For my holidays I had yearned to walk, safely, in a forest, and to feel cold,
and my stay in Ecuador, in a cloud forest, ticked all the boxes.
The bonus items were great food, interesting company,
more varieties of humming birds than I have ever seen in my life,
and plenty of peace and quiet.
My fellow guests where I was staying were all from Europe,
Australasia, and North America. Meeting them, I experienced a slight cultural shock.
So casual! Some didn’t even shake my hand or say their names when we met.
So cool! No rituals of greeting or farewell.
In such a hurry! Here two days, then off to the Galapagos and Machu Picchu.
So rich and so well-travelled! People on six-month tours of the world,
people who were spending $15,000 (Australian dollars) on their trip,
people who had ‘done’ Africa last year.
I thought of the maintenance guy in my building
who had never been outside Medellín
and tried to keep my head from exploding.
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