Monday evening at Goza.  One of my favorite wine bars.  Sitting outside watching futball on an outdoor TV.   Yes another glass of Argintine Malbec.

One of the expats invited me over today and we did something very routine.  Took the bus and went grocery shopping    It was fun to see what it would be like to live here.

Again walked all over the place.  Getting pretty familiar with this place.  Spainards did a great job of laying out cities.  

After 9 days I finally needed to do laundry.   There are many places to drop off laundry where they wash and fold and get it back to you the next day.  Because this transaction involved some new words in Spanish I spent some serious effort preparing for it.  
So I walk in and explain what I need.

Sweet lady behind counter said in perfect English
"You can continue in Spanish if you wish but I speak English. "


Turns out she is a retired professor from the university of Cuenca and is helping run her 95 year old fathers cleaning business.  It's ok.  I learned the word for laundry.  

Sitting on the ground next to the Tomebamba River again.  

This is my 9th day in Ecuador.  

I'm healthy and at peace. 

About six months ago I went to the Canby Cinema to attend my first movie solomente.  

It went fine of course.  But I didn't like the apprehension of doing something alone.  

As is consistent with my OCD personality

I wanted that fixed

And now.  

So i figured if you're afraid of water then jump in the deep end of the pool. 

If you're apprehensive of doing things alone then fly solo to someplace you've never been, don't speak the language (well) and spend a month traveling from city to city.   

Tomorrow will be one third of the time I set aside for this little intervention.  

I'm not lonely or sad or apprehensive.  Rather at peace which -- this may sound weird -- but is an odd feeling for me.  

I knew my goal from the start was not Ecuador.  This country -- as wonderful as it is  -- was merely the embryonic sack for my development.  

My goal was to live in peace wherever I was and whoever I was  -- employed.  Not employed.  Elected. Not elected.  Married. Not married. 

It's the fourth quarter. The game is tied.  And it's time for me to call my own plays from the field.   

Put me in coach.  I'm ready to play.   

Cuenca.   Sunday

Eight days on the road and never felt so peaceful. Having crazy dreams about events in my past.  Maybe subconsciously I'm letting go of things.

Something about growing up with the training of things being right and wrong got me off track.
If I disagreed with someone then one of us was wrong.

Starting this year with the city council "gun debate"
And maybe earlier
I've become comfortable with the idea of people coming to different conclusions based on their experience

There is a part of me that wants to do the 12 step approach of apologies to all I approached with a different attitude

Heard from one of my 9th buddies today. God it was great to hear from an old neighbor

Like some other things during that era
I'm trying to extract the beauty of some great times from the
Trauma of the conclusion of that episode.

Time to wander back to the river.  Meeting some American ex pats who invited me to their weekly Sunday cocktails in the afternoon

27 junio
Cuenca

Imagine spending a week in LA and then being dropped in Portland.
That's how Cuenca feels to Quito.

It's still a big city at 250,000 but not 2 million of Quito.

Less traffic. Slower place.  I like it a lot. And what a great context of going from a large city to here.

My host Pilar is adorable. My room is comfy and private

Time to explore

Friday June 26 -
One week ago I was on a plane leaving PDX. Today I am preparing for my second week in Ecuador -- flying out of Quito at 9 am for a one hour flight down the Andes to Cuenca.

Doesnt feel like a week. Perhaps its just that time is becoming less relevant with my travel schedule based upon weekly segments. Unless it is a Saturday, I have no where specific to be. Reminds me of something Rick Baker said, we are human be-ings not human do-ings.

This morning I went around the hostel to thank and tip the staff. In my broken Spanish I explained how much at home they made me. The five foot tall cook came up to me and gave me a hug. I cant imagine a better place for me to start than this place. A collection of fellow travelers who are so into it.  Some have been traveling for months. I see the skills, confidence and knowledge they've picked up.

As I write this at the big table in the hostel, a couple of the staff mention there were complaints about the loud Australians playing drunk Janga last night. I admit it was a display of energy Ive not seen for a while.

Reminds me of the stories Rob Dembicky told of his Marine days serving in Somalia with Aussie soldiers.
They were always ready to go out and get into battle for the rush of it.

Its been an added bonus to meet folks from around the world. I love my world of Canby. Like my son said, it was a great place for a family to enjoy together. And last year, being the only one left in Canby, I thought it was time for me to leave as well. But I dont feel quite that way anymore. Immodestly, I feel there are still contributions I can make on the city council as Canby sees the biggest redevelopment of a generation. Other than in the hearts of my children, it is my home.  But this trip helps. How can I miss you Canby if I dont go away? I will be happy to return there and enjoy the pastoral pace  -- and plan for more adventures to make me miss, and want to return to Canby.

Quito - Day 6

Sitting at the big table at the hostel. Lots of conversations. The couple from Australia were drinking all afternoon and are the loudest.

Again I took dinner here at the hostel. Five dollars for a great meal tonight of Thai food -- started with wonderful letture wraps and followed by a main course of rice and a Thai chicken gumbo.

Gotta say, I am more adeventuous in eating than I ever imiagined. This morning was a guacamole sandwich made with delicious sweet bread. Lunch was at an outdoor cafe in the newer part of town -- where I ran into one of my fellow hostel-goers. A neat computer programmer from Norway.

He spoke about the differences he sees between Scandinavian countries and USA. He said it seems obvious that a society wouldn't want any proverty. He says its better without it. He said people are less interested in stealing if they have their basic needs met.

Getting to the new area required me to head off in a completely different direction of Quito.  I got a general idea and then -- just headed out. Got lost several times but not once freaked out. I knew enough of the main cross streets now that I could get around.  And it worked out.

One more day in Quito and it will have been a week in Equador. Feels fine. Not nearly as much a sense of loneliness -- but that may also be in part to making new friends here at the hostel.

Saturday I take a flight across the country -- down the length of the Andes to Cuenca. At 200,000 people, it's exactly ten times smaller than Quito.

Wednesday Junio 21
Dia Cinco en la cuidad de Quito

Suitcase arrived yesterday. It was good, a releif and a comfort. But as Bill Kennemer told me about his clients who went through hard times, no one would have changed the events. I now know I can get by for four days with only the contents of my backpack -- and a razor I purchased from la tienda down the street.

The place I am staying is very much in line with the traditional hostel. Most people have shared bunk rooms. I splurged and got a single room for $30/night.

There is a big table in the dining room where people hang out and use the several hostel laptops and share their backgrounds and adventures.

A woman at my table is from Australia. Another is from Germany. Most of the people here are younger by many years from me. It is a joy to share their space and energy. Many have vast travel experience.

Last night a young, fit, fellow invited me to join him on a hike up to a mountain top park. Why the hell not?

It was hard. At 9,000 there is 25% less oxygen. Normally I don't feel it, unless I am on an incline -- as I was for 45 minutes.

Always enjoying the thought of my own mortal limits I thought, wouldn't it be funny if I died here on this strenius climb. As I stood on the top of this mountain I thought, better die here than in a nursing home. It's been a good life and getting better but we all must return to the earth at sometime and I have been blessed in life beyond anything I ever imagined when I was age of the young hostelers I am sharing this experience with.

Day 3- no suitcase, now no daypack

A good friend (who happened to save my life) sent me a travel article that said travel is not for the faint of heart.
I said I wanted to not just find myself but prove myself on the road in a distant place on my own.
Aeromexico says they think they found my suitcase. "We won't know until a plane full of them show up today."
And then today -- lunch. I didn't follow my own rules and my daypack got snatched.
Oh well, another story. (like going to emergency room after a chemistry experiment in my blood system with high altitude medicine).
Not a victim -- just a tonto gringo.
(People my age will remember that the Lone Ranger called his sidekick that. Spanish slang for stupid).
Nothing that can't be replaced. But dang, my favorite travel brush.....gads.
But now I travel lighter.

So what do I do? Well wash out one of my two pieces of underwear and visit the NW style brewpub.
I am sitting on the stool for about a minute before a guy who looks like Bill Stobie walks by and slaps me on the back and says, "hey Greg Parker."
It is the owner -- a Willamette U grad who I met yesterday.
Hey this is just like the Backstop -- people know my name.

I started with three pieces of travel gear. Now I am down to my main packback.
Maybe the universe is saying, lighten up

Day 2_ Quito
Great sleep.  Woke up and was able to listen to opb in bed on my phone.
Last night I went out alone and got lost. No a problem. I already learned two main streets so I wandered until I found my hotel.
Quito is the size of Seattle. And I found an outdoor concert by accident.


It happened earlier thAn I predicted.  A sense of alone and isolation. Airline still hasn't contacted me about lost luggage. Not a huge deal but it would be nice to have my stuff.  But this too is a learning experience

So I knew what I needed. Lots of sleep.  And it did. Ready for mas adventure.  And find a farmisia and buy a razor.

June 19 -- day 1. I am underway. All systems go. Seem to have everything I need.  Oddly my checked suitcase was only 28 pounds.

Of course my daughter Cate points out, Ive had six months to prepare. But its been a great six months. At a time when I was struggling for focus, this adventure provided diversion and entertainment. Plus I love packing. Ive been getting ready all my life for this trip.

First leg - PDX to Dallas
Went great. But whats to complain when you splurge and go first cabin. Dallas airport is huge. But I find it manageable.

It is odd to my ears to hear so much overhead PA annoucing for passengers. I guess PDX uses TV monitors. But it is no easy job calling out passenger names when they are made of sounds not found in the English or Latin languages.

Having a beer at a second floor Italian retaurant. Recharing the Iphone and checking email.

Next, my first experience of Aeromexico and on the Mexico City.

OK -- so now I'm starting to get excited

Four days and I am wheels up. It's an exciting week. Ricky goes to the airport on Wednesday for his summer internship in NYC.

I am wrapping up a few more details -- like phone number for US Embassy and travel insurance to haul me back to a US hospital.  Or even my dead body. How considerate is that kids?

Chatted online with Pilar today -- my Cuenca host.

 Makes it a little more real to talk with her. She loves her city and is excited to share her home.

Here is where I will be taking my morning coffee.

The second floor (where my bedroom is) has this neat little outdoor patio.

I've added Quito to my weather app on my iPhone and now can track what the weather will be like when I land. Daytime high of 75.

Feeling like I've got my preparations where I want them.

Is it time to relax?

I've only been working on this for six months now. Ten days from now, I will be in this city on the center of the earth. And staying the first week in this room.







(accessories are for display purposes only, your room may not contain a pretty señorita )

Contacted my banks to let them know they should authorize credit card transactions from South America. Placed funds into an international ATM account. So, starting to feel relaxed. My to-do list is getting smaller.

Catie will be watching my place in Canby. All my bills are on autopay.

What's next?

12 dias

I have to go back many moons to a time before I was married and joined a local theater group. I only did two productions on stage, but stayed active as a fundraiser (bringing Frank and Barbara Roberts to sign a fundraising letter to upgrade all mobility access to our theater); bowler on theater team; and host to a fundraising auction.

I remember my hard-ass director say, we want you prepared but not peak too soon.

As I both will myself and give myself permission to relax, my thoughts feel like snow in a snow globe that's settling. 

Only a few thought raise their hands in the crowded classroom that is my cerebrum. The filter for calling on one of them is: is this something that HAS to be done in the next 12 days.  Helps me settle down.

Death by volcano

So my friends and family have often joked about my pre-occupation with death. Maybe I just like to talk about it to reduce the discomfort about its inevitability. (no organ music at my funeral, Stairway to Heaven played on the piano).

And here I thought I had pre-conceived of every possible way of walking that stairway.

How naive. 

I overlooked this one.

-----

U.S. Embassy Quito, Ecuador

Security Message for U.S. Citizens

Increased Activity on the Cotopaxi Volcano

The U.S. Mission in Ecuador advises U.S. citizens living or traveling in Ecuador that the Cotopaxi volcano, an active volcano near Quito, has recently experienced a rise unusual activity. According to the Ecuadorian Geophysical Institute, since mid-April 2015, Cotopaxi has experienced an unusually high level of seismic activity, more frequent movement of magma inside the volcano, and an increase in sulfur dioxide emissions, resulting in periodic sulfur smells and visible vapor emissions (fumarole activity). While the Ecuadorian government has not announced any alerts for the Cotopaxi volcano at this time, U.S. citizens are advised to take precautions and monitor the news for updates.

---

I land in Quito in 16 days.

As I say, it's been a good life.

Unseasonably calm

And maybe it's the time of year, yes, and maybe it's the time of man.
And I don't know who I am but life is for learning.
We are stardust, we are golden, we are billion year old carbon,
And we got to get ourselves back to the garden.

- Joni Mitchell

This is an odd feeling. Calm. I can usually find something to be anxious about. Especially when I am less than three weeks away from a big solo trip.

Even if I was completely ready -- which I'm not -- I would usually be anxious over the unknown.

But I am ready enough. I'm mentally ready. 

There was something about hitting the one-year mark living in my new place. Haven't developed the vocabulary for why, but it will come. Part of it may be a renewed sense of confidence in my own aloneness. It's not dreadful and I'm enjoying it more every day. And I now eagerly look forward to standing on a street alone -- four thousand miles from here and looking around and saying only to myself, "let's go check this out."