Trip Report: Ecuador-Andean Highlands and Galapagos Islands August 2012

Finally the wind and flying sand send everyone back to our bus, where we drive down the hill to lunch at Puerto Lago on Lake San Pablo, in the shadow of the Imbabura Volcano. Here in a beautiful lake side dining room with a view of the lake and Imbabura beyond, our family tries the " Tipico" a typical Ecuadorian lunch of pork, plantains, sweet potato patties and corn. For dessert we all enjoy the Guanabana helado. A sherbet made from local fruit that I have been enjoying in yogurt and helado, but cannot pronounce for 2 days! Finally, my daughter reminds me of the muppet song ...manomanom...do do do dodoot. And after much practice I get it;-)

You should be able to find guanabana juice (or nectar) in the latin section of your local super markets in the states. Look for Jumex or Goya brands. We used to buy them both in Indiana and in Texas!
 
Thanks for the tip! I will check and if not there is a large Brazilian population in our area, I'm sure I can find a market nearby! Great stuff!
 
This trip report is just amazing. I am seriously considering this Adventure next. Thank DH for the great pictures! My favs: the roses, the local people on days 2 & 3, and all of the wildlife.

This never occurred to me: your comment about the "upbeat" people who tend to go on a ABDs - it totally makes sense and made me even more pleased with my choice. This: "Paraphrasing the worlds most interesting man from the beer commercial "I don't always take an organized tour, but when I do, I often take ABD." made me :rotfl:

I have some questions because I'm new to ABD:
1 Tipping: "tip from driver level ($5 pp per day) to guide level ($10 pp per day)"
I'm a generous tipper so this question is about not wanting to insult someone or do it "wrong".
Did you tip the driver at the end of the ride or the end of the tour? Do they provide envelopes for the tips like on a cruise or do you just hand the tip to the person? Is this tip amount standard or will it be different in Costa Rica?

2. You stayed a pre-day and a post-day? I am too. Did you have to check out of the hotel for either of these or was that taken care of by the tour? I'm wondering if I have to wake up early on Day One to check out because I arrived early? (Does this question even make sense? sorry :upsidedow)

Thanks :flower3:
 
2. You stayed a pre-day and a post-day? I am too. Did you have to check out of the hotel for either of these or was that taken care of by the tour? I'm wondering if I have to wake up early on Day One to check out because I arrived early? (Does this question even make sense? sorry :upsidedow)

Thanks :flower3:
In my experience, if you booked the pre- or post- days through ABD, then you stay in the same room during the ABD portion. You do not have to check out, or do anything. When you check in, it's for the entirety of your stay there.

Sayhello
 


This trip report is just amazing. I am seriously considering this Adventure next. Thank DH for the great pictures! My favs: the roses, the local people on days 2 & 3, and all of the wildlife.

This never occurred to me: your comment about the "upbeat" people who tend to go on a ABDs - it totally makes sense and made me even more pleased with my choice. This: "Paraphrasing the worlds most interesting man from the beer commercial "I don't always take an organized tour, but when I do, I often take ABD." made me :rotfl:
Thanks, you are very kind! I passed along your kind words to DH too. We are using Blurb right now to make a photo book of our trip (I'm going to give as a gift to my mom and dad for mothers and Father's Day ) and its so fun choosing the photos for the big two page spreads. We are getting a PDF, so I might be able to post it when it's done!
One thing about photographing locals; they are pretty camera shy in Ecuador, and anywhere he goes, DH always engages them first as people, then asks or gestures if he can take a photo, then shows them on the camera how it turned out. The hoot of the older lady, she looked annoyed, but was very open to DH taking the photo, after she saw it she had a big toothless smile!

I have some questions because I'm new to ABD:
1 Tipping: "tip from driver level ($5 pp per day) to guide level ($10 pp per day)"
I'm a generous tipper so this question is about not wanting to insult someone or do it "wrong".
Did you tip the driver at the end of the ride or the end of the tour? Do they provide envelopes for the tips like on a cruise or do you just hand the tip to the person? Is this tip amount standard or will it be different in Costa Rica?
The tipping I mention is only for the guides and drivers on our own- with ABD everything, I mean everything (read in my review - they tip the restroom attendants for you!) is included. The only tips you pay is for your Adventure Guides at the very end of the trip and all your docs make that amount super clear! I would google " tips and CR" and read the tipping section of a good guidebook. Each place is different and changes over time. For instance in FP, where we went in October, it used to be an insult to tip, and there is still very little expected, but now some people in the travel guiding business have come to expect something, so it's so variable. We did tip our private guide in CR, but the amounts may have changed since we were there, We always tip as we are shaking hands to say goodbye and thank you. I usually parcel out the tips I know I'm going to need in small bills, into envelopes and label them with the date and tour ( again only for private tours!) this what I am not fumbling for the right change when the tour ends, I just slip it out of the envelope and hand it over!

2. You stayed a pre-day and a post-day? I am too. Did you have to check out of the hotel for either of these or was that taken care of by the tour? I'm wondering if I have to wake up early on Day One to check out because I arrived early? (Does this question even make sense? sorry :upsidedow)

Thanks :flower3:

As the ever helpful Say Hello shared, if you are doing your pre stays with ABD, it would be a very unusual case in which they would move you on day one. Most of the pre stay hotels have a good relationship with ABD and want to make their guests happy, so even if you book on your own for pre and post nights, the hotel will make every effort to accommodate you! Also, whether its a pre night or ABD night, you'll need to put your incidentals on a CC, so you can check out before you head out with the AbD just once, and just double check that your bill is properly split, that ABD Paid nights are not on there.
I've never experienced all the ABD people being in the same "floor" of the big hotels, they spread us around to the rooms they have and meet the standards ABD has specified. So in either case, let them know what you'd like, you'll very likely be taken good care of!
 
I just wanted to pop in and say thank you for your great trip report! We taking this trip in April, and it will be our second ABD. Looks like they are using another yacht tour (the La Pinta), so some of the tour may be different, but your advice is wonderful and I am happy to have it to prepare for our trip.
 
I just wanted to pop in and say thank you for your great trip report! We taking this trip in April, and it will be our second ABD. Looks like they are using another yacht tour (the La Pinta), so some of the tour may be different, but your advice is wonderful and I am happy to have it to prepare for our trip.

Thank you Emily!! I think that you will enjoy La Pinta even more...if I understand it, the whole ship is ABD guests, and I did find a little animosity directed our way on the larger ship with other tourists (many of them quite a bit older and even though the kids were all really well behaved, they are still kids and there were a lot of them. I suppose the further you get from raising your own, the harder that can be to tolerate! Also, because the ship arranged so many "preferred" times and priority lines for the ABD group (first to get snorkel equip, priority landings, last to debark ship on the last day) other guests were a little jealous/resentful at times and it could be awkward!

You know it will be a great trip, since you have done one already...have a great time...I'll look for your report!!:goodvibes
 



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