I’m struck by the bustle. I’m also struck by my need to gulp air. I’m attributing this to the long travel day. “I’m so tired I can’t even breathe,” I say to Linda. Behind me someone says, “You’re also at 9000 feet, which would make it hard to breathe if you’re not used to altitude.” Oh yeah. That, too. I block out the memory of the travel clinic doctor. Adjustment to elevated air with less oxygen is normal, not to be confused with altitude sickness. I am fine.
I am especially fine when I see our Natural Habitat driver. We are a day early for our tour*, so en route to our hotel our driver gives us some suggestions for our first day’s activities on our own. He advises us to take only yellow taxis … drivers will approach tourists with offers, but only the yellow taxis are official. (Please note-- I took this trip before Uber and Lyft offered alternatives to taxis, and I don’t know if those are available in Quito even as I write in 2018. What I do know is that I’ve paid a tour company for good guidance, so I’m taking his advice to heart).
He also jokingly asks us if we’ve exchanged our money for Ecuador currency. This is a joke because Ecuador uses American money. I can laugh because I checked that out before leaving home.
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| Downtown Quito |
Our driver suggests we use some of our free time to visit Old Town Quito and perhaps take a cable car ride to the top of a mountain for some spectaculars views... we make mental notes and hope to remember tomorrow...our first full day in South America.
* After inclement weather led me to leave Boston many hours late and miss the first day of my Portugal-Spain tour, I always try to go a day early to so I don't miss the start of a trip again.
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