There wasn't a whole lot to do in Popayan, but it was nice to rest and get a little shopping done while we could, as well as wander around the white city and visit a few museums.
Thursday, September 8, 2016
Popayan, Colombia
Popayan was the very first city of Colombia Cynthia and I visited. It is known for it's beautiful white washed walls all around the city. To get there, we rode a night bus from Quito to right outside of the Colombian border. We got our travel visas, which were free for all except for Canadian residents. It was an awesome feeling to finally be in another country. Colombia. The interesting part was actually getting where we needed to go. I had never once booked a hostel in Ecuador, and felt no need to in Colombia. So once our bus arrived, at about 1 a.m, we walked around the city attempting to follow our directions to the hostel we found. Once we finally arrived there, exhausted and a bit scared, the man told us there was no rooms for us so we were pretty much SOL. Fantastic. 2 a.m, and we had no where to go. The man gave us directions to a nearby hotel that was about the same price, so we did our best to find it. finally, once we found it, we got the room for 3 nights. Looking back, that wandering around with all our belongings was probably not the brightest choice, but you do what you gotta do sometimes when you're in a bind. From then on, we booked our hostels online.
There wasn't a whole lot to do in Popayan, but it was nice to rest and get a little shopping done while we could, as well as wander around the white city and visit a few museums.
There wasn't a whole lot to do in Popayan, but it was nice to rest and get a little shopping done while we could, as well as wander around the white city and visit a few museums.
Popayan, Colombia
Popayan was the very first city of Colombia Cynthia and I visited. It is known for it's beautiful white washed walls all around the city. To get there, we rode a night bus from Quito to right outside of the Colombian border. We got our travel visas, which were free for all except for Canadian residents. It was an awesome feeling to finally be in another country. Colombia. The interesting part was actually getting where we needed to go. I had never once booked a hostel in Ecuador, and felt no need to in Colombia. So once our bus arrived, at about 1 a.m, we walked around the city attempting to follow our directions to the hostel we found. Once we finally arrived there, exhausted and a bit scared, the man told us there was no rooms for us so we were pretty much SOL. Fantastic. 2 a.m, and we had no where to go. The man gave us directions to a nearby hotel that was about the same price, so we did our best to find it. finally, once we found it, we got the room for 3 nights. Looking back, that wandering around with all our belongings was probably not the brightest choice, but you do what you gotta do sometimes when you're in a bind. From then on, we booked our hostels online.
There wasn't a whole lot to do in Popayan, but it was nice to rest and get a little shopping done while we could, as well as wander around the white city and visit a few museums.
There wasn't a whole lot to do in Popayan, but it was nice to rest and get a little shopping done while we could, as well as wander around the white city and visit a few museums.
Popayan, Colombia
Popayan was the very first city of Colombia Cynthia and I visited. It is known for it's beautiful white washed walls all around the city. To get there, we rode a night bus from Quito to right outside of the Colombian border. We got our travel visas, which were free for all except for Canadian residents. It was an awesome feeling to finally be in another country. Colombia. The interesting part was actually getting where we needed to go. I had never once booked a hostel in Ecuador, and felt no need to in Colombia. So once our bus arrived, at about 1 a.m, we walked around the city attempting to follow our directions to the hostel we found. Once we finally arrived there, exhausted and a bit scared, the man told us there was no rooms for us so we were pretty much SOL. Fantastic. 2 a.m, and we had no where to go. The man gave us directions to a nearby hotel that was about the same price, so we did our best to find it. finally, once we found it, we got the room for 3 nights. Looking back, that wandering around with all our belongings was probably not the brightest choice, but you do what you gotta do sometimes when you're in a bind. From then on, we booked our hostels online.
There wasn't a whole lot to do in Popayan, but it was nice to rest and get a little shopping done while we could, as well as wander around the white city and visit a few museums.
There wasn't a whole lot to do in Popayan, but it was nice to rest and get a little shopping done while we could, as well as wander around the white city and visit a few museums.
That breath of fresh air they call Colombia
So far, Colombia is the best place I have ever visited. Perhaps because at the time it was my first taste of true freedom and ultimate inner growth. It was November and I was still at my volunteering job, but I was ready to leave. Not only there, but I was ready to leave Ecuador, and my past behind. I had just gotten over getting Giarida, which I might add, is the sickest I have ever felt in my life. I woke up one day and packed my things up in my backpack and left. It was about a 2 mile walk to town, and I had no idea where I was going. I decided the first bus that came by at the bus stop, was meant to be my next location. As I was walking, a camineta, or a truck, stopped and gave me a free ride to town. Right when I was dropped off a bus had just pulled up. It was a bus to a nearby town, which then brought me to the town of Banos, Ecuador. In my mind, that was a sign that was where I was supposed to be going, and that was the path I needed to follow.
There, I met a Quebec girl, Cynthia, who instantly became my friend and travel companion. She taught me that it was okay to be free, and it was okay to let go of everything that was holding me down. That it was time to focus on myself and do what I wanted to do. That first taste of freedom after being held down so long and manipulated in my past relationship was the most myself I had ever felt. I had a sense of euphoria and happiness that completely overwhelmed me. This was traveling. This was what my experience should have been from the beginning. Each day my state of mind became healthier and better than the day before. I woke up everyday ready to explore, ready to adventure. I decided then I was never going back to the person I was before.
For the first time in a long time, I felt powerful, and I felt truly happy with myself and with who I was. This was a time of great transformation in my life. It was such a breath of fresh air after being suffocated for so long.
Not only was my state of mind at an all time high, but there really was something truly special about Colombia. In the past, it had been a full of drug lords and a very unsafe atmosphere. When my family heard I was going to Colombia they about had an annuirsm because of all the horror stories they heard about it. At first, I was nervous as well, because of all the negativity associated with that once crime ridden country. However, each travler I met reassured me that it was the most beautiful, lively, friendly country they had ever visited. And it was. The people there were proud of their country, and wanted to share it with all those who visited, so they could see it how they did. Completely beautiful and surreal.
There, I met a Quebec girl, Cynthia, who instantly became my friend and travel companion. She taught me that it was okay to be free, and it was okay to let go of everything that was holding me down. That it was time to focus on myself and do what I wanted to do. That first taste of freedom after being held down so long and manipulated in my past relationship was the most myself I had ever felt. I had a sense of euphoria and happiness that completely overwhelmed me. This was traveling. This was what my experience should have been from the beginning. Each day my state of mind became healthier and better than the day before. I woke up everyday ready to explore, ready to adventure. I decided then I was never going back to the person I was before.
For the first time in a long time, I felt powerful, and I felt truly happy with myself and with who I was. This was a time of great transformation in my life. It was such a breath of fresh air after being suffocated for so long.
Not only was my state of mind at an all time high, but there really was something truly special about Colombia. In the past, it had been a full of drug lords and a very unsafe atmosphere. When my family heard I was going to Colombia they about had an annuirsm because of all the horror stories they heard about it. At first, I was nervous as well, because of all the negativity associated with that once crime ridden country. However, each travler I met reassured me that it was the most beautiful, lively, friendly country they had ever visited. And it was. The people there were proud of their country, and wanted to share it with all those who visited, so they could see it how they did. Completely beautiful and surreal.
Monday, August 22, 2016
Mindo, Ecuador
The great thing about Ecuador is that for such a small country, it seems to have every climate and landscape all in one. It has your mountains, beaches, and the Amazon. Mindo was a small up and coming tourist town that was one of my favorite places within Ecuador because the surrounding was so lush and green.
For some reason, it was difficult for my friend Cynthia and I to get a bus to Mindo. We wandered around the bus station for about an hour before we found one that took us near Mindo. The bus stopped about 4 miles from the town. I was ready to walk the rest of the way but my travel buddy said I was insane especially with out huge backpacks. So my budgeting self reluctantly split a cab down to the town. When we finally arrived in the town, the cab dropped us off at a backpackers hostel we had read about online. We had no reservations (as I never once had reservations for anything) but the hostel was completely full. We walked around the town for a while until we finally found the coolest little cabins that we stayed in for about $10 per person per night.
My new friend Cynthia and I found our bonding... Pizza. We ate so much pizza and drank so much beer. One of the greatest things I loved about traveling was how easily you meet people that are total strangers and become lifelong friends overnight. Everyone is looking for friends because most travelers are traveling alone. We all have something in common and love to find ourselves travel buddies.
Mindo has a ton of activities to choose from but we chose to do "tubing." It was similar to rafting only we had no control and sat on big black tubes with our guides helping them along and keeping us safe. Amazingly fun and thrilling activity, no doubt, but damn was it cold! It was the beginning of December but in general Mindo is a pretty cool place.
For some reason, it was difficult for my friend Cynthia and I to get a bus to Mindo. We wandered around the bus station for about an hour before we found one that took us near Mindo. The bus stopped about 4 miles from the town. I was ready to walk the rest of the way but my travel buddy said I was insane especially with out huge backpacks. So my budgeting self reluctantly split a cab down to the town. When we finally arrived in the town, the cab dropped us off at a backpackers hostel we had read about online. We had no reservations (as I never once had reservations for anything) but the hostel was completely full. We walked around the town for a while until we finally found the coolest little cabins that we stayed in for about $10 per person per night.
My new friend Cynthia and I found our bonding... Pizza. We ate so much pizza and drank so much beer. One of the greatest things I loved about traveling was how easily you meet people that are total strangers and become lifelong friends overnight. Everyone is looking for friends because most travelers are traveling alone. We all have something in common and love to find ourselves travel buddies.
Mindo has a ton of activities to choose from but we chose to do "tubing." It was similar to rafting only we had no control and sat on big black tubes with our guides helping them along and keeping us safe. Amazingly fun and thrilling activity, no doubt, but damn was it cold! It was the beginning of December but in general Mindo is a pretty cool place.
Mindo, Ecuador
The great thing about Ecuador is that for such a small country, it seems to have every climate and landscape all in one. It has your mountains, beaches, and the Amazon. Mindo was a small up and coming tourist town that was one of my favorite places within Ecuador because the surrounding was so lush and green.
For some reason, it was difficult for my friend Cynthia and I to get a bus to Mindo. We wandered around the bus station for about an hour before we found one that took us near Mindo. The bus stopped about 4 miles from the town. I was ready to walk the rest of the way but my travel buddy said I was insane especially with out huge backpacks. So my budgeting self reluctantly split a cab down to the town. When we finally arrived in the town, the cab dropped us off at a backpackers hostel we had read about online. We had no reservations (as I never once had reservations for anything) but the hostel was completely full. We walked around the town for a while until we finally found the coolest little cabins that we stayed in for about $10 per person per night.
My new friend Cynthia and I found our bonding... Pizza. We ate so much pizza and drank so much beer. One of the greatest things I loved about traveling was how easily you meet people that are total strangers and become lifelong friends overnight. Everyone is looking for friends because most travelers are traveling alone. We all have something in common and love to find ourselves travel buddies.
Mindo has a ton of activities to choose from but we chose to do "tubing." It was similar to rafting only we had no control and sat on big black tubes with our guides helping them along and keeping us safe. Amazingly fun and thrilling activity, no doubt, but damn was it cold! It was the beginning of December but in general Mindo is a pretty cool place.
For some reason, it was difficult for my friend Cynthia and I to get a bus to Mindo. We wandered around the bus station for about an hour before we found one that took us near Mindo. The bus stopped about 4 miles from the town. I was ready to walk the rest of the way but my travel buddy said I was insane especially with out huge backpacks. So my budgeting self reluctantly split a cab down to the town. When we finally arrived in the town, the cab dropped us off at a backpackers hostel we had read about online. We had no reservations (as I never once had reservations for anything) but the hostel was completely full. We walked around the town for a while until we finally found the coolest little cabins that we stayed in for about $10 per person per night.
My new friend Cynthia and I found our bonding... Pizza. We ate so much pizza and drank so much beer. One of the greatest things I loved about traveling was how easily you meet people that are total strangers and become lifelong friends overnight. Everyone is looking for friends because most travelers are traveling alone. We all have something in common and love to find ourselves travel buddies.
Mindo has a ton of activities to choose from but we chose to do "tubing." It was similar to rafting only we had no control and sat on big black tubes with our guides helping them along and keeping us safe. Amazingly fun and thrilling activity, no doubt, but damn was it cold! It was the beginning of December but in general Mindo is a pretty cool place.
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