Just say Yes!

The plan was to head to the beach this weekend but think I am turning Latin and never got round to trying to book anything till 2pm on the day of departure. So the ever so helpful bus employees didn’t fail me or surprise me. I asked if there were any buses going to the beach, any beach I don’t care which. His reply was simply ‘yes’ great I get to pick, No, there are buses but no seats left on the buses! Talk about a tease but guess that was my question. So as I phone everyone trying to decide what to do, it becomes apparent no one has any plans so Quito it is.

Thursday turned into a depression day as the date of my planned wedding becomes too close to deal with or even think about, I decided to stay in bed with the covers pulled over my head. However, the wonderful Kate comes and pulls me out with the temptation of a good bottle of red and pizza (two of my favourite things in the world) Simple things I know!

Friday was a holiday so I slump back into pulling the covers over my head with full plans of not facing anything or one for the whole weekend. But my next shining angels are Delia and Heather who just keep phoning till I answer. I then drag myself once again out of bed make coffee and have the hottest shower to try and awaken. We head to the historic centre to watch the president being sworn in for his 3^rd term, it was great to watch how admired he is by Ecuadoreans something we Brits cannot enjoy at present. Also trying to work out whom all the presidents were from all over South America. I stood there feeling the warm sun, and then smiling and laughing with friends I thought about how I have to change my thinking and thoughts into more positive ones to get through these next couple of weeks. So with a positive attitude we head to the pub and proceed to laugh even louder with every beer, if felt good to sit with people who don’t know or care about my past and just enjoy telling stories. For a day that started so badly I was surprised at how much fun I had and for how long ( it was gone midnight by the time our lunch date ended). If I had stayed in bed with covers pulled high and laying in self-pity I would have missed a great day, so I make a deal to say yes to every invitation for the next week. No, is not part of my vocabulary for this week! I know dangerous but so far so good……

Saturday I said yes to a ladies coffee group meeting, for you that know me know I would normally mock such a group. However, I had a wonderful time and met some great new friends. This was another lunch date that ended stupid O’clock across town in a Colombian/ Arabic café. Not sure if I was the bad influence or not in this case! Anyway we are going bowling tomorrow night because I can’t say no, also want to give it a go as it’s been years.

Tonight I am going to a Poker game, no idea what I am doing and last time I played I lost everything! But fear not Kate has printed of pictures of what the good hands are so I am sure my Poker face will be believed as I am double checking my ‘how to play Poker’ hand out!

Yesterday four of us hired bikes and cycled along the old railway lines in the valley next to Quito. The bikes were less desirable and today my bum is killing me. 20km on a bike that was older than me bumping along an old railway line, sounds disgusting but amazing fun! Then a girly pizza night in town with once again a good bottle of red, ok who am I trying to kid a good couple of bottles.

So the rest of the week looks busy already with Bowling, Ladies night, Charity dinner, a travel presentation and more pizza.

Now I am waiting for the ridiculous invitation that I know I would offer someone if I knew they couldn’t say no, For example compete in Miss Ecuador transvestites competition or bring pork chops to the Jewish Passover.     

Otavalo

I’ve been told Otavalo is the biggest market in South America and you can buy anything here! Anything you say? Ok so competition time between Kate, Sophie and I to try and buy everything on the most ridiculous shopping list ever seen.

·      A crocodile

·      A small indigenous child

·      Original 1980’s Atari computer 

·      Peruvian Flag

·      Traditional hat from vendors head

·      Inappropriate Tee shirt (extra points for the best or worst, depends how we see it)

·       Size 10 hi tec trainer boots

·      One left shoe

So after a quiet night in Bungalow I wake up early to head to the bus station, Kate surprises us all by also being up on time and even managing to find a taxi metro. These Taxis are like gold dust to us Gringos as normally they have the meter but guess what its stopped working…… but they will make us a good price!

So as we are bumping our way along to the station I get a text from a friend (last nights partner in crime)- WTF happened last night, I passed out and woke up with a black eye from head butting the toilet while vomiting.

At this point I begin to understand the queasiness going on in my stomach and the realization that maybe last night was not so quiet.

Fear not a travel sickness tablet and some hard boiled mints later and all is well again. I even managed to stay awake on the bus this time. Poor Kate then got to listen to all my confused life thoughts on route, yes still going through the ‘what the hell am I doing in life’ stage.

So we eventually arrive at the market and the competition commences. A nice easy one to begin with the Crocodile, so I ask a vendor ‘ where can I buy a Crocodile?’ He then tells me that I missed the animal market this morning. No confusion at the fact I want to buy a Crocodile just that I was too late! Brilliant! I really love Ecuador at times.

Now onto the small indigenous child, I really thought it would be just inappropriate to ask someone to sell me his or her child. I think foreigners have a bad enough reputation without me fueling this by asking them to name a price for their kid, also where would I keep it? I can’t see the Croc being too happy to share a room.

At one point I saw a small indigenous child in a Peruvian shirt, so I am thinking two birds one stone but still couldn’t do it.

Traditional hat from vendors head turned out to be the easiest one, mister, I like your hat. Where can I buy one? -You can have this one for $150, its real rabbit! Bit out of budget but found out it would be an easy task to get one.

My personal favorite was trying to buy one shoe, one lady had slippers for sale $2 for a pair. So $1 right? –

Me- Solo necesito un zapato. Cuánto?

Vendor- un zapato? 

Me- Sí, mi tio solo tiene un pie.

Lets just say she was confused and not very happy, I guess my uncle will have to find another one legged friend to share pairs of shoes with as vendors are not happy to sell only one shoe.

So truth be told you can’t buy everything in Otavalo Market this is a myth, well you certainly can’t buy A crocodile ( in the afternoon anyway), Original 1980’s Atari computer, Peruvian Flag seems they still hate them, Inappropriate Tee shirt this surprised me as you see so many of them, Size 10 hi tec trainer boots and One left shoe.

So after our failed shopping trip we head back to the lovely La Luna Hostel and grab a couple of sun dowers and watch the sun set over an incredible landscape. Then have a game of Monopolio……  

  

                  

Isinlivi

Last weekend we headed to the wonderful Llullu Llama Hostel on the Quilotoa Loop. Feeling I have been over doing the social aspects in Quito it was a welcomed change. No Bungalow for me ( as my liver sighs with relief) I also felt the need to be a grown up for a couple of days, there is only so many inappropriate conversations a girl can have in a short time.

So early in the morning we head off to meet Christian the owner of Llullu Llama Hostel who has kindly offered to give us a lift from Quito to the rural and almost untouched Sigchos. As always I fell asleep before even leaving Quito so can’t tell you much about the drive till we get to just before Latacunga where we pick up Chris and Julia somewhere on the Pan America. They had been waiting 2 hours in the roasting sun next to a food stall cooking nothing but Cuy and Rabbit (slim pickings to say the least). At this point we head up into the mountains and to what can only be described as perfect scenery. Watching the green hill’s expand as far as we can see, unbelievable how the locals manage to farm at such heights buts they do and the different crop fields make the hills look like a patchwork quilt.

After more than an hour on one of the most questionable roads, questionable because at times I am not sure it was even a road we arrived at Llullu Llama. The small town is just how you would picture a small Andean town to be, farmers out milking cows by hand, chickens running around everywhere and the local kids looking like they don’t have a worry in the world. Everyone was so friendly and would wave as you go past. However, after being there for a matter of 5 minutes the heavens opened and one of the loudest storms started, so what to do? No TV, No Wi-Fi so you guessed it a crate of beer and cards. Quechua is still spoken here so trying to find Beer was not the easiest task, after a couple of false promises we found an 11 year old shop girl selling Beer (no kidding). With a slight feeling of guilt we paid her but this was soon erased when she told us to bring back to empties so she could cash them in, so obviously this is not the first time this 11 year old girl has been dealing in Beer.

So lowering the tone of the serene little village as we walk back to the hostel with our Beers and maxi bags of Dorito crisps. Then the real fun and learning began with cards, uno and trying to light a fire at altitude (harder than you think). Crystal done this in her normal classy style of a tie dye onezie with a butt flap button that was only just holding together!

The next morning we woke up early to catch sunrise over this spectacular backdrop. A quick hike up the nearest hill didn’t fail us physically or on the views. Once again I was reminded of how lucky I am to have this on my doorstep and how many places are left still to be explored, not just here but the whole world. Looking down at the small farms where large families sleep, eat and live in one room, to some people these conditions would be hell but if you think how close they must be working and living like this. I felt envious of them that I would never feel this kind of bond not many people will ever, it made me think about home and how many things I have and will miss out on.   

                     

At what point do you have to grow up?

So here I am 32 with no idea where I will be in a years time let alone a future plan, do I want the family, settled life and apparent happiness that all my UK friends have? I guess so at some point but I am having far too much fun to get that deep into life just yet. At certain times I do crave that life, for example waking up on a Sunday morning just able to open one eye and try to piece the last nights events together. However, once that minute of ‘oh crap’ passes and I begin to smile at the antics and misbehaving of the night before I know I am not ready to grow up.

If you look at my life on paper I have ticked off many things that I know a lot of people will never get to experience I have lived and worked in many different countries and travelled to 5 continents. I once sneaked backstage at an Italian music concert and managed to stay there till sun rise eating and drinking all the free buffet, before a security man asked for my backstage pass and I promptly got kicked out! Or the time I lost my company car in Arezzo for 2 days because I couldn't remember where I left it, then having to get the mayor’s son to remove the parking ticket before work found out. All of these memories make me smile and laugh at the insanity I have made of my life.

I also have amazing memories of gliding through the Okavango delta, riding a camel over the Sahara desert, climbing Machu Picchu, Island hopping around Thailand ( ok that one involved a lot of alcohol in buckets but it sounds cultural), Learning Yoga in India, Taking a drawing class in Florence and a cooking in Paris ( both of which I sucked at), Watching the Rio carnival, flying over Iguassu falls for my 30^th Birthday,  Eating Street Pallea on a Sunday afternoon in Barcelona over looking the Familia Sagrada, Having a snow ball fight with strangers in Central Park, staring up at the Giza Pyramids in Carlo and realising how many amazing things this world has to offer.

When is too late to give up these amazing adventures? Or do I even have to give them up? Can I have both? Or do I need to settle and get that pension than my dad keeps telling me to get ……. So many questions that I truly do not know the answers to. The final scary one is what type of man will be left by the time I am ready? Oh God I am doomed!