A Journey through Ecuador
During the summer of 2004, myself and two friends took a journey through
Ecuador. I kept a journal during my travels and developed an interesting
compilation of memorable moments from a leg of the trip between the town of
Banos and Guaranda. I was in good company with a sensational photographer
who helps convey the emotions we encountered.
Our experience is aimed towards the many young, adventurous budget travelers who enjoy a wide
variety of geographical wonders and people. This particular quest begins in
Banos- a colorful, influential town with itÕs own lively spirit-to Guaranda,
an authentic South-American village without even a bank or typical
conveniences. This is an emotional ride through appreciation, sympathy and
understanding of an undeveloped and ever-inspiring country.)
We set off on our first of many turbulent bus rides to entail a pungent
smell of wet farmer and a considerable amount of interrogating glances in
our direction. Between the primitive gravel roads and the increasingly
suspicious rattle in the back of the bus, any hope for sleep was
diminishing. We thumped down the road as our initial culture shock sunk into
perspective. Rolling patchwork hills extended in all directions without a
splash of modern development. The adventure had begun and we were swept off
of our feet.
We were nÕt more than ten minutes into the drive when the vendors went to
work. An apparently discouraged man stood up in front of the packed bus and
gave a brief speech about the ÒkitÓ he was selling and his unfortunate
situation. Fitting the norm, it included several unrelated products like a
shaving razor, buttons and a calculator. He then proceeded down the aisle to
better display his necessary items and waited patiently for the sympathetic
passengers to respond. These vendors are hard to ignore at first, but become
quite common and easily disregarded.
With traveling expenses, food and adventures on the agenda- we feared the
possible limitations we could be facing while traveling as students on a
budget.
A two hour bus ride had gone by and we had hardly noticed that the patchwork
hills had evolved into thick green rain forest. Our first foreign adventure
had led us to Banos, a vivid town named for their natural baths
strategically pushed up against the tropical edge of a seemingly average
village...
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