Saturday, May 1, 2010

Take it easy, Alright?

I have not heard anyone say that as many times as our guide did today. He must have learned his English in Jamaica or something.

Today, we went to a national park here in Ecuador. We signed up with a group and didn't really think much of it... see a couple of lakes and ride around in a van, no sweat.

Well actually... the tour that the agency we signed up with didn't really mention the 4 hour hike that was the main part of the tour. This was actually a pleasant surprise but needless to say a surprise. So we take off.. Not really knowing what to expect. About half way in, I would say, we have to go up this steep slippery mud hill. Yeah, I might have fallen. Several times. But the good news is that Ecuadorian mud is oily (whatever that means) and so it might not come out of my clothes. Please observe: our pants. (I changed jackets by then so you don't get to see the wonderful mud there)




We went through this forest that they sometimes call the Grimm’s Brother forest because it looks straight out of a fairytale. The trees, translated were called paper trees, and their bark was similar to that of an onion skin. Super weird but pretty cool.




The views on the hike were incredible. The hike was pretty agressive, but we enjoyed it. And the nice british man found my mom the walking stick viewed above.





I also decided that I am going to marry a super funny British man. We were with a group and there was a couple there from Liverpool. My mom was joking that since we are from the west in the United States, we talk like cowboys. He immediately piped up and said ‘that’s okay I talk like a pirate.’ So funny because it was true. You might have had to have been there though.


Also while we’re on the subject of foreign people lets discuss something (and by discuss, I mean let me talk about) How come it isn’t more common in the United States to take off a couple of years and travel the world? We’ve met a couple of people from other countries who are doing that and I hear it is a pretty common thing to do. I mean… it seems like an excellent idea to me.

Oh and the internet is working. so life it pretty good.

4 comments:

  1. It is so good to hear from the two of you! Glad to see you are having a good time. I think you should suggest to mom that you need to take a couple of years off to bum around the world, and mention some plans to go places mom hasn't been! Tell mom hi!

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  2. yes!!! pictures!!! love the post millie. so fun to read about your life. i will email tomorrow. love love. (yes, that just happened.)

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  3. The hike looks beautiful but sounds intense. Good thing you win half marathon races and stuff :)

    I think funny British guy sounds like a good match! Also, I agree. More people in the US need to travel the world. Maybe we (the US) wouldn't be so fat if we did. People in other countries walk everywhere and savor their food instead of scarfing down as much as physically possible.

    Keep the pictures coming!

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  4. Hahahhaha I am still chuckling about the Pirate accent. HA Oh, your pictures are great!!! Farmer's markets in South America?? Fantastic!! And I completely agree about the take a few years off things. You learn so much from other cultures. And Kaitlyn has a good point. We are Spooning It Up tonight and you will be greatly missed. Keep having A BLAST!!!

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