Well, as you can tell from the subject line - I have made a few not so tough decisions and I am leaving Quito tomorrow! Decided it was no longer conducive to my mental health to sit around pondering my life's direction in this city.
Not that I dislike the place but I definitely have mixed feelings towards it. It certainly is no Rio de Janeiro.
For one, the men are incorrugible! And the women. It seems a white face around here means a meal ticket to lots of the locals. And I don't mean to sound callous, but it just seems that is the way it goes. So many of the young guys staying at my current hostel are casually seeing Ecuadorian girls. One British guy, who is 19 (!), has managed to get himself into a rather sticky situation. He speaks no Spanish, she no English and apparently she expects him to pay for everything when they do together. I deduced that it must be a purely physical arrangement, but apparently not so. What, then, is the point one must ask?
So, I can't say I love that side of the culture here. For example, I went to buy some fruit this morning. I had just woken up and not showered. I was hardly looking my best. And, no exaggerration, literally 90% of the cars that passed me beeped at me. I got one guy smooch out of his window and another slow his car down and leer 'bonita!' at me. I think they just see that I am Western (I'm not even sure how really as I am rather tanned at this point... instinct?) and it is automatic to harrass in some manner. I find it really threatening and intimidating.
So it will be with an optimistic and eager spirit that I will leave Quito tomorrow. I am heading to 'one of the most spectacular sights' in Ecuador - the Quilotoa loop. Picture attached. It will be physically challenging in more ways than one. The roads are really bad and to get to the various villages it requires a combination of hiking, milk truck riding (sometimes on the top!), mule-riding or cycling. And the accommodation is apparently rather basic at some of the villages. And it is cold. And did I mention at a height of 3500m? So that is where I will be for Valentines Day. And Carnaval. Chilling out with some indigenous people by a huge lake. I am excited.
After Quilotoa I intend on going to Baños for a few days to soak my sore muscles in the hot water pools. Then on to Cuenca which is apparently beautiful and perhaps Vilcabamba before heading to Montañita, a small surfing village, where I am undertaking a Spanish course for a week. It is combined Spanish and surfing - 4 hours of Spanish a day and two hours of surfing. I can't wait!
Then hopefully perhaps a bit of the Amazon on my way out of Ecuador to... Colombia. I know this was not initially on the itinerary but I have heard SO many amazing things about Colombia I could not pass up the opportunity. And then the US. I will explain later.
Ok, love you all so much (whoever is reading this). Thank you all for the supportive messages during this somewhat gruelling week.
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