A:Â As a young kid I remember reading with great delight the treks and adventures of the great explorers and wanting to be able to follow in their footsteps one day. Started small as means and time were limited by exploring my own country at the time – Romania. Had to put everything on the backburner as life interfered with my plans. Nevertheless, I kept the dream alive and in my late 40-ies I started being an active hiker/trekker. My first trip was a backpacking trip on Mt Baker in WA state, back in 2019, right before the pandemic. Ever since I have tried to do at least one trek a year. I live close to the Appalachian Trail, which is about one hour drive from where I live. I pretty much hike in the Harpers Ferry area each week-end, at least in the warm season. Enjoying this tremendously and hope to keep doing it for a long time.
A: First real trek was in 2022 in Switzerland when I completed the Haute Route trek from Chamonix to Zermatt. One of the most incredible experiences I had in my life. Switzerland is a hiker’s paradise. I am so fortunate to have been able to visit that pristine, immaculate country, and be able to make incredible memories. I went back again in 2025 for the Bernese Oberland traverse, which it was an even more incredible time, as if that were possible. I will cherish these memories for the rest of my life.
A: I am interested in the culture of South America. I visited Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay and loved every second of it. Those previous trips were not active in the sense that I did not hike. Those were extremely enjoyable cultural immersion trips. This trip to Ecuador will be more active and combine going up a mountain as well as experience various ecosystems such as the fabled Western Amazon as well as Galapagos.
A: The opportunity to experience a vastly different environment than the one I live in, to be among people that are different than me, to see places that I have never seen below, and of course, scale Cotopaxi, see the Amazon, and snorkel in the Galapagos!
A: This is sadly a time of tension when it comes to international tourism due to people’s usual but now escalated madness. I trust that the schedule will not change and I will be able to travel safely and enjoy my time in this country.
A: I have researched providers of international trekking trips. Hobnail popped up with a couple of trips that I am really interested in but so far I had to defer due to time constraints: Nepal/Everest and Patagonia. I was happy to see that Hobnail has a large portfolio of trips; Ecuador really stood out so I’m going for it.
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