Oct. 20, 2019 - A Mini Vacation
I struggled a lot this week trying to figure out my next steps. I was torn between returning to Ecuador to complete my original itinerary vs throwing out my plans and continuing South. The primary constraint I'm working with is timing. My original plan was:
4 months in in the North (Ecuador + Colombia)
Return to the states in Februrary for my cousin's wedding
Fly to Peru and continue south for 5 months to Patagonia
Return to the states in August for my friend's wedding
Volunteer in the 2020 election for 3 months
Start a business in the US
However, Ecuador changed things… and someone pointed out to me that my plan to go to Patagonia in June/July wasn't going to work because... it's winter (derp).
I also realized that if I plan too much, I miss out on opportunities to team up with people I meet and to go places that weren't even on my radar. I think for the next 3 months I'm not going to plan much. Truth is, I don't really know myself or what I want out of this trip yet. The best thing I can do is to be open to the opportunities that present themselves. In that vein, I've decided to follow my new friend Simone to Chachapoyas for a 4-day trek through the mountains.
My timing constraints above are artificial. I created them, I can change them. I can come back to South America after the election, I can start an online business as a digital nomad. I often feel guilty that I’m not making the most of any given trip. I’d like to let go of that notion.
The 18 hour bus trip to Chachapoyas
Máncora
I followed a few folks from Montañita down to Mancora and boy am I glad I did. It's beautiful here. There's amazing beaches, surfing, and kitesurfing. Peru is cheaper than Ecuador. A cheap lunch will run you $2-3 and a dope meal will run you $6-10. Ecuador was $5 and $20 respectively.
The hostel I'm at has a gym, a pool, and (occasionally) hot showers. Downside, shitty wifi, there's lots of mosquitos (but their bites aren't as bad as the mosquitos in the states); also, bed bugs. Bed bugs are an unfortunate occupational hazard for backpackers and for hostels. They can sneak in on any piece of clothing or any bag and they can survive for almost a year without food. Fortunately, they don't carry any diseases so they amount to no more than an annoyance. Tidbit of advice, check your bed sheets for tiny specks of blood. After switching beds, cleaning all my clothes, and leaving all my stuff in a black bag in the sun for two days, I think I'm safe, but we shall see.
I've met a lot of people here that are on indefinite travel. I did not realize that hostels are almost entirely volunteer-run. Volunteers work 4 hours a day in exchange for room and board. It seems like a great way to travel if you have lots of time, but don't have lots of money. Most of the folks here are European. I’ve only found 3 Americans.
Spanish
Being in this hostel where everyone speaks English makes it difficult to practice. The exception was this awesome Argentinian guy named German (pronounced gher-mann). He really encouraged me to practice with him. We spent a few hours wandering around town, talking to locals, and finding places to eat and drink. He was really patient with my Spanish and talked slowly and clearly so that I could follow. I really appreciated his company and hope I can find more people like him to hang out with.
I did take this week’s break as an opportunity to reflect on my lessons in Manta and create a lesson plan for myself. I've also decided to start reading Harry Potter in Spanish and actually spend the time to translate and record all the things I don't know. It took me an hour to get through the first page today and I needed some help with Spanish idioms from my new friend Violeta. Hope I get faster at it soon!
Politics
The day I left Ecuador, President Morena caved on his removal of the gas subsidy. Ecuador has returned to being relatively peaceful, though I have heard that things are still tense. Many of my traveling companions have decided to return to Ecuador to continue their travels.
Not to be outdone, plenty of other countries are in the midst of their own political uprisings including Chile and Peru. Here in Peru where the president decided to dissolve congress. He ran a heavy anti-corruption campaign during his election. The previous 4 presidents have all been indicted on corruption charges. However, Congress has blocked every attempt he's made to pass legislation addressing corruption so he dissolved Congress and called for new elections. Congress is, of course, trying to fight back, but the judiciary has yet to rule on the constitutionality of this move. The president has the support of the people, the Police, and the Army though so I don’t expect any violence.
