Officially the at the finish line! This trip has been an experience of a lifetime and has changed my perspective in so many ways.
Today was our travel day to the Quito Airport. We made many stops along the way to take Ecuador all in one last time.
We had a special breakfast today of french toast and fruit! We then shared our gratitude to Todd and the staff at the lodge and thanked them for their hospitality and kindness. They truly are the kindest and happiest people I have met and I will miss them a lot. I went onto the bus and our first stop was the cloud forest. It was cold and a little muddy but the view was absolutely amazing.
Afterward, we stopped at a hummingbird area and ate lunch that was prepared by the staff at Iyarina, a grilled chicken sandwich. We watched the humming birds come up to our hands as we held out the sugar water, and when they landed on my figure it felt very ticklish. We then walked to a waterfall where we took a muddy path up to get close to the top and on the way down I was a bit scared (the view was worth it). Then, we drove to a rest stop for snacks and more food. I got my last empanada and it was very delicious that I was sad I may never taste one as good as the ones I’ve had in Ecuador. After eating, we went to a park area where we saw endangered trees, cows, and even an alpaca! We sat inside the restaurant there to spare time before heading to the airport.
We got to the airport around 7 and went through security and check in before getting a nice airport dinner. I reminisced on my entire two weeks spent here and looked at pictures from day 1. To think before this trip that I would have an entirely changed perspective on myself and life after two weeks would be an understatement because I had no idea the impact this trip would have on me until the last few days spent as a group all together. So, farewell Ecuador, you have my love and to Plus3 for allowing me to experience such a place with a new group of friends!