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Click on any area of the
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Real bad news. Next topic.
People: The Ecuadorian
people, compared to your average US person, are a head shorter, much less educated, almost
as friendly, more likely to wear serapes and slippers in public, and substantially less
affluent. They speak only Spanish almost exclusively but, unlike the French, they will try
to communicate if you try in return.
Places: Equador is
nothing if not diverse. From the highland cities at 3000m like Quito to the seaport
metropolis of Guayaquil. Separate cultures in one country. Galapagos is yet a third...
Health: other people on
the Web maintain more up to date information. Travelhealth has this information
on Equador; drill up to get to pages on other countries. Bottled water is
everywhere; we didn't get sick. Food is good but, if you are traveling with kids bring
many granola bars for slaking immediate needs.
Money: In the Spring of
1998, the Ecuadorian currency, the Sucre, was about 4900 to the US dollar.
Exchange rates ranged from about that at the money changing locations, to 4600:1 at our
hotel in Cotacachi, the La Mirage, to 4000:1 (!) at Darwin Station on Isle de Rip-off,
er, Santa Cruz in the Galapagos. You'll need about $150 per person in your party as a
reward for the crew and guide putting up with you and yours.
(you are going someday, aren't you?)
These are mnemonic tidbits that do not fall cleanly
into other categories:
- Sunscreen: consensus was that "Banana Boat"
worked better than "Coppertone".
- Snorkeling: if you can, bring your own gear. If you
don't snorkel, you'll miss half the fun.
- You can reasonably safely leave your cool weather gear
at home; or at least leave it at your hotel in Quito when you leave for the Islands.
- Dramamine, etc. We took "all day" tablets.
After a day on the boat, we didn't need them. Our fellow passengers were "patch"
fans. Had them on all the time and never saw them (too) woozy. Whatever's convenient; be
sure to have something though.
- You might want to bring along a copy of "Beak
of the Finch" or some similar book. You'll have some time to read on the boat;
the boat will probably have a library (mostly in English), and mostly, er, quick reads.
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This page last updated
Saturday, July 30, 2005
