What I was most bummed about after the theft was not the computer itself, but rather the data on it. I had spent a good bit of time transferring files, music, and photos to our brand new netbook, and we also had a good bit of non-backed up info from our first 3 weeks. Anticipating that our computer might disappear along the way at some point, I had signed up for Carbonite, an online auto-backup platform. Unfortunately, the internet connectivity in Ecuador, while widely available, is not very fast, and I found during the trial period that it would take me two months to back up 2 days worth of photos. So, I scrapped that, and hadn’t determined a proper backup plan when the computer disappeared.

So now we’ve got this new computer, but no music or files available. Everything music and work-related is backed up on an external drive at home, but what good does that do me here? Enter my new favorite online program – GoToMyPC.com. Shear brilliance (and convenience)! I had my dad plug my external hard drive into his constantly-connected computer, download a bit of software and voila!, I was able to log onto his computer, and simply drag and drop my files from my external drive to my new netbook in Peru. I’m blown away at how well it works. Sure, big files take a while to transfer, but the access is there, and at my convenience. And, I can now back things up from my computer here to my drive back at home. Brilliant.

Here’s to hoping our new technology lasts us through the rest of the trip!

Courtney, a friend of mine from my triathlon training group in Boulder, is currently living with her husband Jed in Montañita, Ecuador for several months. Courtney and Jed are also on a bit of one-year sabbatical themselves posting up for three months at a time in four different locations around the globe. They were conveniently in Ecuador where we were and they were nice enough to invite us to visit.

They´ve got a great pad within blocks of the down-town area and the beach. Montañita is a tiny little town that caters to tourists – both local and not-so local. There are lots of different languages being spoken, lots of fruity cocktails to drink and lots of dreadlocks. Though very different than the rest of our Ecuador experience, I have to say that it was quite a treat – almost like a vacation from a vacation.

We ate delicious and inexpensive seafood every night. Courtney and Jed got us out on surf boards and shared some tips. We enjoyed several of the fancy drinks they make there with our favorite being the hard to pronounce capiroska (vodka, sugar, lime juice and limes). They make a similar drink with sugarcane alcohol but Courtney recommended the vodka version!

Ted and I were also lucky enough to take a whale watching tour. We were told that we were nearing the end of the season so it might be hard to find the whales. Also, if we did find them they might not be breeching or as exciting as they are in July and August when they are trying to attract mates. However, we not only saw LOTS of whale, we saw them close up, we saw them far away, we saw them jumping, the whole works!

A huge thank you to Courtney and Jed for their hospitality! I should also thank Courtney for her help with the police report because her Spanish is fantastic and came in SUPER handy.  It was such a treat to visit your little paradise and I hope we can rendez-vous again with you on your next stop in Argentina!

Though please don’t interpret this as complaining, the last couple weeks in Colorado were some of the most stressful and emotional that I’ve had to deal with in my recent memory. The logistics and planning involved in moving, taking a leave of absence from work, organizing bank accounts, purchasing insurance, and oh, how the list goes on, is certainly complicated. And as family, friends and fun are so important to us, Ted and I juggled our insane To-Do lists with trips to Michigan and SW Colorado as well as happy hours, ‘family dinners’ and concerts with our favorite people.

For anyone that saw or hung out with us in the last month or so – thank you! We not only love and appreciate you, but you probably have done or are doing us some sort of favor!

For letting us stay at your house after our lease was up; for letting us store anything from musical instruments, a foosball table to a CAR at your home; for helping us move; for letting us borrow a truck; for making us lasagna; for taking us to the airport; for coming out to say goodbye at the Boulder happy hour and Zen Mustache show; for volunteering to drop off our car in SE Parker and encouraging us to stay and have a beer instead; for keeping our mail and bills and life in order while we are away; for picking up extra projects at work in our absence; for your phone calls and hugs and supportive words; for everything I’m failing to mention here but that made our trip a reality – THANK YOU!

Those two words do not do justice to the enormous amount of appreciation we have for the people in our lives that we love – but we mean them from the bottom of our hearts and are 100% positive that this trip would not be possible without you.

Now, come visit.