So here we are, half way through our trip here. We've had the highs and lows the funs and I want to go home. So here is some of the good, bad and ugly.
Biggest Disappointments: Let's start by saying my biggest 3 disappointments are coffee, beer and cheese.
Coffee: This is beautiful country with amazing coffee BUT for some reason restaurants insist of serving nothing but instant. When 4 hours out of the city some of the best coffee I've ever had is grown. And if you don't ask for the right thing you will get a cup of hot milk to put your instant coffee in.
Beer: Again. I was coming here looking forward to trying all types of new and exciting beers. Upon my arrival I find out there are 3 types of beer, Pilsner, Club, and Club Rojo. On one trip I was able to order some beer from Peru which was a nice change. But seriously, this country needs more beers.
Cheese: What they have you don't want to eat. I can't say it any better. Plus if I want something half decent and by decent I mean something equivalent to a Kraft cheddar then I need to go to the supermarket. Can't get it at any of the local stores. I shouldn't have to walk to 6 stores to find a half decent block of cheese.
Pro's: So here are so of the pro's from this beautiful country.
People: The people are kind and always ready to help. They will even go the extra mile to help you out. Many will try and speak English when possible. To try and help you understand them.
Country: Its beautifully here. Surrounded by mountains all the time, but with a 2 to 3 hour bus trip you are in a completely different climate. Be it the beach on one side or the jungle on the other. This beautiful country comes with a con. Unfortunately as with most things we hum as don't appreciate what we have so there is litter everywhere. Unfortunately many don't care about their surrounding and just throw trash where and when they feel like it.
Travel: You can travel the country side for next to nothing. Take a bus from one end of the country to the other for $10. Where else can you find this.
Amneties: Unlike what you may have read there isn't much you can't get here. There are bigbox stores in every major city. If you need it, its available here. So moving here is not moving to the jungle where you have nothing. Fact we have friends that moved here from Nicaragua for the fact that at least here they were able to have the required items they could never get in Nicaragua.
Cost of Living: Cost of living here is nice. Its not as cheap as we had expected but that being said people who blog about the cost of living here do not have kids with them. What you may not realize coming here is almost all costs are per person. So as example you don't pay for a room for the night at a hotel/hostel its how many people for the night. So many of our costs are times 4 rather than times 2.
Health care: Dental work is great. Yes you need to find the right doctor but it can't be beat when consider $25 for a cavity and $30 to have a tooth pulled its a good opportunity to have long needed work done. And if you need to see a doctor for other problems at $30-40 a visit it won't break the bank.
Weather: I can live with 25 degrees everyday for the rest of my life. With the odd afternoon showers.
Con's: I hope I have less of these than pro's.
Travel: I miss my car, what more can I say. As cheap as travel is here, it feels that many times you are taking your life in your hands. Taxi drivers driving 60 miles an hour on a side road, bus drivers who pass into on coming traffic, or for some reason feel that they must drive 40 miles an hour between stops and lights. Then there are the long haul buses who don't want to give you access to their washrooms until they feel you should have access.
Food: I'm tired of chicken and rice. Again for a country with so much variety they don't know how to do anything outside of the box. Chicken and rice 3 times a day. And when you have something else here its quite bland. And what's with not being able to make a real hamburger.
Internet: Wow this has been a tough one. Unreliable, slow, and did I mention slow. It turns out the company here offers a 6gig service but can only guarantee 4 gig and when you actually test it, its more like 1.5gigs. Sad to say if you need internet to work here, have a back up. Very been fortunate enough to have a back USB rocket stick for emergency situations but it really makes it tough when you need it.
People: Unfortunately the people can be a con as well. As nice as Ecuadorians are, there are 2 areas that require major improvement. When they drive they feel like they have every right of way. Pedestrians don't matter, street signs don't matter, rules of the road and common courteousy doesn't exist. And this uncourteousness carries into other aspects of their life. I stores and restaurants if there is no official line then just hope in where you want is fine.
Hot Water: Who knew it could be so difficult to get hot water in a home or a hotel room.
Well this is a few items I love and hate about here. I understand that pod casts are the thing of the year for 2013 so I say watch for the next few blogs to convert to pod casts with interviews from friends and people we have met here.
