Journals from Abroad
| Recent journal entries:
Ecuador: |
Journal: Trevor Downey: Ecuador
June 27, 2007
 Baños |
I spent this past weekend with my fellow IAESTE students in Baños, the "Star of Ecuador." Situated in the very heart of the country, this little town is quite a mecca for Ecuadorian eco-tourists looking to explore the amazing climate of northern South America. The exotic location proves both opportune and precarious: convenient for anyone looking to see their U.S. currency take them a long way up the sides of mountains, past waterfalls and into the jungle, and precarious for those avoiding occasional volcanic activity and major transportation disruptions.
 River-Rafting |
The allure of Baños is not difficult to pinpoint. The natural hot springs piped into water parks, ideal mountainous paths for downhill biking, picturesque cascades and river-rafting excursions attract foreigners from around the world. A significant part of its appeal comes from the edgy, adventurous atmosphere. Even upon driving into Baños from Quito, around a four-hour bus drive from mountain pass to mountain pass, visitors began to sense its unstable character. My friends and I were not to begin, let alone finish, the weekend in Baños without a memorable experience.
Within 5 km of our destination, we eventually realized that our bus ride would end 2 km shorter than expected. As we approached a line of other vehicles parked in the middle of the highway, our bus could travel no further, so our bus driver asked us to grab our bags and start walking the rest of the way. Completing the trip on foot was definitely not a difficult task, but not an anticipated endeavor. Nonetheless, we unloaded the bus and began heading in the opposite direction of nearly every other pedestrian on the road that day.
Soon enough, around the bend of the road, we saw the damage that had been wreaked by Mother Nature. The recent rains had washed out a significant portion of the paved highway. Firefighters and police personnel were directing those trying to leave Baños, and those of us trying to enter, through the muddy remains of the pass.
 Rain Damaged Road |
Government officials seemingly brainstormed ways to solve the situation. In reality, the circumstances seemed relatively controlled. The ruined roadway had practically become a new bus stop. Those leaving Baños crossed the disaster zone, boarded our bus and headed to Quito or wherever, while we caught their original buses returning to Baños.
We made it to Baños and had a great time. The story of the disaster made the news around the country. But as far as getting back to Quito, we did not make it, at least not on time.
When we purchased our tickets midday on Sunday, we had nearly forgotten about the highway troubles. We'd had such a great time since Friday; plenty of adventures had taken our minds away from any concerns about our return. However, over the course of the weekend, the destroyed roadway had not been repaired but instead had worsened and more of the pavement had slid into the river below. Our four-hour trip home turned into a 12-hour trip around the jungle along a different, more intact path.
Overall, I think everyone had a great time. I know I did. My favorite part was the mountain biking. The views around every corner of the path were amazing. I like Ecuador; you just have to learn to take what it gives, the astounding and the surprising.
