The Day the Would Not End...

We are entering uncharted territory today. Usually, for every one of the previous posts at least, I write out just about every detail of every day before I edit it and make it into a blog post for my lovely readers. BUT now I am going on the one-word memory clues that I left myself so many months ago. This means that my posts will soon become much less detailed and, possibly, less accurate- no one will ever know. With this in mind, we proceed:


Our third day in Mindo we got up, had breakfast then headed up to the tarabita cable car again. We figured that going in the morning would be best- no clouds. So we hailed ourselves a $1 truck taxi and were maybe 3rd in line at the cable car. We got in, rode across and were told that there were like 7 waterfalls we could hike to. Apparently that’s why you take this cable car. I thought it was just fun, haha.

The hike down was actually pretty far but the falls were cool. We put our feet in the water but it was freezing. Some people were swimming or even climbing up then jumping off the water falls! There were bridges over the river but they were really sketchy so I was kinda freaked about crossing.

We followed another trail in the opposite direction to see more falls but it ended up being much more steep and difficult than I had imagined. So we only saw one other waterfall before we hiked back up the mountain. 

We took another truck taxi on the way down but this one was full. I had some lady with her knee in my kidney most of the ride. Once we reached town we headed to buy our return bus tickets. By the time we got there all of them were sold out and they had added a new, later time, 5:30. At the time it was about noon maybe. So we bought the tickets and then got some lunch. Zach wanted some fried chicken so we went to a place that said “pollo frito” on the front. So he ordered that and I ordered chicken churrasco which was just a chicken steak with rice, beans and a fried egg. Zach’s was exactly the same, minus the egg.

After lunch we got some ice cream and walked to the park and sat for a while. We had so much time before we could leave and nothing left to do- we didn’t even have a hostel to hang out at or anything. As we were sitting there Zach mentioned he had seen an orchid garden/ hummingbird haven/ butterfly garden so we went there. We walked around the garden for a while, taking pictures of the rabbits and snails that were randomly in cages among the orchids. Just inside the entrance of the butterfly garden were cages of pupae and caterpillars. Once of the cage doors was open so a bunch of the caterpillars were escaping. We saved a few and tried to close the door but they just kept getting out! 

The actual butterfly garden was kind of sad because there were a lot of dead butterflies in there. It seemed like no one had been in there for a while.The best part was the hummingbird area. There were maybe seven hummingbird feeders strung alongside a viewing deck and a ton of hummingbirds flitting about all over. Zach and I watched them for a long time, giving our favorites names. After a good long time of watching and taking pictures we left. By then it was late enough to pay the hostel and finally get on the bus. 

I had talked with Chris about meeting in Cumbaya that night but the bus ended up being late, our cab ride took forever and my phone died. I tried to call her when we got back to the hotel, to which we had to check in again, but couldn't figure out Zach's or the hotel's phone. By then it was late and almost no restaurants were open. We found a bar that served pizza and ate there. It was a long and frustrating day but it was nice to have Zach there to make me feel better.

Early the next morning I took Zach to the airport, where we ate breakfast before his plane left. We said goodbye and I went home to sleep. Later that morning during breakfast Guadalupe asked me if Zach had gone and when I said 'yes' she asked, 'did you cry?' I said 'yes' and she asked, rather incredulously, 'why? you're so independent!' Yeah, well that doesn't mean I'm heartless...

The rest of the day was pretty run-of-the-mill. After class I invited myself to go geocaching with Kevin, Emily, and Chris that weekend in a big park in Quito that I didn't know- before that point- existed.

Up Next: Geocaching, baby Baños and the Theatah

Don't give up on me yet!

Dear Readers,


First of all, thank you for your loyalty for this, my wordy, unending blog. I appreciate your enthusiasm for my adventures and that is why I haven't completely given this up. I know it's been a long time- I'm home from Ecuador and have been for some time- but things just got crazy. Anyway I guess it's time to get to what you've all been waiting for. The next installment of Tales from the Equator!!


Last time we left off during Zach's visit. After visiting Quito and meeting Guadalupe we made the relatively short trip to Mindo- a "cloud forest" that has similar flora and fauna to the canopy of the rainforest. We bought our bus tickets that morning but, since there was no reliable schedule posted on the internet we had to play it by ear. Upon reaching the bus station we realized we had missed a bus by about an hour and had to wait 3 until the next one. I hadn't planned on doing anything our first day anyway so this was no problem. We went to the Mariscal market, lunch and the Coffee Tree to kill some time- finally it was time to get on the bus.

The bus left on time and we made it there in just about 2 ½ hours. As we were getting off the bus we were told to buy our tickets right away but the ticket booth was closed. This is important I promise.

Since we obviously didn’t know our way around we asked where our "hosteria" was (nicer than a hostel but not a hotel- this one was cabins) and headed over. We showed up and the lady greeted us, asking how she could help us. I told her we had a reservation (I had paid for the first night in advance as asked about 3 weeks previously) and she said “No!” I thought she was joking so I said “Sí!” But then she looked very confused and a feeling of dread crept over me….

She told us that we did not in fact have a reservation and that all of their rooms were filled. I showed her my receipt and she just looked dumbstruck. She said she’d sort it out- her brother also owns some cabins- but I was just so frustrated I started crying. I couldn’t help it. I thought I had planned so well and then this happened. Later she said “what happened is, I just forgot” How is that an excuse?? So she secured us a cabin at her brother’s place, walked us over and left us there. A little while later we went back to plan our events for the next day and then to find some food.

There was very little open by the end of this debacle but we found a weird little pizza place, had some pretty good pizza and headed back to our cabin. On the way back we wanted to get snacks so we stopped at this weird little store that didn’t appear to have anything that wasn’t at least four months old. There were even drumstick like ice cream novelties in the freezer that had no wrappers. Weird.

That morning we got up early and went to the original place to get breakfast. It was a pretty typically Ecuadorian breakfast with fruit, eggs, juice and bread. After breakfast we had the lady write out what we wanted to do that day- you need your ‘ticke’ to do any of the activities- and then she called us a cab. The butterfly garden (or ‘farm’ as it said on one of the signs) was cool.

 A guide showed us the pupae and explained metamorphosis and whatnot, then let us wander. There were a lot of families there. The food left out for the butterflies is mainly just fruit or sugarwater soaked sponges. If you put the fruit juice on your finger you can get the butterfly to hang out and munch on your finger. All the kids were trying it but I never was able to get one.

From there we decided to walk to the "canopy" (ziplines) which didn’t seem too far on the map we were given. Of course this was an incorrect assumption. As we were walking along the dirt road, more and more cars were driving by, getting us dirtier and dirtier. We knew we had to cross a bridge (it was on our hand-drawn map) so the first one we came to we tried to cross. Unfortunately the bridge was locked but we climbed up and around the fence and crossed it- to find absolutely nothing. There wasn’t even a path, let alone a road. 

Finally we came upon a bridge with a ton of people and cars around- this had to be it. So up we went, up the mountain. The road up the mountain was also dirt and very steep so it wasn’t a fun walk. I’m pretty sure it took us over an hour to climb up to the zipline place. Also, we were just about the only ones walking- EVERYONE was driving up or taking a taxi. At one point it seemed as if the cars were all trying to run us off the road, and consequently down the mountain.

When we finally made it it was the afternoon but we handed over our ticket and geared up. Then we went up to a wooden platform and were taught what to do. Of course they guide had started before we got within earshot so we missed the first part. Then the guide hooked me up and off I went, flying over the forest with nothing but a little pulley and a cloth strap holding me to the cable strung across the valley. The first one was scary. I could hear the wheel in the pulley making this high pitched noise that sounded like it was struggling. But I made it across safe and sound and ready to do the remaining 9 lines.

The views got better with each line though so the climb was worth it. At the third or fourth line we were allowed to go upside down. That did not happen. Zach did it though and he said it was really cool. On a couple of the last lines the guides on either side bounced the line and that was crazy. It was scary and fun and I couldn’t help but scream every time I caught some air.

When we finally finished all the lines Zach and I shared a fritado plate and an empanada from a little stand that these girls were tending. Then we decided to start walking up the mountain again to the "tarabita", which is a cable car that takes you across a valley. About halfway up this leg of the trip when a kid yells out the window of a pickup truck “are you going to the falls?” We were so we hopped in the back and rode the rest of the way up. When we got there there was a pretty long line of people and, we realized later, only one car going back and forth across the valley.

As we were waiting in line we noticed that the clouds were starting to descend upon the valley- it is the cloud forest after all- and realized that by the time we were next we wouldn’t be able to see anything. We just decided to go the next day. So we hopped in the back of another truck taxi and rode back down the mountain to the town square.

We walked to the original hostal, assuming our room would be ready and it was. Later, after a cold shower (even though they advertize hot water) with a too-small shower curtain, we went into town to get something to eat. We perused the main strip then settled on a place with outdoor seating. Zach got trout and I ordered shrimp but they were out so I had the waiter, who was probably 17, recommend me something. I ended up getting steak with mushroom sauce which was pretty good. 

That's all for now- but I promise not forever. Next up: The day with no end

Hasta luego,
Caitlin