This week’s newsletter is a departure from the norm, as is the podcast of the week. I am writing to you from the Queen Mary 2 on the last day of my transatlantic journey, starting in Southampton, England, and ending in my home of origin, Brooklyn, New York.
I have been traveling for two months to three very different parts of the world. The first leg was Ecuador, including Quito, the Andes, the Galapagos, and the Ecuadorian Amazon. The second leg was spent barging in luxury with European Waterways through the Champagne Valley of France. The third leg was a 52-mile walk with Ramble Worldwide through the Northern Lakes District of England, called the Allerdale Ramble.
I have used these three legs as inspiration for the next three weeks of podcasts, along with some interviews along the way. This newsletter is the companion to the Ecuadorian leg. It traces the material in the broadcast and gives you the photos that bring the words to life.
In a few weeks, we will resume not only with the usual sections of our newsletter, but we will also launch the first YouTube channel for The Ageless Traveler.
Never stop traveling
Cheers,
Adriane
PS When we travel, it shouldn’t just be about collecting facts or checking off a list of famous sites. It’s about the feeling, the moments of pure awe, the personal transformations, and the ways we connect with and impact the people we meet along the way. I invite you to use Fanlist to text or send me an audio message with your unique travel story, idea, or experience.
Part 1: The Surprises of Quito
Landing in Quito with my husband Stuart, we were surprised by how energetic and ready we felt to explore. Everything in this magnificent city radiates from the grand plaza in the center of town, making it incredibly easy to navigate. They say there are more spiritual buildings here than in the outskirts of the Vatican.
One absolute must-see is La Compañía de Jesús (the Church of the Society of Jesus). Walking into a building where centuries ago, human hands lovingly covered every single intricate detail in sheets of gold leaves you with an inexplicable sense of awe.
The dazzling, golden interior of La Compañía de Jesús Church
Culturing Vulture Pick: The Museums
As a true “Culture Vulture,” I often find museums disappointing when they simply line up artifacts without heart. Quito broke that mold:
Casa de la Alabado: This pre-Columbian art museum is dimly lit by design, with individual spotlights casting a hush over each ancient piece. Seeing a 4,000-year-old piece of pottery that looks like a Picasso shows the deep impact of ancient roots on modern art.
Capilla del Hombre (The Chapel of Man): Created by Ecuador’s prime contemporary cubist artist, Oswaldo Guayasamín, this gallery and his former home are spectacular. Insider Tip: Don’t skip the gift shop! His granddaughter is a fashion designer, and I picked up exquisite, highly affordable gowns and blouses there.
Where We Stayed
We stayed at the Go Quito Hotel, located in the Financial District. It features ultra-modern rooms (around $200/day) and a fantastic rooftop restaurant with a sweeping breakfast view of the entire city. Plus, it’s just a 12-minute, $2.36 Uber ride right into Midtown!
Part 2: Community and History in the Andes
The wonderful team at Go Galapagos arranged a private guide who picked us up from our hotel. He was fully prepared, knew our specific travel needs, and drove us straight into the Andes to stay with an indigenous community.
In the Andes Mountains
The Otavalo Market
Because it was Saturday, we stopped at Otavalo, the largest market in South America. While it is a shopper’s paradise for silver and coats, it represents something much deeper. Markets like this date back to caveman paintings; they aren’t just for business- they are a hub for human communication and connection.
Insider Tip: Most vendors here do not take credit cards, so make sure to bring plenty of cash!
Living with the Karanki Magdalena Community
We spent two days living at a beautiful lodge with the Karanki Magdalena community. Surrounded by fields of sunflowers, corn, and potatoes, we walked the paths, enjoyed all-inclusive traditional meals, and used our guide to translate and connect with the locals.
Learning how to cook Karanki Magdalena Style
Part 3: The Galapagos “Department Store”
The Galapagos Islands had always been a bucket-list dream for me. Nature has organized these islands almost like a department store, each section has its own specialty! One island is best for snorkeling with ocean wildlife, another is where you encounter legendary tortoises, and others are perfect for birding.
Stuart’s Prize Winning Photo of a Blue Footed Booby
To combat seasickness, we chose the largest boat in the Go Galapagos fleet, The Legend. It’s a luxury boat that feels like a private yacht, carrying a moderate group of around 70 to 100 passengers. We hiked volcanic lava rocks, crawled down narrow caves, and stood feet away from wild pelicans, seals, and giant tortoises that showed absolutely no fear of humans.
Part 4: The Ecuadorian Amazon
We traveled to Sani Lodge, a beautiful rainforest eco-lodge run communally by the indigenous Kichwa (Quechua) people for 26 years. To get there, you fly into the town of Coca, take a boat down the Napo River, and navigate a small creek tributary by canoe.
The Lush, Mosquito Netted Cabins at Sani Lodge
The Amazon was an absolute thrill. Outfitted in our rain boots, we went piranha fishing (and ate what we caught!), visited early-morning parrot clay licks, and climbed 290 steps to a magnificent bird observatory canopy.
A Beautiful Moment of Transformation
The highlight that will stay with me forever was visiting the women of the Kichwa community inside their communal longhouses. As these women step into new leadership roles through tourism, they cooked for us and demonstrated traditional blowpipes and open-fire cooking in palm leaves.
Through a translator, I asked one woman what modern convenience she missed most. She told me she didn’t care for TV, but deeply wished she had a sewing machine to create her crafts.
This hit my heart deeply. My late Aunt Rose was a master seamstress who kept our family clothed through the Depression, and I had foolishly thrown away her old foot-pedal Singer machine when downsizing years ago—a regret I still carry.
Knowing there was a shop in the nearby town of Coca, I bought a brand-new sewing machine for her.
That day, when we headed back to the river docks, I handed it to her. I told her the story of my Aunt Rose and said, “She made beautiful things. Now you go and make beautiful things too.”
On This Week’s Podcast
Ecuador Travel: Quito, Galápagos & the Amazon Rainforest
I step away from my usual interview format for a personal “reverie” to share three recent trips I took over two months. This episode covers the first of those three: an in-depth journey through Ecuador, spanning Quito’s historic center, a homestay in the Andes with the Karanki Magdalena community, a Go Galápagos Islands cruise, and a stay in the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest with the Kichwa community at Sani Lodge. (My upcoming episodes will cover a luxury barge trip through France’s Champagne Valley and a 52-mile walk through England’s Lake District.)
