The Final Days

My last three days in Ecuador I spent outside of Otavalo.  Thursday morning we got up early and caught a bus to Quito (2 hours), then caught another bus to Mindo (another 2 hours), where we went zip-lining!  This was so much fun!  13 cables were strung across a ravine way high up in the air.  Here are some pictures!

Getting ready to go!

So much fun!

"Mariposa" or butterfly

Don't look down!

The view from the last cable

After zip-lining we took the bus back to Quito (2 hours again) and then took a bus then a trolley (which really was another bus and took about an hour and a half) through Quito to the south bus terminal.  There we ate dinner and then boarded another bus to Manta (8 hours) that traveled through the night.  5 buses, 2 taxies, 1 trolley and a total travel time of 15 and a half hours later, we arrived in Manta.

Friday and Saturday we spent at the beach.  Friday we went to a small, secluded beach with a Junior Youth group and Saturday we went to a more popular beach.  Here are the pictures of that typical college spring break at the beach minus the red plastic cups*.

Friday at the beach

The Junior Youth group

SUN!

This is one those reasons why I could live in Ecuador

Best friends James Bond style

Saturday night Valerie and I boarded a bus back to Quito (9 hours) and arrived at the airport early in the morning.  I flew home, and Valerie took another bus back to Otavalo.

Overall I had a fantastic trip.  The worst part** other than leaving was going to see the Black Swan Friday night because I’m a chicken and those types of movies, though not scary for most people, freak me out.  So afterwards we had to watch another non-scary movie, which ended up being The Last Song, which was pretty much just an overload of another emotion, which you could guess if you know me and have read that book/seen that movie.

I loved Ecuador, every minute I spent there.  A perfect spring break!  Now only 6 more weeks and I’m done with my freshmen year of college!  Time is flying!

*Because none of us drink

**Actually the worst part occurred about a half an hour before I said goodbye to Valerie and went through security.  I was sitting on a bench watching our bags when someone tapped me on the shoulder and asked me something in Spanish.  I replied and said I didn’t speak Spanish but my friend would be back any minute and she could.  Then the lady got up and left immediately and 10 seconds later Valerie showed up.  During that brief interlude when I had my back turned on our bags, someone stole Valerie’s backpack, and we weren’t able to find the person.  That kind of put a damper on our morning, and I hope hope HOPE that Valerie was able to recover it after I left – it was such a bummer!