Dining / South America / Tropics / Vegetarian/Vegan
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published April 4, 2018 · Last modified March 19, 2018
Wandering around Quito, we smelled something amazing. It was citrus and the smell wafted for about half a block in all directions. It was a mobile lemonade vendor. (Or should I say limeade vendor since limes are vastly more popular and common in Ecuador than lemons. In fact, lemons almost don’t...
While out wandering in Barcelona today I came across a motorcycle that is almost exactly like the one I have in storage back home. Same color and everything. The only difference is that mine has saddle bags and a rack instead of the luggage compartment.
Facts & Trivia / Nature / South America / Tropics
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published March 28, 2018 · Last modified March 19, 2018
Quito, Ecuador lies nestled in a mountain valley in the Andes Mountains. Because it lies almost exactly on the equator,
Fair warning: the Galápagos is basically Disney for environmentalists. Expect to overpay for everything. Things in Galápagos are not just far more expensive than on the Ecuador mainland, they are even more expensive than most places in the US. Although you can wander around whichever island you are on, if...
Back in the November issue of Expat Magazine, I was interviewed about my (then-planned) expat journey and the book I wrote to help me decide where to go.
Active / Activities / Bucket List / Logistics / South America / Tropics
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published March 4, 2018 · Last modified February 25, 2018
My daughter and I landed today in the Galápagos Islands. If you didn’t know, every year I take her on a trip for her birthday. Even though her birthday is in December, this year we had to schedule the trip around other commitments we both had. The Galápagos is certainly...
Since even before I officially quit my day job and set out to traipse around the world, I started getting the questions. Once I set out, the queries have only intensified. Especially as my little trip dragged on for months and months. “How can you afford to travel so much?”...
Off-the-cuff / South America / Tropics
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published March 2, 2018 · Last modified March 1, 2018
I had seen this before but now, caught on HD video, a really strange rain phenomenon.
Guayaquil is teeming with lizards. They mostly try very hard to stay away from humans. I have seen lizards of many different sizes. From longer than my leg to shorter than my thumb. This little guy is so tiny he can actually walk around underneath the glass top of this...
Having now traveled extensively through five different South American countries, I’ve started to notice a handful of things that are common in North America but more or less nonexistent in South America. (The reverse is also true but I think most people expect to find exotic foods and such when...