Days 31 and 32: Quito, Ecuador- some needed rest and a visit to the equator!

Thursday, November 1st
Stayed at- Community Hostel

Dear Obiwan,
The next two days I had some much needed relaxation in Quito and also had a fun random day with a new friend. On Thursday I met James, he’s English and one of those people who you meet and you immediately feel like you’ve been friends for many years. He was so warm and funny and me and him were both so exhausted when we met. We met while lying on the couches in the TV room at Community Hostel. I made a comment about how I felt like I couldn’t get up and he asked, “wanna just stay in and watch Netflix all day?” it was as if he had read my mind but I was nervous to say it out loud because sometimes there is this pressure to DO SOMETHING AMAZING EVERYDAY when you travel. But it also is so important to listen to your body and rest when you can!

So that was my Thursday Obi, Netflix with James and I also met Itay and Ben during Netflix. Itay and Ben are from Israel and they were also just relaxing some of the day watching Netflix with us. They are from Israel and were friendly and funny. While we were watching Netflix they were finalizing their plans to the GALAPAGOS and as they were finishing they asked me and James, “come with us! who wants to join us in the Galapagos, we are trying to make it the least expensive trip ever, hopefully we will cook our meals and find cheap places to stay and make day trips from the islands.” This was what I was hoping to do so I so I said “okay I’ll join!” we wanted James to join but James had just gotten back from the Galapagos! But Obi, just like that I had plans to go to the Galapagos and for as cheap as possible! We leave SATURDAY!

Here are some photos of Quito from the hostel:

Day 32: Friday, November 2nd
Stayed at Community Hostel, Quito

After a relaxing day yesterday Obi I was ready to explore Quito today. We had to say bye to James who was off to Colombia, I really hope to meet him again, he will be in Brazil the same time I might be in Brazil, you never know Obiwan!

But after James left Itay and I went to go the Mirador- The Lookout- which is supposed to be a beautiful tram cable ride up the highest mountain and has beautiful views of the city. We headed there around 10:00 and the line was impressively long. Itay’s impatience compares to your patience when I have your dinner in my hand! We tried to make it fun with word games and phone games…but after 45 minutes of waiting, and also people telling us that it was foggy at the top when they went…and it was foggy at this moment…we asked someone how much longer, and they told us another HOUR AND A HALF of waiting!!! Not including the actual cable car ride. We both looked at each other and just left the line, feeling freeee.

After that I pointed out the small dinky looking AMUSEMENT PARK next the cable car entrance, I asked Itay and he was SO DOWN. So then we went on some rides and it was actually incredibly fun. There was the Pirate Ship one, which I always love, but they didn’t do it justice…there was a Haunted House…that didn’t scare me once, and you know me, I GET SCARED IF YOU JUST, SAY BOO! The was a very small roller coaster that looked like it was going to be boring and it was actually scary and amazing! Lastly, we went on one of those special sling-shot rides! Here are some pics of our day!

After this we headed to the equator. The cab was only…I think $20 for a 30 minute ride there, then he waited 2 hours for us! It was SO COOL. There were a bunch of little museums that you can explore if you want, but the big attraction was this tall building that straddled the equator! Then inside this building was a bunch of science things showing the magic and incredible differnces of being in the North or Southern Hemisphere. I understood at some point that they were actually replicating what happens at the equator, and it wasn’t atually happening…so that was a bummer. BUT still, you stand on the euqator! Also found out weeeks later that the equator isnt ever 0.00 degrees, it only happens twice a year so I probably wasn’t even standing on it…but WHATEVER it was cool, here are pictures!