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Nicole's
Travelogues and Budget Travel Tips..
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ECUADOR
Ecuador was my first solo 'backpacker' trip in the fall of 1998. I quit my research job, bought a Lonely Planet Ecuador, and left. Unfortunately I had to come home when I ran out of money, but I spent 3 fantastic months in Ecuador and came back with the travel bug (and another bug but that's another story). Ecuador is 175,780 square miles and has about 11,700,000 inhabitants. The capital of Ecuador is Quito, which has a population of 1.2 million. Ecuador is divided into 3 distinct geographic and climatic areas: 1) The coastal plain (La Costa), 2) The Andean central highlands (La Sierra), and 3) The Amazon (El Oriente). Ecuador is a small, relatively cheap country which allows budget travelers the option of air travel. The main domestic airlines are TAME and SAN, though there are other small airlines. You can go almost anywhere in Ecuador very cheaply by bus. There are small fast buses, Busetas, and larger slower Autobuses. You should keep your passport on you when traveling by bus, as there are lots of police checks. Whenever possible, avoid traveling by bus at night - not just due to banditos, but also due to higher percentage of bus accidents at night. Camionetas, rancheras and taxis can be hired for long rides - but be sure to settle on a price before you leave.
You must take the train if you travel to Ecuador! It is well worth the ride! The scenery is beautiful and it is an experience riding on the rooftop. Remember sun glasses (very dusty) and warm clothes (very breezy). If you are lucky, you will catch a few pieces of fruit people throw to you (and at you) as you travel through the Quito markets. If you insist on standing on the roof, watch the power lines!!! A girl caught a power line in her mouth and was burned badly. Not to mention the broken live wire flapping around the roof of the train. Ecuador is a great country in which to learn Spanish. The local Spanish accent is easy to understand and there are plenty of reputable schools to choose from throughout the country. Prices average from $4-7 per hour. Many schools offer services such as prearranging your accommodations, airport transportation, email, tour agency services, and specialty classes (cooking, salsa dancing, Quechua). Family stays average between $8-10 per day and offer obvious added benefits. It's tempting to want to pick your Spanish school before you arrive, but believe me, it is well worth it to wait until you get to Ecuador.Oh and don't pay for your school all at once, pay a little at a time.
I attended Escuela de Simon Bolivar which was $5.50 per hour for Spanish classes which included cooking lessons, soccer games, salsa dancing, and discounted weekend trips. They were very helpful and arranged airport transportation and an apartment for me prior to my arrival. |
Recommended Guide Book: Before you go, join the South American Explorers Club! I got great discounts on Spanish classes, lodging, and my Amazon tour. Annual membership is only $40 and if you spend time in Ecuador or Peru - you will save more than $40 in discounts. The trip reports and reference materials and the use of the safe and storage are invaluable! Ethnic groups include: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%, Spanish and others 7%, and black 3%. 95% of Ecuadorians are Roman Catholic. Spanish is the official language of Ecuador. Ecuador borders the Pacific Ocean, Peru, and Colombia. Ecuador's natural resources are petroleum, fish, timber, and hydropower. Current environmental issues include: deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution; and pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically sensitive areas of the Galapagos Islands. Cotopaxi is highest active volcano in world. |
Before I left for Ecuador, I had every intention of taking 6 hours of classes per day for 6 weeks. Ha HA Ha that lasted about 3 days. I had the WORST headaches after 6 hours! You may want to start off with 4 hours of instruction. I also met people that were going on cool 3-4 day trips throughout Ecuador and wanted to join them - so I had to reschedule Spanish classes. I think I took about 4-5 weeks of classes in all but it wasn't consecutive. Keep in mind that many of the Spanish teachers are not paid much and count on your money for salaries. If you say you are going to take classes for 4 weeks, then the school will tell the teacher they will get paid for 4 weeks. It's a good idea to pay for classes week by week, then no one gets let down.
