Lifestyle Inflation & Nothingness
I’m finally starting to settle in and decide what I want from my next several months in South America (and beyond). — Baños, Ecuador
This is my little home in Baños, Ecuador.
It’s $10/night. There’s no closet (so I’m using the rug), the shared single-unit bathroom is outside (literally outside) and down the stairs, and an aroma of mildew hangs in the air. But it’s my own, private room, and that’s pretty awesome. But still, I sat in my bed while I reminisced fondly about my life a few months prior: a beautiful apartment, premium gym membership, and exclusive co-working space.
Much of this pain is self inflicted, of course — I have the financial option to skip the bus stop and opt for a private transfer, or opt for an Airbnb instead of a hostel. But living in Washington, D.C. pushed my lifestyle into far more expensive territory than I was comfortable with, and I wanted a total(-ish) reset.
There’s not much else to share this week; no interesting observations or insights. After living in vacation mode for the past 2+ months, I’m finally starting to settle in and decide what I want from my next several months in South America (and beyond).
What (Else) I’m Up To
This week, I’m in Baños, Ecuador — the waterfall capital of, quite possibly, the world. One of my first few days, I took a chiva, or a South American party bus, through Ruta de las Cascadas, a stretch of about 20 kilometers that features 11 insane waterfalls. The chiva stops at a few on the way, and you can hop a zipline, walk (or jump) off a suspension bridge, or take a little hike. It was such a beautiful experience, I might go back for an encore.
Baños overflows with locals on the weekends — some sort of version of Ecuadorian Disneyworld, but during the week, it’s a small-town oasis. I felt so relieved to finally be able walk safely back to my hostel at night, or pull out my phone in the middle of the street. Eggs are cheap ($1.25 for a dozen), probably because of the large symphony of roosters that wake me up everyday at 5:00am (and one guy who starts his shouting at 2:30am — what’s his deal?). It makes sense that Baños is the place where my brain decides to completely shut down.
This weekend, I’ll be heading into the Amazon rainforest, a trip that I’ve been excited about for months now. To support responsible, sustainable tourism (and of course, learn about the Amazon from the truest experts), I’ll be staying in a Kichwa indigenous community. Internet access will be limited, so I’ll share more in two weeks.
More soon.