Crossing the Ecuador border from Colombia, headed to Iquitos, Peru. Is it as easy as it seems?

Yesterday I crossed the border into Ecuador over land; yes, I am aware of ¨how dangerous¨ it is.

However, I have done it twice and never had an issue. From the Ecuadorian border, I went to the Tulcán bus terminal with a vague plan of what I was doing. If you were to ask me three days ago where I am going, I would have said, no idea, and then I decided on Iquitos, Peru.

My next favorite question is, how? Oh, this almighty question is the one that always comes when you make a decision. How how how how how.

I used to worry about the how constantly, and one day I realized that make the damn decision, and the how will come, and it will always be a way you did not expect. I had a destination yesterday, El Coca, Ecuador.

I met two travelers headed to Quito, and for a minute, I thought I could go with them; so much easier to have travel buddies. Except, that was not my plan; I can not diverge from what I want. I want an adventure other than Quito; it is not my favorite city in Latin America.

As soon as we got out of the taxi at the border, about 100 people asked where you are going. It’s a bit overwhelming and also helpful. I said El Coca, not knowing if there was a bus or how to get there. Well, there was a bus leaving in 1.5 hours.

I purchased the ticket and then 10 hours later was in El Coca. If you need to find out where El Coca is, it is the Gateway To The Amazon in Ecuador. It sits on the Napo river, which is the river that you take to get to Iquitos, Peru, by boat.

The Amazon is my favorite place in the world; I have been obsessed since I came four years ago.

Last night I arrived in El Coca, and the bus driver dropped me at the side of the road, and I should have had an idea of what type of place it was when they did not leave until I was in a taxi. Then the taxi driver told me it’s not safe, Ecuador is not safe at the moment due to the president, then the guy at the hotel told me not to walk around at night.

Which I never do anywhere, but when you get warned by locals, red flags go off. Then I read online ¨sometimes, ¨ ATMs don’t work. I had about 4 dollars on me; they use the USD here.

I was up all night worried about my decision, knowing I didn’t have enough money to leave if the atm did not work. So bright and early, I got up to find an atm and debated what to do.

Did I make the wrong decision?

Maybe I have finally reached my limit on crazy travels and adventures. I am alone; no other foreigners are in my hotel, and I stick out like a sore thumb around town. So I was a bit anxious this morning but had a mission to find an atm that works, coffee, and breakfast.

I found an atm about a 15-minute walk from my hotel, and it worked; I took out enough money to get to my destination, Iquitos if I could find the boat. I continued to walk to the river as I read the station for the boats was there, obviously! Hehe, boats and rivers go together!

I get to the river as all the restaurants and stalls are just beginning to open up as the day starts for the local markets and the fishermen. The river is fantastic; I feel like I am in Southeast Asia, the Latino version, heat and all.

Then a man comes up to me and starts talking, tells me he is a guide, he was looking for customers and finds me. I was not interested in his boat ride for an hour; however, we started chatting.

I tell him my plan, and he walks me to where to buy my ticket, where to find immigration to get my exit stamp, and shows me a good spot to get breakfast. Not only did he help me, he told me about El Coca and the history of the indigenous here, as well as gave me advice for the city. He then went to watch the world cup, which Ecuador was playing.

Sitting at breakfast, about eight people started talking to me, asking me where I came from and why I was in El Coca and chatting with me. My previous night’s fright and second-guessing slowly faded away.

People are kind all over; it’s my job not to let others’ opinions scare me, I am a savvy traveler, and bad things can happen anywhere in the world. However, I will not let their fears rule my life, so I sat and had coffee while chatting with people from 3 different countries, telling me about their life in El Coca.

It was so refreshing to meet such kind souls this morning after second-guessing my decision; however, speaking Spanish helps this problem tremendously. Later today, I might take the bus to the other side of the river and see the park the guide told me about; however, I will wait until the day cools down and catch up on some work.

So, what is my plan?

I have a boat ticket to Rocafueite; from there, I will spend the night, and then I will have to get another boat to continue my journey. So, I will have to take four boats and rely on strangers’ kindness to help guide me to my destination. I will stay in remote areas of the amazon and hope a boat passes that can take me to Iquitos, Peru.

It is not a route most take because it takes a few days or a couple of weeks; it also depends on the boats leaving. Knowing that each location has a hostel, to me, is all I need, and food.

I love to slow travel, and I am aware I can fly; that is not why I travel; I travel for the experience and the connection to other humans and mother earth.

If I flew yesterday, I would have missed the Ecuadorian mountains, with clouds weaving in and out of the forest; I would have missed the tiny houses that sit on the edge of the hill with the best view in the world. I would have missed the bus drivers looking at me funny as they passed me on the bus, wondering where I was going and why am I alone.

I imagine that is what they are thinking; as usual, the first question I get is, estas solo? Donde es tu novio?

Since I have explored this town this morning, I will stay here for a few days to see more, as it is such a unique place. I will try to find my new friend later, as I left him in the park.

My boat leaves on Thursday at 8 am; until then, I can explore and talk to the locals, my favorite part of traveling, and hopefully do some laundry!

I have also been writing about the legends of amazon on Newsbreak. I asked my new friend about this one, in particular, this morning, and he laughed because I said if you encountered the Yacumama, you would not be alive to tell the tale; he smiled and nodded; yep!

Do you know Yacumama? Maybe you have visited the Amazonas and have heard the legend of the Yacumama.

Alrighty, since a chicken kept me up all night, I will take a siesta before I wander around again.