two across-the-shoulder belts between each pair of seats, there was nowhere to fasten them. I even used the flashlight on my phone and asked the guy beside me to help look. We checked multiple seats but they were all the same: belts but no fasteners.

As soon as we left the city limits of Celendin, I realized the road was only one lane. Not only that, but there were no shoulders on either side, no guardrails, and no street lights. The drop-offs were straight down; when I looked out my window I often couldn't see the edge of the road, only the vast emptiness of the more than 500 meter drop to the bottom of the canyon. Combine that with what sounded like a party happening in the driver's compartment: loud talking, laughing, music, and smoking. Several times I even detected the odor of alcohol. There was a digital speedometer in the passenger compartment next to the TV screen, so I could clearly see how fast we were going. While the speed limit for almost the entire section of road between Celendin and Leymebamba is 15 - 30 kph, we often would accelerate to 40 or even 50 kph and then have to quickly decelerate to veer around the never-ending sharp curves. It was absolutely terrifying and I had to close my window curtain to avoid having a panic attack.

I was chewing ginger candies, sniffing my menthol stick, and trying not to think about driving off the cliff, but that did nothing to alleviate the unsettled feeling in my stomach which had started gurgling up shortly after we ate dinner. I have been motion sick what seems like hundreds of times in my life, but this time it was the smell of cigarettes coming from the driver's compartment directly in front of me, the inability to move around in my seat, the lack of fresh air, and the food I had just eaten that cumulatively caused me to vomit sometime around midnight. Thankfully I was prepared and, along with plastic bags, I was carrying wet wipes, tissues, etc. and had everything in my day bag which was sitting on my lap.

I felt better after purging my entire dinner, but my stomach was still cramping. We did not stop again for a bathroom break or even to stretch our legs for the duration of the bus ride, so when we arrived in Chachapoyas at 5:30 this morning I was definitely much worse for the wear. I had notified the hostel when I booked a few days ago that I would be checking in very early and, thankfully, they had already agreed to let me have my dorm bed as soon as I arrived. I basically just laid down fully clothed on top of the comforter and put another blanket over me and slept for three hours.

Today I have been sick with intestinal issues all day, which means that I was right about the food causing me to vomit. Of course, the motion of the bus did not help, but I've survived so many bus rides on every type of road imaginable and managed not to throw up on any of them. I hope I feel well enough to start exploring Chachapoyas tomorrow. The good news is that I have not made any definite plans for onward travel so can take as long as I need to rest, recover, and enjoy the sights here before continuing on towards Ecuador.

Above is a screenshot of my Google Map from where I started in Cajamarca last night to where I arrived in Chachapoyas this morning. Whereas the map says you could theoretically drive this in about eight hours, you really have to go very slow on this dangerous one-lane road and by bus, excluding the dinner break, it took just under 11 hours.

Since I could not take any photos, I searched online for someone who might have driven this route in the daytime. Here's the link to their blog post about this particular stretch of road, along with some fantastic photos: https://dare2go.com/when-i-wish-i-could-shrink-our-overland-vehicle/

Adios & Ciao Argentina, Hola Bolivia

2019-04-20T17:39:00.001-05:00

After spending the past few weeks traveling from central to northern Argentina, I had to make a big decision: whether or not to cross the border into Chile for the sole purpose of visiting the Atacama Desert. The desert was always on my "must see" list for this trip, particularly because I enjoy looking at the night sky, and the Atacama is considered one of the best places in the world for stargazing. However, my timing was completely off and I would be in the desert during the week of the full moon, when the observatory is closed and all stargazing tours are cancelled. While there are still many days' worth of sightseeing in the area, I ultimately decided to skip it. Further explanation as to why will be given at the end of this blog post.

Desert landscape in Tilcara, Argentina.

I made this decision on Tuesday, April 15. That means I only had two days to plan and prepare for my next destination: Bolivia. Normally this wouldn't be a big deal, as I'm accustomed to making my onward travel plans at the last minute. But Bolivia presented a complication: as a U.S. citizen, I am required to have a visa to enter the country. Of course, I did my research regarding visas, immunizations, and other requirements for entering every country in Central and South America before I left the U.S. last September. Thus I knew that, in order to enter Bolivia and Paraguay in particular, I would need very expensive ($160 each) visas. I could have applied for these in advance by sending my passport to the appropriate Consular Offices in the U.S. But I ultimately chose not to do this because I wasn't 100% sure I would make it to either country during this trip and I did not want to spend that amount of money for something I might never use.

Me at Teotihuacan in Mexico in September 2018. Only one week into the trip,
I had no idea if or when I would make it to Bolivia.

When I was in Santiago, Chile for two weeks in late March and had already passed the six-month mark of my trip, I knew the odds were very high that I would make it to Bolivia. I inquired with the Consulate General of Bolivia in Santiago, and they advised me to fill out the online application and get my visa at the border. I still did not know when or where I would cross into the country, which made me a bit nervous, but I knew I would be traveling through Argentina for several more weeks so I thought I had plenty of time to prepare.

Making new friends at a hostel in Santiago, Chile.

As so often happens, I was busy sightseeing, figuring out where to go next, socializing, etc., and never found time to prepare all of my documents for the border crossing. It's not that I forgot; I did ask at almost every hostel if they had a printer so I could begin assembling the necessary documents. I also tried multiple times to get U.S. dollars (from ATMs or from other travelers) which I needed to pay for the visa.

Another new friend, Agostina (Agos), in Salta, Argentina.

So when I decided to go from Tilcara, Argentina straight to Bolivia instead of crossing back into Chile first, I had less than 48 hours to prepare. Here's what the U.S. Embassy in Bolivia says you must have:

In addition to the visa fee of $160 USD, you must present a visa application form with a 4cm x 4cm color photograph, a passport valid until the date of departure from Bolivian territory, evidence of a hotel reservation or a letter of invitation in Spanish, round trip ticket or copy of itinerary, proof of economic solvency (credit card, cash, or a current bank statement), and an International Vaccination Certificate for yellow fever.

I also read several blog posts from other travelers who had crossed the border at the same location without having a visa in advance. The most recent and most helpful post had similar information regarding what the author had to do to get her visa.

My hostel in Tilcara did not have a working printer so, after filling out the online visa application, creating a hypothetical itinerary, booking a hostel for my first few nights in Bolivia, and downloading a recent bank statement; I then converted all of those documents to PDFs and uploaded them to Google Drive. I also took photos of my passport and vaccination card and uploaded them to my Drive. Then I went to the local internet cafe, logged into one of their very old computers, and downloaded the documents to the hard drive so they could print them. Unfortunately, they did not have a color printer, and I soon discovered that in the tiny town of Tilcara there was only one shop which had a color copier. The girl told me she could make photocopies of my passport and vaccination card but that the copier was out of toner and more was arriving by bus (yes, that's how everything is transported in much of Central and South America) that afternoon. A few hours later I finally had all of the necessary documents in hand for a total cost of $2.12.

I had already walked into town and had a few hours to wait for the toner to arrive,
so I revisited Tilcara's church which was all dressed up for Semana Santa.

I had asked everyone at the hostel, the one local bank, other businesses, etc. if I could exchange pesos for dollars but no one had any. By pure luck a German guy and his Russian girlfriend checked into my dorm room and they were carrying some U.S. dollars as a backup. They had just enough to give me the $160 in cash that I needed for the visa and in exchange I sent them the equivalent in euros via Paypal.

La Albahaca was a great hostel with a friendly vibe, including
a delicious communal dinner on my last night in Tilcara.

On Thursday, April 18, I boarded a bus to La Quiaca, the border town in northern Argentina. After 3.5 hours of scenic driving through Jujuy province topping out at over 3,700 m or over 12,000 ft above sea level, I stepped out of the bus in La Quiaca happy to get some fresh air. The temperature was 74F but felt more like the mid-80's because of the intense sunshine and lack of shade. I asked a local for directions to the border and started walking. Fifteen minutes later I had reached the immigration checkpoint to get my stamp out of Argentina.

Approaching the border between Argentina and Bolivia.

There were only a few people in line and in less than five minutes I was standing at the window. The agent flipped through my passport and immediately said (in Spanish) "You know you need a visa to enter Bolivia, right?" I told him that I knew and that I had all of my documents ready. He told me to wait a minute and disappeared from sight. Then a woman came out to the sidewalk carrying my passport and told me to follow her. We walked across a bridge, which is also the official border, and into an office on the Bolivian side.

This is the bridge at the border between La Quiaca, Argentina and Villazon, Bolivia.

The woman, who appeared to be in her early 30's, asked for my paperwork, which I promptly handed over. After looking at each piece of paper, she got out a blank white folder and put all of the documents inside, then started writing my passport information on the front cover. In the meantime, she told me to step over to the next agent and pay the visa fee. I took out the $160 U.S. dollars and the agent immediately told me he could not accept it. I had seven $20's and two $10 dollar bills but the agent said he could only accept $100's. I asked where I could change the smaller bills for $100's. He said there were lots of currency exchange places along the next few blocks and I could try there. Then he said that I could also pay in Bolivianos which came as quite a surprise given everything I had read or heard from other travelers.

This is one block from the border on the Bolivian side. The vendors have put up
sheets and blankets to protect their wares from the afternoon sun.

The agents said I could leave my bags in the immigration office while I went in search of more cash. They also kept my passport. I took my day bag containing all of my debit and credit cards, cash, etc. and started walking up the street into the town of Villazon, Bolivia. There were tons of "cambios" on both sides of the street as well as shops and vendors selling just about everything you could possibly want. I went into a few of the exchange places to check the rates (I still had some Argentinean pesos that I wanted to convert to Bolivianos) and to ask if I could trade my $20 and $10 bills for $100's. The answer was the same everywhere, "no." I quickly realized I would need to find an ATM to get enough Bolivianos to pay the visa fee. The nearest one was four blocks uphill farther into town. Thankfully, it worked with no problem, and I withdrew enough money for the visa plus enough cash to get to Tupiza.

The view of the border from the Bolivian side.

When I returned to the immigration office a crowd had gathered on the bridge at the border crossing. A few members of the local press were there as well. Everyone was watching a group of school children along with several adults and a handful of musicians. They were all dressed in red and were either wearing or carrying large bags and boxes of food items like rice, flour, and potatoes. As I walked up they started dancing and marching at the same time. Even the immigration office staff and armed border patrol guards came out to watch. They told me it was a protest relating to the taxes or fees for transporting goods across the border. I honestly have no idea why children were involved but I suspect it has something to do with education or welfare. They danced their way back and forth along the Bolivian side of the border for about 15 minutes, then we all went back inside the office to process my visa.

The protesters.

I ended up paying 1,100 Bolivianos (approximately $156) for a 10-year multiple entry visa. Once they had put the visa into my passport and attached a copy to my folder, it was filed away in a large cabinet. The same woman took me back across the border into Argentina and gave my passport to the agent there so I could officially be stamped out of the country. Then she gave me my passport and said "It's finished now." We walked together back into Bolivia and I retrieved my luggage from the immigration office. I thanked the woman for being so patient and friendly (we even did the typical Latin American greeting of a kiss on the cheek) and we said our goodbyes. The total time from start to finish, including the currency exchange and trip to the ATM, was one hour. It would have taken less than 15 minutes if I had the "correct" cash.

Woohoo, I'm legal!

I then walked back uphill about six blocks to the rapidito terminal to catch a ride to Tupiza. I had to wait about 20 minutes until the next minivan filled up before we could leave, but since I was one of the first people to arrive, I got to sit in the front passenger seat. This turned out to be a good choice because they ended up squeezing a total of nine adults (including the driver) and two infants into the small van. Plus the road between Villazon and Tupiza was pretty curvy on the second half and I imagine I would have felt motion sick if I was sitting in the back. Two hours later I was settling in to my single room for the next three nights and feeling quite proud of surviving the border crossing. Keep in mind that I did all of this in Spanish and at an altitude of over 11,000 ft!

My ride from Villazon to Tupiza, Bolivia.

One final note on the reason why I didn't go back into Chile. I already knew from my travels in March that Chile was definitely more expensive than Argentina. I had done my research on San Pedro de Atacama and knew that I was going to spend an average of $75 per day on lodging, food, and tours into the desert. Even the bus ticket to San Pedro was almost $40, compared to a total of $10 to go from Tilcara to Tupiza by bus and rapidito. I would also still have to pay for a bus and/or tour from San Pedro to Uyuni, Bolivia, a minimum of $30 for the bus and around $200 for a 3-day tour of the desert and salt flat.

The places circled in red are where I will
overnight on my tour (going clockwise).

Instead, I came directly to Tupiza and from here, tomorrow, I will depart on a 4-day/3-night tour all the way to Uyuni. I will still get to see the Bolivian side of the Atacama Desert plus similar geological features like geysers, hot springs, lunar landscapes, lakes filled with flamingos, an active volcano, and finally the famous salt flat. My daily cost here is less than $20 and the all-inclusive tour costs $200. Thus I will spend less the half of the money I would have spent getting to San Pedro, touring the desert, getting to Uyuni, and touring the salt flat. And when I went to the tour office to prepay for my tour yesterday, I was able to get rid of all of those "worthless" $20 and $10 dollar bills!

Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria
in Tupiza, Bolivia.

So in the end it all worked out, which I was totally confident about the entire time but probably caused myself some unnecessary stress by not preparing everything for the visa further in advance. I continue to be thankful for so many things including all the friendly and helpful people I've met on this trip, my overall health and well-being, and the amazing scenery and culture of Central and South America.

Wall mural in Tilcara, Argentina.

Happy Easter!

A Story About Safety While Traveling

2019-04-02T16:15:00.000-05:00

I am compelled to write this post because of my friend, Matt Kepnes, also known as Nomadic Matt. I don't recall where I first heard about Matt, but I know he created his Nomadic Matt Facebook page in April 2008, which is around the time I decided to plan an around-the-world trip. I joined Facebook in late 2007 and quickly learned that it was a great resource for meeting like-minded travelers and for getting the latest information about places I wanted to visit.

I first met Matt in person at a meet-up in Portland, Ore. in July 2014. It was a fun night of making new friends with other world travelers based in the Portland area, several of whom I'm friends with to this day (shout out to Kalong Wong and Marin Hoag). Over the years Matt and I have followed similar paths, even choosing to live in the same cities for a while but never at the same time. He has continued to build his business through his website, books, online courses, and nonprofit organization FLYTE.

Today, Matt posted his story about getting stabbed in Bogota, Colombia, which inspired this blog post. That's because I was traveling in Colombia at the same time as Matt, and was literally days behind him on a similar itinerary going from Medellin to Bogota via the coffee regions of the northwest. I was quite surprised when he cut his trip short without any real explanation, and I honestly thought it was due to an illness in his immediate family that necessitated a last-minute flight back to the U.S. I missed seeing Matt in Bogota by just over one week and now I know why.

You need to read Matt's story to fully understand why I'm writing this. One of the most frequent questions I have gotten, both from locals and other backpackers over the past six months of solo travel in Central and South America is, "Do you feel safe as a female traveling alone?" The others, paraphrased here, are similar: "Is it safe to go to Honduras, El Salvador, or Nicaragua?" "Has anything happened to you?" "Were you ever afraid?"

So here's my experience.

The overall answer is "No, nothing bad has happened to me on this trip." The truth is that I have taken many precautions including not going out after dark in many places, not walking on deserted streets, not traveling on overnight buses, and not going to a bar alone, especially at night. I have met many other travelers, male and female, who have run into trouble in this part of the world. After listening to them tell their stories, the bottom line in almost every case is that they got complacent.

The reality is that all over the world there are people with bad intentions. Whether it's desperation as a result of extreme poverty, mental illness, or addiction, if you need money quickly one of the easiest ways to get it is to snatch a smart phone or other valuable electronic device, jewelry or wallet from an unsuspecting tourist. This is such a common occurrence in the big cities of Central and South America that the hostels and tour companies will almost always make you sign a disclaimer voiding them of any responsibility for your personal belongings or else will have signs posted throughout the premises or will verbally advise you to not have anything valuable in your pockets; to carry your purse or day bag on your chest; and to never have your cell phone unsecured in your hand.

The firsthand accounts I have heard have ranged from minor (but still a big hassle) like having a wallet pickpocketed from a backpack (worn on the person's back without locks or other security measures) in Valparaiso, Chile a few weeks ago to an assault that required hospitalization. In the second case, the victim was a middle-aged man who had gone to a bar alone to have a drink and, while he went to the bathroom, the drink was spiked with some type of drug that made him completely forget the next 48 hours. The assailants took him to an ATM where he withdrew his maximum daily limit, then they kept him in a locked room and forced him to give them his bank account information so they could get even more money. When they had taken all they thought they could get, they left him in an alley.

The closest I have come to being scammed or robbed (that I'm aware of) happened just a few days ago. And the only reason it wasn't a complete success was because I kept my guard up.

I was sitting on the seawall in upscale Vina del Mar, Chile last Friday afternoon. I had been walking all day and was tired, plus my phone was down to under 10% battery power and I wanted to connect it to my portable charger. I needed enough power to navigate my way back to the bus station in Valparaiso and then back to my apartment in Santiago. It was around 4:00 p.m. so still full daylight and there were lots of local families as well as tourists strolling by. I had my day bag in my lap with the straps looped over my shoulders and across my chest. I opened the bag to get out the battery pack, connected it to my phone with the micro USB cord, then immediately closed it again. As I was doing this, an older woman approached me.

She started speaking to me in Spanish, asking where I was from, how did I like Chile, etc. I have met many friendly locals in Chile so this was not that uncommon. Then she told me she was from Yugoslavia, said I was very pretty, and that she wanted to give me a travelers blessing. She asked me to give her some change and demonstrated how the blessing worked. Essentially, she would hold the coins in her hand along with a sprig of rosemary. She would say a prayer for my health, safety, onward travels, etc. and then would return the money to me.

She was sweet and seemed harmless and, initially, I didn't want to offend her by just telling her to go away. So I played along and put two 10 peso coins in her hand (worth a total of $0.02 U.S.). She didn't scoff at them and said the blessing, which I thought was a nice gesture. But then she told me that for it to really work I need to put more money in her hand. At this point I became more suspicious and did a quick check to make sure my bag was completed zipped up, even though it was still in my lap and physically strapped to me. She was very insistent that I should at least put paper money in her hand. Honestly, at this point I just wanted her to go away but didn't want to make a big scene. I knew I had a 1,000 peso note (worth $1.48 U.S.) so I got it out and let her do a more elaborate blessing. Then I told her "thank you, but that's enough."

After another minute or so of dialogue during which she tried to convince me to put a much larger bill in her hand (she was specifically referring to the 20,000 peso note which is worth almost $30 U.S.), another younger woman approached us. She was also holding a sprig of rosemary. That's when I knew for sure it was a scam. I remained friendly but insisted that I would not be getting out any more money for any reason. Soon enough, they left me alone and then I saw them join up with another woman and then a man as they walked off.

I know I was lucky because they did not get any money from me other than that 1,000 peso note. Nor did the woman ever physically come in contact with me. Considering that I now know there were four of them working together, I can only imagine how easy it would have been for them to follow me and overpower me, even though it was daylight and I was in a very affluent area with plenty of local people around.

I was angry at myself and at that woman for the next 24 hours. But, like Matt's very scary experience, it did not change anything about my overall impression of this country or of this trip. It just reminded me that I do have to be vigilant all the time, even though it's tiring to constantly be on guard. At least 90% of the local people I have come into contact with through all of Central and South America have been so warm, welcoming, friendly, and helpful, and they have often gone out of their way to make sure I was being cautious, felt comfortable in my surroundings, and was not alone.

I have felt far more threatened in other parts of the world and then I was traveling with a male partner. The only time I've ever been pickpocketed was in Paris, France when I was 15 years old. I was traveling with a group of about a dozen students from my high school. We were waiting on a train in the underground metro station one evening and a man and woman approached us and started asking where were from, how long we were visiting, etc. Then they frantically said they were on the wrong platform and were going to miss their train. Our teacher had instructed us to stand in a circle facing each other so we could keep an eye on our belongings. But when the couple ran off, another man standing on the platform told us to double-check our bags because he thought they were acting suspicious. Sure enough, I opened mine and my wallet containing all of my cash, travelers checks, and passport was gone.

The moral of this story is that bad things can happen to people anywhere, including to seasoned travelers. Yes, the frequency of events like petty theft is higher in certain parts of the world. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't visit those places. You just have to take a few more precautions than you might at home.

In case you're wondering, I also have comprehensive travel insurance and do not travel outside of the U.S., particularly on longer trips, without it.

Six Months on the Road

2019-03-28T17:19:00.000-05:00

I have officially been outside the U.S. for more than six months now. My "departure anniversary" date was actually on March 11, which happened to be my first full day on Rapa Nui. Easter Island was fantastic!! But, after more than four months of travel through Central America, which I wrote about sporadically and summarized financially in a blog post; then one month of travel through Colombia; then two weeks of cruising around the southern tip of South America with my family (my husband Greg plus my mom and my stepdad); it was time to press the pause button.

Santiago and the Andes mountains viewed from an aerial tram.

My trip has truly been an excellent adventure so far and thankfully devoid of any major issues. After spending a few weeks exploring central Mexico, I traveled overland through all seven countries in Central America then flew to Medellin, Colombia and traveled overland for four weeks through the western part of the country to Bogota. From there I flew to Buenos Aires, Argentina to meet up with my family for the cruise. Eighteen days later they flew home from Santiago, Chile and I flew to Easter Island. Five nights later, I was back in Santiago without a plan for onward travel.

Panorama of Rano Raraku and Ahu Tongariki at sunrise. A truly spectacular experience!

Thirteen days later I'm still in Santiago. After a few nights in a hostel dorm in the Barrio Italia area, where I made some new friends and had fun socializing, I knew that I needed to find somewhere more quiet to rest, relax and figure out where to go next. I also needed time for a sort of "personal wellness check" because, when you travel the way I have for this long, it starts to wear on you mentally, physically, and emotionally.

Glacier-watching from the ship on the way down to Ushuaia.

For example, I have lost almost 20 pounds since I left the U.S. last September. Trust me, this is a good thing, and is a result of a number of factors: I walk (and hike) more than I did in Portland; I have to pull and lift my suitcase (which weighs 44 lbs) on a regular basis plus I'm carrying a backpack with my Chromebook and other most valuable items (total weight approximately 9 lbs) AND a day bag with water, snacks, sunscreen, etc.; I don't drink nearly as much alcohol as I used to, especially beer, nor do I eat as much (usually a very light breakfast, a larger meal for lunch, and a snack for dinner). In case you've cruised before and are wondering, I did very much enjoy the wonderful food on the ship and never worried about what I ate but was conscious of not overeating just because I had 24-hour access to plentiful, delicious, free food. I only gained about three pounds during the two-week cruise and have already lost it because of the intense heat and miles of walking I did on Easter Island as well as in Santiago.

Me on Cerro San Cristobal in Santiago.

Up until now, while there have certainly been times I felt lonely, it never lasted very long because I was always on the go, meeting new people in the hostels, researching and exploring new places, and just soaking up the rich culture of Latin America. Some days were more challenging than others, not so much because I was alone but because I faced a daunting 12 hours of travel by bus or because of illness. Truthfully, the vast majority of the time I am much happier traveling by myself because then I don't have to worry about someone else. I get to do what I want to do when I want to do it without considering someone else's opinions, needs, likes and dislikes, etc. I only have to look out for myself.

Facing my fears (claustrophobia and acrophobia) at Ana Te Pahu on Easter Island.

I had to switch gears completely when I met up with my family in Buenos Aires. Suddenly I had to be conscious of other people's wants and needs, warn them of the safety hazards and other dangers of traveling down here, and act as a translator and tour guide. While the cruise didn't go exactly as planned due to two missed port calls caused by bad weather, we still had a great vacation overall. We spent some quality time together, saw some amazing scenery, and I definitely enjoyed not having to cook, clean, share a bedroom with total strangers, or figure out what to do or where to go every single day. And yet, it still left me exhausted and even a bit sad, because I know I won't see my family again for many more months.

Ronnie, Greg, me and my mom at the Palacio de La Moneda in Santiago.

After a busy five days exploring Easter Island on my own and insufficient wifi to do any trip research or planning, I was also starting to feel stressed. The thought of having to decide where to go next, how to get there, where to stay, how much it should cost, etc. truly seemed overwhelming (because it is, but normally I don't mind and consider it part of the challenge of this type of travel). The distances down here are sooo much greater than in Central America. Plus I know I can't go everywhere and see every single place I've ever read about in South America; it's daunting to figure out how to narrow down the list.

Greg and I with a map of South America during one of
the formal nights on the cruise. Where do I go next?!?!

After a few days of unsuccessful attempts to find the "right" place to stay, I ended up rooming with a family in one of the oldest neighborhoods (Nunoa) in Santiago. I found them on Airbnb. Their house was built in the 1920's and has been mostly remodeled; it is large by Chilean standards. The family was very friendly - a husband (architect), wife (preschool teacher), 15-year-old son, plus a housekeeper who comes every weekday to cook and clean and treated me like her daughter. None of them speak any English at all, only Spanish. My small private bedroom had a full-size bed, a desk, plenty of storage for my belongings, and even a mini-fridge. I thought it was a great deal at $115 total for seven nights (after several discounts). Unfortunately, a new apartment building was under construction next door and there was constant loud noise from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Not the peace and quiet I was hoping for.

My bedroom at my first Airbnb in Santiago.

While I did accomplish some things on my To Do list, I couldn't concentrate long enough to do much research or trip planning. Then I ended up having a horrible migraine for almost 48 hours over the weekend, which completely put me out of commission. Thankfully, my friend Jen happened to reach out to me at just the right moment and offered me her $100 Airbnb credit that was about to expire. With that in hand, I decided to stay in Santiago one more week, but "upgraded" to a 24th-floor one-bedroom apartment near the Santa Isabel metro station. I have the place ALL TO MYSELF and it's absolutely perfect for me.

The view from my current Airbnb, but I have a panic attack if I go out on the balcony.

That's where I'm writing this post from now. It only took a day or so after "moving in" here to finally feel rested and more relaxed. I have made significant progress on my travel planning and tomorrow I will take the day off to go to Valparaiso. Then I have Saturday and Sunday to enjoy in Santiago before I take the bus to Mendoza, Argentina on Monday. It's fall down here and therefore harvest time. I think the vineyards will be a good spot to chill and drink wine for a few days.🍷

So THANK YOU, Jen, and thank you to my family and friends who continue to support me and cheer me on from afar. There's almost always a point during long-term travel when you "hit a wall" as my friend Terri-Lynn just wrote about on her blog yesterday. The important thing is to recognize it and take as much time as needed to deal with it. And then get yourself together and hit the road again!