I confess. Galapagos was never high on my list. I'd always preferred destinations that required work, believing that authenticity couldn't be found through fine dining and room service. That adventure traveling was the highest calling, which entailed slipping out of your skin and our western bubble and exposing yourself to every vulnerability. A …

Our guide Mauricio arrives in a fedora, is a slightly built and easy going. Joining him is our driver Osvaldo (a university math prof). We do the standard local tourist stuff---the Teleferico cable car and lookout; El Panecillo the giant, aluminum virgin overlooking the city; the old town a UNESCO joint; Mitad del Mundo the equatorial exhibit and …

July 19-21 Mindo

Our van twists and turns along mountain roads as we head north then descend to the cloud forest at 1600metres. Along the way, I marvel at the endless near misses and death defying passes and lane changes among motor vehicles. Our driver who has the serenity of a monk behind the wheel, sports Johnny Cash side burns and looks as …

July 21-23 High Andes

We have three more nights before our creme de la creme, the Galapagos. I'd cajoled the group to give the Quilotoa Loop a look, a rarely visited backpacker haunt. The high Andes would be the furthest thing from a sanitized push button tour and it would reek of authenticity. Hil has been mumbling something about staying behind …

July 24-July 31 Quito to the Galapagos

Our Adventure Life rep and driver shovel us to the airport and get us onto our flight with polite and casual professionalism, and military precision. They give the impression that they can't be fazed.
As our plane breaks through the clouds, the Islands come into view. Suddenly, I lose my smug travel smarts. …

Aug 1

Two hours north of Quito, Otavalo is reputed to be the largest craft and artisan market in South America. We arrive during the week when it is scaled down and far less chaotic with no tour buses. Still, there are row upon row of vendors hawking crafts, ponchos, hats, scarves, swords, hand-woven textiles, trinkets, and so on. The vendors all …

Aug 2

Our outbound flight is delayed. But we are in no rush to return to reality. Hil says she hopes the airline has overbooked, and that she can be bumped for another day, or week or longer. ''I won't be able to travel again'', she remarks. Then she asks no one in particular, ''Where do you go after you've just had the best adventure of your …