#houstion

🤘🏼👅

After 20 hours of travelling via Houston I arrive in Quito. Instantly I feel the Altitude; short of breath and very tired I am soon brought back to life by the smile of the lovely Maria. Maria is the director of ECO VOLUNTEER UP my voluntary project in the Galapagos. She introduces me to the very smiley Freddy, our driver and an American girl named Holly who will be staying in my house share this evening. We drive approximately 40 minutes to a lovely apartment owned by a young family; Sofia, Eduardo and their son Martin. I am ashamed by my lack of Spanish, its not like I haven’t had lessons!! (Note to self rectify this quickly!! ) by this point its almost 2am. I crash out in a twin room where another girl is sleeping. In the morning I am greeted by Marlene from Austria who speaks perfect English and almost perfect Spanish. Eduardo has prepared a breakfast of scrambled eggs, brioche and offered us grapes and bananas.. I am settled, over breakfast I learn a lot about Holly and Marlene, lovely girls both eager to meet new people and both off to volunteer in the Amazon. Holly leaves that morning and Marlene kindly invites me to join her Spanish class in the centre of Quito. (Rectifying in process!!) We take a bus from Puerto Ocho which takes about half an hour and walk the few blocks to the Spanish school. The teacher spoke little English which was good for me, we learnt the difference between the verbs Estoy and Ser, covered basic phrases and adjectives and by the end of the 2 hours my brain was frazzled. Marlene and I started heading back towards the bus stop but I felt dizzy and my stomach felt unsettled. I wasn’t too worried as I expected the altitude to get me. By the time we got back to the apartment I was sick! I spent the rest if the afternoon resting and felt a lot better by dinner . Sofia had prepared spaghetti with chicken in a spinach sauce with rice. Pasta and rice was new to me but when in Quito!! I hit the sack early as I had to be up at 5am to catch my lift to the airport. I slept pretty well and woke up perky and ready to hit the home of the late Lonesome George. I said my goodbyes and thank you’s to Marlene and the family before I got in the car with Smiley Freddy. En route to the airport we shared stories of home, Freddy was very interested in the royal family which made me laugh. At the airport I had to collect an entry form for the Galapagos, I drop of my heavy bag and head to my gate. I’m writing this post as I sit on the plane eating chips ahoy! cookies and some plantain chips (thank you Lan airways) and I have butterflies… The Galapagos. It still feels like a distant dream! I can’t wait to get to Hacienda Tranquila which will be my volunteer house for the next two and half weeks. I shall Fill you in when I get there!!