Otavalo, Ecuador
Three days on a bus will make you appreciate any destination. I was beyond happy to finally arrive in Otavalo, Ecuador. Though I had little interest in this small city just north of Quito, I couldn't bare another two horribly three hours to the capital city. As I stepped off the bus, the air smelled fresh and mountains surrounded the city, what more could you ask for?
After getting sorted at the hostel, I went for a little walk around town to get oriented. Along the way, just off the main plaza I happened across a very trending cafe. White walls, green plants, wooden beams stretching across the ceiling, and lots of natural light flooding through a huge window overlooking the plaza. I found a cozy spot by the window and ordered an iced americano and a sandwich.
The sandwich had a bean spread on it which raised my brows a bit, until it arrived and I took a bit. It was good, especially after the last three days. I was so thankful for not only the food, but to sit at a table and eat a proper meal. In about three seconds the sandwich was gone but I spent an hour or so nursing my coffee while catching up on some correspondence.
All caught up on emails and the gram, I continued my walk around town. I walked hoping to find a local vegetable and fruit store to gather some dinner bits and bobs. Along the way I popped into some churches, found the town square and then finally ended my walk at a beautiful market. With potatoes, green beans, an onion, avocado and a lime in my bag I was set to make my stable potato dinner. While cooking I shared the kitchen with a lovely English/Welsh couple who were making a vegetable stew that smelled delicious - an idea I would pocket for another night's supper.
My favorite part of hostel living is sharing the kitchen with others, chatting away and seeing what people's easy, go to dinners tend to be. I made a pretty mediocre dinner and immediately began to feel terrible.
I tossed and turned all night, burning up with a fever and a stomach ache. Was it food poisoning from munching on unwashed green beans, or maybe a huge meal shocked my body after eating very little while traveling by bus. Possibly the altitude, which I have had very little exposure to, or just an inevitability of traveling bound to strike at some point.
I spent the next day sleeping and recovering. I haven’t had a fever in a while and forgot how terrible those post fever aches are. It is especially hard to be ill when traveling alone. The couple sharing my room left very early in the morning, leaving me completely alone in the hostel. It was nice to have a room to myself and total access to the bathroom, which was necessary. But I was so weak from the fever I could barely make it to the kitchen for some hot water.
Despite almost fainting in the bathroom and feeling the foulest I have in years, what was worse was the accompanied homesickness. I longed to be on my sister couch in Brooklyn, snuggling with her hound, drinking a hot cup of peppermint tea. Then I remembered season two of stranger things was out. Spending a day in bed watching netflix was pretty awesome and just want the doc ordered.
I extended my stay in Otavalo for one more night, not wanting to risk getting on a bus in my fragile post illness state. By the next morning I felt much better and planned to take a 10am bus to Quito, giving me a few hours in the morning to explore Otavalo a little more. Very, very slowly I strapped on my tevas with a pair of white socks, I didn't give a dam. I inched out of the hostel and on to the street below for some fresh air. I also needed an ATM and maybe some very plain bread.
I walked down the block and right into the middle of the Otavalo Saturday Market. Octaval is famous for its weekend market with everything from food to handmade treasures. Though tempted by many a poncho, I cringe at the thought of carrying anything extra. I did however find the most amazing bread. From a beautiful indigenous women with two dark braids and a tall brown hat sitting squarely atop her head, I bought a braided ring of bread. I paid, and as I ruined to walk away I bit into the bread. Immediately I turned back around to ask for four more. It was a beautiful whole wheat type bread which she called Integral.
Back at the hostel with some smashed avocado toast I was able to declare my illness over.
I packed up my things as fast as my achy body would allow and said good bye to the hostel that had been so kind to me the last couple days. Wish my big backpack on my back and my little yellow one up from, I trotted the five blocks to the bus still in my Tevas and socks.
I bought a ticket to Quito and two minutes later the bus drove off. Being sick sucked, but Otavalo was the perfect quiet little town to be ill in. I'm looking forward to feeling better and seeing the rest of Ecuador.