I recently decided to travel in South America for a few months on a shoestring budget. My journey started in Panama City. From there, I flew directly to Medellin, Colombia. I just launched a GoFundMe campaign for fundraising from friends, family, and fans. If you enjoy the free content I'm releasing on a regular basis, I would sincerely appreciate your financial support. In exchange for your donation, I will send you a personalized postcard with an original photo taken during my visit to each country. In addition, you will receive an email with my latest blog post (3 per week). You will also get access to exclusive video content as part of my ongoing documentary series from every country I visit during my tour. Last but not least, your full name will be featured in the contributor credits of my full-length documentary! I would love for you to be a sponsor of my journey through South America!
I'm currently typing this blog post from Quito, Ecuador. This is a place I've wanted to visit since childhood, and now my dream has finally become a reality! I just checked into Masaya Hostel. It's by far the most luxurious hostel I've stayed at so far. I'm staying in a private room for 4-nights in exchange for professional photos. The owner gave me a full tour a few days ago. I arranged this assignment with email marketing and lead generation. It's usually necessary to get creative when you're traveling as a digital nomad on a shoestring budget. Follow your passion and the money will follow...
I arrived back in Quito a few hours ago after a 3-day tour at Cotopaxi, one of the highest volcanoes in the world! I could barely afford the tour but luckily was able to work out an arrangement with the owner of Secret Garden Hostel for partial trade in exchange for aerial photos and video. The shuttle ride from Quito was 2 hours. The first day we went on a beautiful hike to a series of waterfalls in the mountains. The day after was horseback riding in the highlands of Cotopaxi National Park. This was an incredible experience up until the end. I started to feel nauseous with tunnel vision, lost feeling in my fingers, and then threw up multiple times while riding my horse. This was the result of elevation sickness at over 14,000 ft. I had a fever, no appetite, and slept for 12 hours to recuperate. All things considered, I still have no regrets for booking this incredible tour and the privilege to stay at Secret Garden Cotopaxi, the #1 hostel in Ecuador.
Secret Garden Cotopaxi Hostel in Ecuador
I've been in Quito for about 6 days so far. The bus ride was 9 hours from Popoyan in Colombia through Pasto to the small border town of Ipiales. It was absolutely beautiful scenery driving through the Andes Mountains. I took a taxi from the bus station and checked into a decent hotel with my remaining pesos. The next day, I hiked about 4 km through beautiful countryside to the Colombian border. I waited in line to get my passport stamp for 3 hours and then another 5 on the Ecuador side! This was mostly due to all the people fleeing the civil war violence in Venezuela. I shared a collectivo with a French couple and friendly Venezuelans from the border to a nearby bus station. My intention is to stay for a month in Ecuador before continuing to Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina. I'm determined to reach my destination regardless of financial circumstances! Not all those who wander are lost.
Beautiful countryside during my hike from Colombia to Ecuador.