Jasmine Wanders

Alebrijes, blue-footed boobies, and leatherback turtles are just some of my 2011 travel highlights.

Ecuador can be an extremely economical country to travel through. It’s also easy to spend lots of money quickly, depending on your travel style and tastes.

Recently, I’ve been barreling through places at a breakneck speed: 7 cities in 11 days over 3 countries and 45+ hours on buses.

Famed for its residents reaching triple digit ages and nicknamed the “Valley of Longevity,” it should be called the “Valley of American Retirees”.

Perhaps the most terrifying aspect of the calamity is not knowing. I literally have nothing on my person except a few dollars – no ATM card, no laptop, no camera – nada.

There is an undeniable trace of ghetto that lurks a few blocks away from the main road, waiting to grab the unsuspecting tourist who strays too far in the wrong direction.

“Why are you letting them take that?” I say to one of the guides, pointing to the treasures left on the bench. “They’re robbing the ocean, and if you keep letting people do that, in a few years there will be nothing to see here.”

Puerto Rico does have a lot to offer me. A lot of mental space. A haven to work, sleep, and relax. A front seat to the best show in the world, the sun dipping below the horizon every evening.