My trip to Ecuador started off a little more chaotic than I expected. After an eventful night in Tower A, I somehow decided that a one-hour nap before our 3am departure would be a good idea. I set at least six alarms, worrying that I would not make it up in time to catch the bus. Unfortunately, Maddie and I did not wake up to any of them. Thankfully, a call from Lucas saved us just in time and we ran to the bus, probably looking crazy to whoever was still out in Oakland, but somehow still made it. That crazy start was only the beginning of our very long travel day.
The flight to Miami went smoothly, though I was a bit nervous since this was my first time flying in over ten years. Still, the Miami layover felt endless. Between the heat, overpriced food, and the exhaustion from only three hours of sleep, I was more than excited to get on the plane to Quito. I was able to finally fall asleep on the flight and by the time we got to the hotel in Quito I was so ready for real rest. Of course, carrying my suitcase up three flights of stairs in the altitude I was still adjusting to absolutely drained me, but it was worth it because I genuinely can’t remember the last time I slept that well.
Our first full day in Quito started bright and early at 8am with breakfast at the hotel before exploring the city. We visited the Cathédrale de San Francisco, where we toured both the church and its monastery. Everything was so beautiful. Afterward, we finally got the highly talked about churros before grabbing lunch at a local restaurant and heading back to the hotel.
Of course our break quickly turned into more exploring. We decided to visit the Virgin Mary statue and decided to find a taxi instead of trying to walk up hundreds of stairs. Though, we still ended up walking all the way down after, and then making our way to the Basilica. By this point, it felt like we had walked at least ten miles throughout the day and my feet were starting to feel it.
Right before reaching the Basilica, we stopped for a quick break and accidentally stumbled into the best part of my entire day. When we saw a small chocolate store, we decided to take a peak and started looking at the chocolates on display outside. We were then warmly welcomed in by what happened to be the owners mother. What occurred after that was not a quick stop at all, but an hour-long chocolate tasting led by the owner himself. He walked us through every chocolate they made, explaining the flavor, who seemed to like them, and the entire process with so much excitement and passion that you could tell how much he loved what he did. Every single chocolate I tasted was amazing, and by the end, I found myself buying two of his chocolate bars. What started as a random stop on the side of the road turned into one of the most memorable experiences of the day. We never actually made it into the Basilica but honestly, I didn’t mind.
After the tasting, we rushed back to the hotel for dinner, which was delicious chicken, rice, and salad. You would think after an entire day of walking around in Quito we would finally call it a night, but somehow we still had enough energy to go back into the city for dancing and live music. By that point, the day felt like it had lasted an eternity, but in the best way.
Even with all of the exhaustion, sore legs, and a somewhat chaotic start, I absolutely loved my first day in Ecuador and I know these next two weeks are going to be amazing. That being said, I am very excited to go to sleep now.