I Never Get Car Sick

. . . until today.

Let me tell you about my day.

I started off in Cuenca, Ecuador. The temperature was around 58F when I woke. The high would near 74 with rain expected.

Funny thing, I always believed the entire country of Ecuador would be hot as blazes year round. You know, being located on the equator and all. Yet, the elevation keeps much of the country in an extremely temperate zone.

Cuenca is a magnificent city, with a great deal of history. I spent three days there. It’s known as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for it’s amazing Spanish colonial architecture and the Nuevo Cathedral. According to Lonely Planet, Cuenca is also one of South America’s most livable cities.

Today, though, I decided to make my way out of the mountains and down to the coast.

In keeping with my weather description. Guayaquil is the largest city in Ecuador and the place I landed early this afternoon. The weather is much like July or August in Kentucky (my wonderful home). The difference is that it never changes. It’s always like sunny, hot, humid summer in KY.

I boarded a fifteen passenger van in Cuenca around 10:00 am and set off for the coast. The fare was $12USD. Not bad for a three hour journey.

Getting out of Cuenca was easy. The traffic is tranquil compared to neighboring Peru.

Instead of immediately descending, however, the drive begins by climbing in elevation through Parque Nacional Cajas.

While Cuenca is approximately 4800 ft above sea level, the road through the park reaches over 13,500 ft, which is serious elevation. There are over 270 natural lakes through the park and numerous waterfalls. And, yes I saw wild alpaca grazing along the way. I enjoyed the scenery more than I can explain. It was glorious. Majestic.

Next came the descent. WOW. Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, not to mention the steep decline, as well as a driver who must have thought he was driving an Indy car in lieu of a passenger van. Dropping 13,000 feet in an hour is . . . not tranquil.

Which brings me to the car sick part. I have to laugh but it wasn’t funny at the time. Can anyone say Dramamine? Next time for sure.

Two other interesting points I’d like to share about this section of the ride.

First, we came to a spot where the road had been taken out by a mudslide. Good thing a road crew managed to construct a temporary passage on the edge near the cliff for traffic to pass while they were making repairs.

Then, we passed a herd of cattle (around 40 in total) being driven by 4 or 5 people on horses down the mountain. I guess the roads are for everyone; four wheels, four legs, doesn’t matter. There would definitely be no way other than the road to maneuver in the terrain. Can’t make this stuff up.

Once the van reached low flat ground (and it happened quickly), the ride opened up to acres upon acres of agricultural production. Sugar cane and banana plants were everywhere. I understand that banana plants are often mistakenly called trees. All of the plants had large bunches of bananas wrapped in mesh bags to protect from insects, and workers dotted the fields.

Each crop was separated into fields with rows much the way you’d see corn and soybeans grow all over the States. Some of the sugar cane fields were even equipped with pivot irrigation systems to aid their growth.

We arrived right on time. The change in climate was drastic. Guayaquil is a very modern and upscale port city and the center of the country’s import/export trade.

Now for the lesson of the day.

Just a few years ago, I had a small insurance agency in the U.S. I was working for a old-fashioned regional company, tied to the daily grind of the office and my clients. I had an expensive house way out in the country with plenty of bills, and the kind of commitments that come along with middle class living in the U.S.

According to most people I was living the American dream. Yet, my dreams were filled with ideas of traveling to exotic locations, hopping on buses and crossing borders. Finding out where the best coffee shops and boutiques were located in cities dotting the globe, all the while meeting interesting people. I also wanted to make my living from a laptop, supporting myself anywhere I landed.

And now I am.

I’m not trying to sell anyone on “my dream.” You are quite capable of having your own.

My goal and primary mission is to help you understand that you can live your dream. Whatever it is. Dream it and then live it. If I can do it, any person on earth can do it.

We all possess the single most important power imaginable. It’s our power to think. Using it intently, purposefully and directly will enable you to have everything you want.

Be sure to follow me on twitter Paula Thomas or https://www.facebook.com/thebidandtheask/. Also, check out my website: thebidandtheask.com

MadeYouThink! I create positive daily posts that inspire, uplift, motivate, and most of all help you think your way to a perfectly suited life.