Mindo and the Joys of Management
September 4, 2010
Quite simply the definition of management is getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives efficiently and effectively. By all rights, in my first month of management has meant running around like a chicken with its head cut off in a discombobulated state of frustration, confusion, and small victories. This job is challenging me every day, buy the time I get home, I barely have enough energy to change into my jammies and click on the television (which I have full access to these days since my roomie is away). That said, this is why I have been MIA for a while and also why I haven’t done much worth documenting.
However, I did get a 3 day weekend a little while ago for yet another independence day, where I discovered the wonder that is Mindo! Mindo is surrounded by the Mindo-Nambillo Cloud Forest. The forest is home to hundreds of species of birds and butterflies. Gabi and I went for the weekend to relax and go zip-lining through the cloud forest. Quito during the holidays is deserted, everything is closed, no one is around; in contrast, everywhere around Quito is packed full of people trying to get out of the city. Since every road out of the city is a one lane labyrinth, it takes about 3 times as long to get somewhere. Finding a place to stay isn’t easy either. After a 4 hour drive, we spent the morning looking for a hostal, only to find a small hole in the wall with shared bathrooms that reeked of male body odor. We were lucky to call ahead and find a nicer place for the second night.
Gabi Another adventure for next time
Once we settled, we decided to just relax and spend the afternoon at a little pizza joint enjoying some frosty beverages and talking. The next day started our adventure. After a slightly disappointing horseback ride down the same road we drove to get to the horses, we set out for zip lining. On the rocky road into the rain forest, there were swarms of guides lined up along the road trying to give impromptu tours in the rain forest. We were avoiding them at all costs until a cute little 10 year old kid named Jose charmed us into his expertise services. He jumped into the car and we kept driving through the narrow thick of the rainforest as Jose was telling us about Mindo and that he wants to be an astronaut when he grows up. There were so many people there that the lines were hours long for any attraction, so we just kept driving. When we hit the end of the road we had to turn around and go back and try our luck in lines. On the way back, we also picked up one of Jose’s buddies and they sat in the back seat making jokes and singing songs.
Horseback riding Jose
We arrived at the zip-lines and the lines had died down. Jose and his friend Miguel stuck around for a little while until we handed Jose 2 shiny dollar coins. He smoothly took the money, thanked us, walked away and then broke into a swift run to show his buddy the money he made. We did 10 zip lines, my first was a little rocky.. my equipment wasn’t greased so I stopped in the middle!! I had to hang there 250 feet from the ground while a guide came out to haul me in.. After that, it was smooth sailing! I was zipping through the air surrounded by a gorgeous view of the rainforest with butterflies and exotic birds flying all around me.
a cool little reggae bar Casa de Cecilia
After the day of adventure we went back to our much nicer hostal Casa de Cecilia and relaxed, wishing we could stay longer. The next day we packed up our things and headed home with only one more stop in mind. I wanted to see the teleferico on the way back. It was a small fishing park where you could ride a contraption made from metal, old patio chairs and duct tape up to the top of a small mountain. It was a nice end to a nice trip, no matter how ghetto it seemed.
In two weeks Jess is coming to visit!! I can’t wait!! So more adventures to come! Tell me about you!