minimalist lifestyle and travel
Location: Around an hour’s drive from Calgary, Alberta, in the Canmore area just outside Banff National Park.
Elevation: 2481 metres
Round-trip time: 3-4 hours
Difficulty: Easy (a great scramble for those who are nervous about heights!)
Height gain: 816 metres
Round-trip distance: 7.6 km
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Location: One hour away from Calgary, Alberta, in Kananaskis Country just outside Banff National Park.
Elevation: 2193 metres
Round-trip time: 4-6 hours
Difficulty: Moderate (due to the crux, which is about 2/3rds of the way to the peak and is avoidable)
Height gain: 788 metres
Round-trip distance: 5 km
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My days in Ecuador were pretty memorable. I climbed a mountain over 5000 metres high, did my first multi-pitch rock climb (and a 5.10 at that, something new for me), went snorkelling with sea turtles and did my own mini-tour of historic Cuenca. I visited ruins and drank at microbreweries and tried my hardest to keep my diet free of animal products, despite the huuuuge emphasis on meat in the region.
Of course, Ecuador was just the beginning of my trip in South America. And traversing South America by bus meant I would have to do something I’d never done before: an international border crossing over land. If you’re heading from Ecuador to Peru, here’s how it’s done.
You’ve got a few options when it comes getting from Ecuador to Peru. The first decision is whether to fly or take the bus. Flying, obviously, has a much greater upfront cost. However, if you do manage to get a good deal and are planning to jump a large distance (like from Guayaquil all the way to Lima), then it might be a reasonable option.
If you’re traveling slow, like me, the bus is always the standard option. There are ways to cross the border incredibly cheaply. But, if you get super anxious about traveling like I do, better to pay extra for a quality international bus service. While there are a couple, the one I went with (and which seemed to have the best reputation) was Cruz del Sur. I paid 145 Peruvian Soles, or about 45 USD, for a VIP seat on an 8-hour ride from Guayaquil (Ecuador’s largest city, just a few hours from the border) to Máncora (a beach town on Peru’s north coast). Of course, you can head all the way from Guayquil to Lima if you choose to do so, for a higher cost and a 24-hour bus ride. The VIP seats are pretty plush with lots of space. They are just 5 USD extra, but seem to book up fast. If you know when you’ll be leaving in advance, book early. I booked before I left Canada because I wanted to have a ticket out of the country in case I was asked at the airport en route to Ecuador.
Cruz del Sur buses leave Guayquil every Tuesday at 2 pm (or, at least, that appears to be the schedule at the time of writing). But, you need to check your bags at the office first and head to the gate at 1:30 pm. If you are rushing to grab lunch at the bus terminal, don’t worry about it. There are a bunch of stands selling empanadas, humitas, and other snacks right next to the spot where you’ll be waiting to load the bus.
From Guayquil, you’ll drive for about 4.5 hours. They play movies in English with Spanish subtitles, but don’t depend on the idea that there will be sound. Instead, make sure you load up with audiobooks and podcasts for the journey. An attendant will come around with your immigration papers for Peru. Fill them out early so you aren’t rushed later.
After those 4.5 hours, you’ll come to the first stop. You need to bring your passport, your Ecuadorian immigration card that you should have from when you entered the country, and your Peruvian entry papers that you filled out on the bus. First, you’ll get in the line to exit Ecuador. Very straightforward, just pass up your passport and Ecuadorian card and they will be stamped. Next, you’ll get in line to enter Peru. Same process, but you will likely be asked if this is your first visit to Peru. We automatically were granted visas for 90 days, but you might be asked how long you are planning to stay in the country.
There are bathrooms right next to the doors you’ll leave this room from, if you don’t like going on a moving bus. There’s also a little shop across the road to stock up on drinks and snacks.
After this, you’ll drive for another half hour or so until you come to a second stop. This is a meal stop. You’ll get going for another couple of hours before reaching a third stop. This time, you have to get out and have your passport checked again. There are bathrooms here as well. The stop here is only a few minutes.
The next stop, in about 10 minutes, is Máncora. There will be mototaxis waiting at the bus stop to take you to your accommodations (if you choose to stick around here for a few days). The attendant on the bus let us know when we would arrive in Máncora, and on a bus service like this, I’m sure this kind of notice is standard.
Bus travel in Peru is far different from in Ecuador. There are still budget buses to travel on, but there are more luxury bus services that are worth the extra cost. My favourite bus company to travel with in Peru was Oltursa (if you can get the seats right in front of the window on the top level, these are even better than VIP seats for the views alone) . Their buses were new and clean and service was good. I also had a decent experience with MovilTours. Prices depend on the distance, but these companies average around the same. No, this is not the cheapest option, but it was worth the price to me. I booked most of my tickets online and then used my phone to show the confirmation to an attendant at the booking counter to check my bags and get my tickets printed around half an hour before the departure time.
Travelling as a lifestyle can be tough. There’s a big difference between a two-week vacation and a constantly on-the-move way of life. While I’m just stating the obvious (let’s be honest), the truth is that there’s a big gap between expectation and reality when it comes to finding that balance.
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Calgary
Pros: 1-hour drive from Banff and the Canadian Rockies, plenty of sun, decent biking infrastructure, plenty of veg-friendly restaurants, well-connected airport.
Cons: Seen as an oil capital, unemployment is on the rise (thanks to said reliance on oil), the Calgary Stampede (uggggh).
This isn’t my first time living in Alberta. I lived in Edmonton for over a year and a half (it’s where I lived for the majority of this blog’s life). For years, I’ve had this negative idea about Alberta and Albertans. Some of it’s based on truth, but it really doesn’t account for the entire culture and population here. As you can seen, I’m a little torn about being here. But, one thing makes it all a little better: the horizon to the west is occupied by the Rocky Mountains.
The moving process is still in its beginnings at the moment. Sure, we’re here. But, we have no apartment, no jobs, no certainty at all. We’re staying at someone’s house and spending our days gleaning the internet for leads.
Right now, we’re planning to document the various stages of moving and upload some videos along the way. We’ve already missed some of the process (flying from St. John’s to Halifax to Toronto to Calgary), but there is plenty of messiness to come.
I’ll keep this short, since I’m in a very hectic place right. I should probably use my productive energy to figure out what happens next.
South America is not an easy place to be vegan. However, it’s not impossible to stick to your dietary preferences while travelling on a budget. Sure, it may not be a culinary adventure, but at least you can feel good about sticking to it. Here are a few of the things I figured out as a vegan in Peru.
It’s so easy to think “I’ll just eat fruit,” when you’re not there. I mean, this is South America. If there’s one thing you’re expecting, it’s good-quality and fresh fruit. In reality—that is, if you aren’t already used to eating just fruits, smoothies, or juices for breakfast—you might find you’re a little unsatisfied with it at first.
Luckily, if you stick with it, you’ll crave sweet breakfasts (and that’s saying a lot for me—I’m more of the savoury breakfast set). However, even if you’re craving it, you’re probably going to be hungry again before lunchtime. Why? Because you’re not eating enough. If you’re ordering one juice at a stall or one fruit salad at a beachside restaurant, that’s not enough fruit to be satisfying. Either buy your own to supplement or get another serving mid-morning. Fill up while you can, because if you can manage on fruit breakfasts, this is one meal that won’t have to be complicated by geographical location. And it can get complicated. Trust me.
Booking cheap, last-minute tours is one of the perks of being in Peru. Really, no one books anything more than a few days in advance (and if you do, you’re paying a hell of a lot more, so just don’t).
If it’s a full-day or multi-day tour, they will offer lunch or multiple meals (though, not all do, so it’s important to check). Even if they ask if you’re a vegetarian, don’t trust that the meal will be vegan. It will probably contain eggs, or even tuna (this happened to me once).
Play it safe and grab something at a market or grocery store in advance. Even if you’re eating snack foods as meals, at least you’ll be able to stick to veganism without starving.
I know they feel inauthentic. I know they are vastly more expensive. But, sometimes, you’ve just got to have a good meal.
One of my favourite eating experiences in Peru was at Café Andino in Huaraz. How did I come to learn about this place? From my Lonely Planet guidebook. I know, I know—I usually avoid those places, too. And, yes, no one there was a local. But, I had an amazing sesame tofu salad and I didn’t care that it cost my whole food budget for the day.
Here’s the thing about Peru: it’s not Thailand. Every stall in the market is not offering gourmet-standard meals. Eating local does not mean eating beautiful stir-frys and curries for a dollar. While you will have some good food from time to time, that’s not a guarantee. Tourist-centric restaurants offer meals to suit a wider variety of dietary restrictions. So, live a little and break your budget once in a while.
While they may be hard to find, you can usually trust restaurants that designate themselves as “vegetarian.” This means that your “vegetable soup” won’t mysteriously appear with pieces of bone and pork floating in them. It also means that a big portion of the meals will likely be vegan.
However, if “vegetarian” restaurants are noticeably absent, keep an eye out for a Chifa. Chifas are quite popular in Peru. The food is a Peruvian version of Chinese—meaning Chinese-style vegetables, meats, rice, and noodles. You should be able to get basic veg and noodles or rice. It might get repetitive if you’re relying on it often, but it’s food you can eat (as long as you’re not too concerned about your sodium intake!).
Though the set menu is meat, rice, salad, and a soup appetizer, you can make special requests. I’m one of those people that is afraid to be the slightest bit difficult at restaurants (maybe it comes from the years I waitressed during high school). However, you’ll quickly learn that most restaurants will leave out whatever you want, as long as you’re still paying for it.
So, just eat your rice and salad and pay the $2 (or whatever the equivalent in soles is). It may not look that exciting, but neither does the piece of chicken that’s been sitting on the kitchen counter all day, waiting to be reheated (maybe) and served.
People won’t always be sensitive to the fact that you are not 100% (or 90%… or 50%…) confident in your abilities with their language. So, don’t necessarily expect a “Sí” or “No” when you make you request. Instead, you might get a string of words that you kind-of-but-don’t-really understand. Don’t just nod and smile. You might end up with something unexpected added to your plate. You might not, but it’s a risk. Instead, even if you feel like an idiot, just repeat the request that you so diligently translated and practiced beforehand. They will probably pick up on the fact that you’re clueless after that (especially if their followup question had nothing to do with your meal choice).
Cooking for yourself is obviously the best way to keep an eye on your ingredients. However, not every hostel has a communal kitchen. Yes, most will and it usually won’t be an issue, but it doesn’t hurt to be sure before you book.
I’m probably a bit late with the 2015 post—but hey, it’s still January!
I thought about doing a highlights post, but as I listed all my highlights from 2015, I realized that I can so easily fall into really cheesy/sappy descriptive language. Instead, here are 15 photos from the year and the stories behind them.
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