After a complete fiasco in the Guayaquil airport we arrived unscathed on the island of Baltra. It sits next to the larger island Santa Cruz, separated by a small channel of water. Upon arriving, we knew we would be charged the requisite $100 entrance to the Galapagos national park which is not unlike the outrageous fees imposed by Peru to see Macchu Picchu. I see a similar nationalist view and a monopolizing government attitude. Like the Picchu, the only way to ...

Jorge has spent the last 3 years building his dream house. The downstairs is his house and the 2nd floor is a 2-bedroom and 2 bath apartment that he will rent to visitors. The house is situated a mere 10 minute bus ride away and is far from the normal tourism hustle in the city. Surrounded by lush paradise, we feel we are inside an Eco lodge.

Things to know about Ecuador before coming: If you go to the Galapagos bring cash. Nothing goes as planned. Be prepared for tourist gimmicks Bring all your change, no one has any

Ben, Stephanie, and I decided to hit a gym in Quito after our last few sluggish days packed in like sardines on our flights. The equipment in Latin America is always a bit different than in the States and the gym atmosphere itself is full of little curiosities. One thing that Ben and I noticed from the get-go was the 9,000 ft altitude. It did not make it the easiest workout we've ever had. Yet, the things we commented on later had less to do with our performance ...

Our experiences in airports have been quite interesting. If you ask our friend Ransom, he would tell you he could improve efficiency 80%. Welcome to socialism. I say this because we have noticed so many employees that wander about the airport directing traffic that a simple sign could fix. Take the ticket counter lady that couldn't process our tickets because we didn't have the necessary 'formulario'. So she told us where to go to get this document. Lo and behol...