TRIPS, TRICKS, & TRAPS

Later this year, my friend Rose & I are going to Ecuador. I’m not giving the exact date because I don’t want to return and find my house robbed. We are flying out of Fort Lauderdale at 9:00 AM and must be at the airport 2 hours beforehand. Since it’s a 3 hour drive from Vero Beach, we’re leaving the day before.

We’ll only have to double up a few times and Fort Lauderdale is one. That night, after I wash for bed, I’ll probably reapply my make-up, get dressed, and sleep on my back, so I’ll be ready to roll when the alarm goes off. Because we want our free breakfast, too!

The plane ride to Quito, Ecuador is 4 hours.

Rose is also scouting out future Third World places to retire for herself & her husband. (In fact they got the idea from me.) However, being younger than I am, Rose won’t be ready for a few more years. Also she can afford to retire anyplace. My situation is more desperate.

We will be in Ecuador 10 days. Rose must return to work, plus that’s all I can afford to stay. Early in 2016 we’re going on an exploratory visit to Thailand and the airfare alone is astronomical!

The first half of our Ecuador trip will center on Cotacachi up the Andes. I’m seriously considering settling in this little town between the two (hopefully extinct) volcanoes. Also we’ll be visiting the larger neighboring municipalities of Ibarra & Otavalo. I am going to see Realtors and learn what is available in my price range for rent. Plus we’ll check out the supermarkets & big box stores to note the prices. And we plan to seek out Expats to gain more info.

The second part of our trip is pure vacation! We are flying to the Galapagos Islands! -- The last real vacation I had was in 1980, not counting my 2009 trip to Epcot with my absolute last ever boyfriend. So I feel entitled to a one. Plus this is a genuine bucket list experience!

We are seeing the Galapagos Islands as Ecuadorans, not tourists. We’ll be flying from Guayaquil to Puerto Ayora on the isle of Santa Cruz. This entire island is a large dormant volcano situated in the center of the archipelago. From there, we’ll tour the surrounding islands.

I’ve been advised to dress down as not to attract thieves. This will be a challenge for me! I prefer to look put together, rather than merely dressed. But tourists are always a target! I am no stranger to this.

The first time I stepped off a plane in Mexico City I was with my dad and future step-mother, Avis. The year was 1974 and I was 23. We were on a semi-escorted tour, meaning we traveled to different cities as a group to a specific hotel, but were on our own upon arrival.

Outside the airport, the night air was cool and taxi cabs seemed to be lined up for miles blending with the bright lights of the city. Our driver took us to a hotel displaying a different name than the one given. We declared it was the WRONG hotel! He insisted otherwise! This guy not only spoke fluent English, he had no Hispanic accent whatsoever! – He was probably born & raised in Chicago!

We figured that perhaps the hotel had changed hands and our itinerary was not updated. After entering the lobby we started to panic. None of our group was there despite departing at the same time. Dad showed our itinerary to the desk clerk. He glanced at it, before shoving a key in his hand and signaling a bellhop.

The following morning as Avis & I dressed, my father went for a walk. Our designated hotel was several blocks around the corner! Dad returned and complained to the desk clerks. They denied any responsibility because of a different staff the night before, meanwhile they wanted payment for the night we spent.

The rest of our trip went smoothly until we stepped off the bus in Acapulco and into a taxi. A young guy about my age jumped into the cab beside me. He claimed he had been appointed our tour guide and rode to the hotel with us.

He waited down in the lobby while we checked into our room. We were already suspicious, but we learned upstairs that no one else in our group had been assigned a personal tour guide.

As we returned to the lobby, the so-called guide rushed up and said he was sorry, he’s made a mistake. He pointed across the room to another family and stated he was actually THEIR guide! However, he claimed to have paid our cab fare and now wanted reimbursement. My father distinctly remembered paying it and had no intention of doing so twice! The guy said OK, shrugged and walked over to the other people.

Upon returning home, we reported these incidents to our travel agent. She filed a complaint with the tour. Two years later, we returned to Mexico City. This time, a shuttle picked us up from the airport and drove us to our hotel.

My trips alone were all fully escorted. Any problems that arose were promptly handled by a professional tour guide.

Rose & I will be traveling completely on our own. Should anything go wrong, we won’t have any travel agent or tour operator to call to for help. However, Rose happens to be a frequent traveler, plus a savvy, strong, & resilient lady. I would not feel comfortable embarking on a trip like this with anyone else by my side.

While doing research, I learned that one should carry only a few dollars at all times. This way, if you are mugged, you don’t lose much. And just to consider it local color, plus a story to tell the folks back home. Hot cat pee! I find a statement like that disturbing! I consider a folk festival to be local color, NOT a mugging!!! We plan to bring pepper spray if allowed.

I love the fact that in Vero Beach I can go almost anywhere in broad daylight dressed nice and not worry about someone shoving a gun or knife in my face. -- Although I’ve been robbed here many times at the point of a pen!

Anyway, my flashy duds and spiked heels will remain in Florida. I bought some mom-jeans, baggy tops, & flat heels for the trip. I just hope that I won’t still have to dress that way should Ecuador become my future home.

When I expatriate, I’ll be doing it alone. That’s when the adventure ends and the nightmare begins!

Whether or not I decide to move there, I’m sure it will be 10 days in South America we’ll never forget!