My First Time Out of the Country: Ecuador!

The facts:

Mom and I, over the course of the year, saved money to go to Ecuador.  It was for a dental humanitarian trip through Love Project, a non profit charity organization that was created for the less fortunate children of Ecuador.  This is something she's always wanted to do since she started working for a dentist office.  She said if she ever got the opportunity she was going to take it so she did.

I got my first passport in May.

Mom wanted to take a side trip to the Galapagos Islands since they are owned by Ecuador and you can only fly to them from Ecuador.  They are located about 700 miles off the western coast which is roughly about an hour and a half plane ride.  I don't think I know anyone that has been to the Galapagos Islands.

I had to get travel vaccinations so I didn't pick up anything weird in South America.

I had to make sure I had enough vacation time so I continued getting paid while I was gone.  I had stashed away a lot of vacation time last year which in retrospect was a great move on my part but while it was happening it was hard not taking a vacation last year in the mailroom.  I used 67.5 hours of my over 130 hours I had saved up.

My mom, Amy, Beth, Katie and I traveled together.  Katie had an advantage because she lived in Brazil for a year on her mission and learned how to speak and understand Portuguese, which is similar to Spanish.  This is how we communicated with the locals.

Flights

To Ecuador:

• We left September 14th from SEATAC at 5:05 p.m.
• After a 2 hour and 38 min flight we arrived at LAX for a 2 hour and 37 minute layover.
• My mom and I got on our first international flight (Beth, Amy and Katie have been on many international flights over the years) from LAX to BOG (Bogota, Colombia) which was a 7 hour and 15 minute flight, the longest flight I've ever been on in my life including an east coast trip and Hawaii.
• When we got to BOG, we were there for a 7 hour and 9 minute layover.
• When our wait was finally over, we had a 1 hour and 50 minute flight to GYE, where we finally arrived in Ecuador at 4:34 p.m. local time on September 15th.
• There was a 2 hour time difference from the west coast.  It was like we were in Texas (central time).
• We traveled for 24 straight hours.

From Ecuador to the Galapagos Islands:

• We left our hotel at 8:30 a.m. and had to stand in several lines to get our tickets, check our bags and get our visa so we could enter the Galapagos Islands.
• Our flight left for Santa Cruz at 10:40 a.m. which was a 1 hour and 50 minute flight and we landed at 11:30 a.m. local time.  The Galapagos Islands are only one hour a head of west coast time so we got one of our hours back for a few days.
• We took a water taxi from Baltra Island to Santa Cruz and from there took a bus to Puerto Ayroa where we found our Air BnB.

From the Galapagos Islands back to Ecuador:

• At 10:00 a.m. we were driven by truck taxi to the water taxi to get on a bus to be driven to the airport.
• We got in line and got all checked in and left the Galapagos at 12:30 p.m. to head back to the mainland of Ecuador.  
• We arrived at 3:20 p.m. because of the hour time change mid flight.
• We were picked up and escorted to the apartment in Guayaquil by Dr. Harris' relatives.

To Seattle:

• Left GYE at 5:11 a.m. on September 25th.  We were literally the last group of people on the plane.
• It was a 2 hour and 54 minute flight to SAL (San Salvador, El Salvador) in which we were late and had to run through the airport to get on our next flight which originally had a 40 min layover.  We basically went from one plane to another within a half hour.  I didn't have time to use the restroom or grab a souvenir.  Good thing planes have bathrooms!
• We had a 5 hour and 22 minute flight from SAL to LAX.
• When we finally got back to the states, we had a 2 hour and 13 minute layover at LAX.  We were lucky we had that time because we used all of it going through customs, walking the mazes of LAX, getting our tickets and checking our bags.  We barely got to our gate on time.
• Our final leg, LAX to SEATAC was a 2 hour and 42 minute flight and I could not wait to get home.  We arrived at 5:02 p.m. that same day.
• This time we traveled for 12 straight hours.

We went to three different countries in 12 days and received my first two stamps in my passport for Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. 

I finally got to see a blue footed booby in real life.

Mom and I got colds while in Santa Cruz and I didn't feel good the entire time but with Ecuadorian drugs at the local pharmacies sure knocked us out at night.

We tried a lot of the local cuisine which involved some sort of protein (chicken, pork or fish), rice, potatoes and plantains.  I was not a fan of plantains and found that out quickly.

They do not have dryers in Ecuador and probably none in the rest of South America for that matter.  They have drying rooms and clothes lines.

They have only 12 hours of sunlight each day because of where they are located on the Earth.  Sun rises at 6 a.m. and sets at 6 p.m. They do not have daylight savings time and it does not matter what time of year it is.

They do not have normal septic systems either.  If you used the restroom you do not flush toilet paper down instead you throw it away in their little garbage cans and hope to God that it gets serviced every night.

Showers are cold because not a lot of people can afford a heating element plus most of the time the weather is humid and over 84 degrees.

The places we stayed did not have blankets.  You slept on a bed with a sheet on top of you.

We provided the necessary aid to about 700 children and adults while we were there.

I would probably go again now that I know what to expect.  Here's to the next time!

Next Adventure:  Ecuador Day 1: Seattle to Los Angeles to Colombia