The sun shines 6 am to 6 pm along the equator. Days seem very long for a 70+-year-old grandma traveling with her 13-year-old granddaughter. The duo toured the jungles of Ecuador and the islands of the Galapagos together, a once-in-a-lifetime journey for the senior, and an eye-opening adventure for the teenager.
Grandma was not in prime physical shape. She has no excuse; she could have spent time in the gym (too cold outdoors in the frigid northeast this year) building up her energy level and stamina.
She did not.
No excuses.
Granddaughter, on the other hand, is a healthy young lady. She is on her school’s basketball team, skis all winter in her home state of Vermont, and tries to keep up energy-wise with her marathon-running father.
The stage was set. A slightly overweight, under-energized senior and an active teenager sought camaraderie, enlightening and new experiences, distinctive food, and physical activity in an exotic location.
Grandma received a C+, or maybe a B-, for her efforts. Granddaughter suffered her elder’s idiosyncrasies, physical limitations and snoring with humor, rolled eyes and sighs, and earned an A+.
The travel agent assured Grandma, when planning the trip, that the drive to the jungle from Quito would take two hours. Four hours later, including the final hour over a rough dirt and stone road, the duo arrived in the middle of nowhere – the Ecuadoran Andean mountains. But the travelers reluctantly admitted the trip was worth it. A gondola ride over the jungle canopy proved breathtaking, a sky bike ride energizing if slightly scary, a stream walk to a waterfall splashing fun, and a night walk illuminating. The lodge’s dining room, surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows, was elegant, the food delicious, the guides expert in their fields and English language skills, and the flora and fauna unique to Northern Hemisphere eyes. Ventures involved a mix of high intensity physical activity, moderate-level movement, observation and listening, and watch your step! Apparently it is a faux pas to step on any living thing, however small or unobtrusive, preserving the areas visited, a crucial mandate.
Grandma has yet to fully absorb the entire experience.
In one of Grandma’s favorite ‘Friends’ sitcom episodes, everyone gathers around Rachel and oohs and aahs over her sonogram. A miracle! How wonderful! Look at that! Folks leave and Rachel whines, “I don’t see it!” That is how Grandma felt at times when a guide pointed out jungle fauna, and later in the islands declared look at that fish!, or fowl, or reptile or whatever…where? where? Grandma excitedly asked. By then the animal had passed her line of vision.
Grandma warily hiked dirt, stone, and lava trails, never sauntering breezily along a smooth level path. Some island trails appeared flattish, but involved maneuvering up and down gradually sloping hills, mounds, and rocky terrain. Granddaughter strode forward, right behind the guide, while Grandma took up the rear. Grandma opted out of one hike that went straight up a mountain. She knew she would hold the group back by deliberately and cautiously inching every step of the way.
Each morning the duo enjoyed a hearty breakfast, then followed a guide to hike, swim, snorkel, or kayak. They returned to the lodge or boat for lunch, then ventured out for an afternoon of non-stop exploration. By evening they were hungry, dirty, and worn-out.
Each night Grandma fell into bed exhausted. Granddaughter was also tired, but not as bone weary as her elder companion. In the back of Grandma’s oldish mind a faint voice repeated whenever she viewed a tricky trail or hesitated about a new undertaking, “Be careful! Don’t fall, don’t hurt yourself, don’t ruin this trip by getting sick…”
Grandma listened and, miraculously, returned home unscathed. She needed a couple of days to recover.
Granddaughter immediately resumed her full round of activities, including returning to school after an adventure-filled winter vacation.
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