Ecuador and Peru - Day 1

This summer I took a trip to South America and visited Ecuador and Peru. I've decided to publish the journal that I kept in Ecuador and Peru, and hopefully add some additional comments retrospectively. This should give you a taste of the adventures of South America, and hopefully inspire some trips! So, let's begin...

Our first day of travel began with a last-minute run to the bank, some packing, and some breakfast. For the life of me, I could not find my tennis shoes, so I wound up wearing my hiking boots. Mom sent us off in a cab ride with a young adventurous driver. We made small talk all the way to the airport where we checked in without a fuss. In the terminal. I befriended a lady from Monterey, who offered to get us into the aquarium for free. During the plane rides, Madelin and I practiced Spanish and got more and more excited for our upcoming adventure! One lady could feel our energy and asked us all about our planned adventure. By the time we were over South America, the stars were shining high above the clouds. We saw the mountainous terrain unfold before us in waves of street lights and buildings. It didn't take long to realize that we were in a whole new world. In the airport, they had infrared cameras and were screening out anyone with a fever for fear that they may have the Swine Flu. Luckily we passed without any problems. Felipe, Wladimir, and Amelie happily met us at the terminal and gave us all their insights regarding our plans. It was great to be greeted with some friendly faces. We checked into our hostel: a clean, quaint little room with an amazing view. Free internet and breakfast are a bonus! I realized that despite being in a different time zone, Ecuador does not do Daylight Savings Time (DST), so it is the same time here as it was in Chicago. Our evening ended in plans for tomorrow.