Where’s best to horseback ride in Ecuador?

Near Olon beach in Ecuador.
Near Olon Beach in Ecuador.

For horseback riding, I’d try the beach of Olon on weekends, or one of the several agencies offering guided rides in the Banos area.

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Where’s best to go hiking in Ecuador?

hiking in Ecuador
A view from the trial of Quicocha Lake

Ecuador’s an awesome country if hiking is your thing.

For me, the coolest hikes in Ecuador is the hike down to the crater of Quilotoa Volcano, the hike with the natives around the dry coastal rain-forest in the Machalilla National Park, and the hike around the Quicocha Lake near Cotacachi. Unlike conventional trail hiking, a lot more education and gear for comfort, safety and utility is demanded by mountain hiking. It can be rather challenging since your breathing passage will become coarse as you start hiking to the top, you will not be able to breathe easily, and no one will be able to get to you to rescue you. So, all the gear that you will have to act as your life-support system and will be necessary to keep you safe. If you are going on a mountain hiking trip. If you are going on a mountain hiking trip, all by yourself, then make sure you have carabiners. Carabiners are small metal clips that are usually made of aluminum. You will need carabiners while hiking so you can clip yourself onto the mountainous surface, or you can even clip your gear onto them. For the survival while camping you need some camping gear, here you will get all about te camping gear.  You can use carabiners for a variety of purposes depending on their shapes and styles. You can even use larger locking carabiners for belaying and for securing the rope to the surface of a mountain. You can use non-locking carabiners for holding other gear and for nonessential clips. The rope is a very important mountain hiking gear and for it, you will be using a specialized rope. If you are lead hiking, then you will tie the rope to your harness, this way you will carry the rope with you as you ascend the mountain. You can place bolts and carabiners into the surface on the mountain in order to tack the rope onto it. This way, if you are using a belay device and there is a hiker hiking below you, will be able to catch your hiking partner in case of a fall. A classic hiking boot is a must for all hikers. It helps protect the feet from getting blisters and sores. Depending upon our excursion, we can either choose a trail-walking boot or a heavy hiking boot. Clothing forms an important part of hiking gear too. Synthetic blend materials are always preferred over other materials, as they keep dry by evaporating perspiration. Brands like PowerDry, Coolmax Apparel, and Airtek make good-quality shirts. But the truth is that investing in hiking gear can really add up and add up quickly. Especially brand new gear that’s just been released and you happen to be shopping during peak hiking season. So how can you save some money but still get great gear? Check out these tips for having top notch gear and pay less for them, nothing could be sweeter than that. An amazing collection of outerwear, such as waterproof jackets, can be found at Patagonia. Similarly, Bent Gear also supplies fleece jackets and other hiking gear like tents, sleeping bags, water treatment, and many more. Clothing, navigation tools, backpacks and bags, footwear, first-aid, kitchen and camp items, and other things are available at Northern Mountain Supply. Clothing and waterproof gear. Take at least one pair of complete clothing depending on the number of days you are hiking for. Your clothes should be resistant to absorbing water (i.e not jeans) and it is better to take a number of thin jumpers than a thick jumper. Also please remember 80% of heat is lost through your head – so a hat is a must. In addition most importantly buy some good quality waterproof gear. A good raincoat (not thin) and waterproof leggings is essential to keeping dry and safe on a hike. This hiking gear is very important for a hike.

All amazing!

Give ’em a try.

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Where’s best to go bird-watching in Ecuador?

birdwatching in Ecuador
A Pelican hanging out off a peir in the Galapagos.

By far the best place to bird watch is in the Galapagos where on a single day you can see the world’s smallest penguin, frigates, blue-footed boobies, finches and more.

Next would be the cloud forests of Mindo where you can see hundreds of different types of birds like the Andean cock-of-the-rock.

Next up would be the Zamora Amazonian area where with luck you can spot a Toucan or go visit the cave where there is a type of bird that ONLY exists in that one cave… Tayos.

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Done deal. Bought the beachfront lot. Now what?: Part 7 Ecuador Property Search Series

Puerto Lopez Ecuador


This is part 7 of the not-so-commonly-seen look into a real, live Ecuador real estate transaction (of my own with my own money) as I reveal all the dirt as it happens in this rare, completely transparent property play.

OK, so today I came to agreement with the seller to buy his 475 m2 (5112 ft2) beachfront lot near Salinas, Ecuador with title issues for $4300.

What’s my plan?

The plan is to buy—> legalize the title issues—> and resell.

Hopefully all within 1-3 months.

That’s it.

Nothing fancy about it.

I know I’m taking a risk here. I may lose everything I’ve invested.

But the potential reward is really good, based on my experience, the lot, when legalized with clear title, is currently selling for at least 2-3 times what I’m paying for it.

Once when I was 20 I bought a car in San Diego for $350 with title issues.

I didn’t know what I was doing and new to the state.

No problems until I went to register the car.

And I found out I couldn’t register it unless I paid an unpaid tax lein that was worth more than the car itself.

So what did I do?

I tried to sell it to an ex-girlfriend.

But then the cops pulled her over and i felt bad and gave her her money back, then I junked the car, it was essentially non-transferable, no one would buy it with the lein it had against it worth almost double the car (it hummed like a helicopter).

A loss.

This time I did my homework, went to the Registry office beforehand and followed up with numerous “experts” I know down here and have concurred that in fact the title issues of this property as mentioned in the previous posts can in fact be cleared in a timely fashion.

Besides, I must get it right cause my ex-girlfriends in Ecuador probably can’t afford it.

Haha, just joking.

We’ll see.

So what price should I put on it?

Anyway, stay tuned, we’ll see how it goes.

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Whats the Ecuadorian Lifestyle like?

ecuador lifestyle

Good question.

It depends a little where you are.

On the coast the people are laid back and definitely have the “manaña” mindset.

There’s always tomorrow.

People definitely “work to live” instead of our “live to work” lifestyle.

Ecuadorians in general aren’t quite as ambitious as we are brought up to be, and generally more distrustful (maybe with reason).

Women still look for men to support them and are happy to get married and stay in the kitchen… so to speak.

Girls from less affluent backgrounds have kids VERY young.

Ecuadorians are very family-oriented and Sundays are generally set aside for relaxing and hanging with family.

The work week is from 9-6 with a one or even 2 hr lunch.

Marriage is also expected at younger ages and folks in their 30s un-wed is an odd sight.

Interesting place to say the least!

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