Best Day Ever

The thing I love about traveling is that no day is ordinary. You just never know what unexpected turn of events can happen to you. The very first day I was in Ecuador, I met some traveler from Denmark and he told me about this eco-retreat place in a small village called Vilcabamba. He handed me the flyer and I used it as a bookmark for my guide book on the rest of my travels.

photo from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/johndrogers/4482784714/

I kept looking at this flyer and read more about the town. I knew I had to go there.  This village is nestled in a valley and is often called "The Valley of Longevity", as many residents here live to be over 100 years old !

Before I even got off the bus, I felt like I was in paradise. A relaxed, easy-going vibe, organic foods,f fresh air, quiet, tranquility, farmer markets, friendly locals, lush mountains filled with rushing clear, rich mineral water. I never wanted to leave. I wish I never did. I could live here.








I knew this was the perfect place to go horseback riding in the nearby Podocarpus National Park.  Nobody else had signed up for the next day and I just paid ten more dollars to have a private guided all day ride up into the mountains. 42 km on those horses, going up the steepest, scariest "trails" I have ever ridden.

my friend: Fernando, the guide

We were riding into the clouds. I saw cacti that grew as trees! Wild, happy cows, burros, pine trees, waterfalls, rain clouds, and made a good friend.  We ran those horses on the cobbled stone streets of the village, waving and saying hello to town folk and I was laughing with joy with tears coming out of my eyes.








 It was one of my most memorable and favorite days of my trip. I can not even put it into words. There are no words to describe this magical day. At the end of my journey in life, all I have left is my memory really. And  golly gee, I hope I don't lose my memory.