Changing of the Guard at the Presidential Palace in QuitoAfter months of planning, we were finally underway! However, the first day was somewhat strange. Hopefully, this was not an omen for things to come! We arrived for our 730AM flight out of LAX. For unexplained reasons, my wife's ticket would not be accepted by the computer. After several failed attempts by the ticket agent, a supervisor finally over-rode the computer and we were checked in! We switched planes in Miami and checked in for our next flight to Quito on LAN Ecuador. We were called back to the counter and asked to present our passports and then told we only had three bags checked. Strange! We arrived in Quito at 830PM after a very pleasant flight. It is strange how a small country like Ecuador can have a first-rate airline (free food, drinks and comfortable seats) whereas the richest country in the world hosts second-rate cigar boxes! Unfortunately, we then discovered that our son's bag was missing! He would have to get by for a week in the Galapagos with whatever we could purchase at the airport in San Cristobal. Never mind! All you really need is a couple pairs of shorts and tee-shirts.
We arrived at Hotel Eugenia, a pleasant hotel located in the "New Town" portion of Quito. There are several nice restaurants within walking distance of the hotel. The neighborhood seemed quite safe although we were advised to take a cab a night. We enjoyed a satisfying dinner at Metro Cafe. Ecuador is known for wonderful soups. My daughter and I had a local favorite--potato soup. Delicious!
After returning to our hotel, we discovered that a Burger King had a drive through which was located right under our window. Things start to get busy around 1AM!
One more strange thing happened that night. My phone which was not supposed to work in Ecuador began ringing at about 1AM. Our pet pug was being looked after by my sister in LA and somehow escaped and was lost! We were fortunately notified an hour later that it had been dropped off at the LA Animal Shelter. All was well! No more unusual events for the rest of the trip!
My travel consultant went out of her way to make sure everything went smoothly, everything from the flight reservations to the final booking.
johnw
3 months ago
We have told everyone we know about Adventure Life. What a great company to work with and no detail is missed. Call them for your next adventure!!
Paul Rupert
4 months ago
Clara was great to work with. She presented lots of options and always responded promptly. And she found excellent options within our price range.
Colorado Traveler
7 months ago
Erin C. was incredibly helpful and thorough. I had answers immediately or within the same day.
Marilyn Snook
7 months ago
The staff at Adventure Life made planning my family's trip to the Galapagos Islands as easy as possible. They listened to what we were hoping to experience and made thoughtful suggestions about how to accomplish our vacation goals while meeting the needs of travelers ages 17-76! They patiently answered questions and follow up questions in the months leading up to the trip. They helped us trouble shoot and customize the trip in every way possible. The logistics involved in traveling from Boston to the Galapagos are innumerable. The Adventure Life staff helped us arrange every detail and the team they assembled in the Galapagos was tremendous. I have never done a trip this big before and after working with Adventure Life this time--would not hesitate one second in working with them again.
