I always take the duvet cover off comforters in hotel rooms. I will be honest; I hate duvet covers. I boil under them. I don’t know how you people sleep under all that bedding.
I landed in Ecuador last night. The plane was surprisingly nice considering I paid $214 round trip from Atlanta. Copa Airlines. Have you ever heard of Copa Airlines? Me either.
I was blessed with a middle seat. The dude next to me was a blond-haired German guy fresh off a farm in Costa Rica with a man bun and large water bottle. He loves sustainable farming. I saw him at check-in with his huge, dirty backpack, Mexican blanket hoodie, and oversized fancy pack. Oh, the backpackers.
“Where you headed,” he asked me.
“Ecuador,” I replied.
“You,” I asked him back. I am trying to talk to people on this trip. I only have two goals for this trip; talk to people and find a banana farm so I can write the first sentence of my next book. As an introvert, I find no joy in small talk. Or big talk. Or most any talk.
“Chile. I met a girl in Costa Rica, and she is meeting me down there.” He seemed excited.
“I am looking for bananas,” I said, trying to seem excited.
Ecuador produces more bananas than any other country in the world so you would think it shouldn’t be that hard for me to find a banana farm. However, I’m the guy who bought a $200 flight on a no-name airline and sat in the middle seat. Maybe I am a diamond member now.
Quito is wet. I feel sorry for the buildings. Always wet. Worn out, soggy, and beat down by rain. Poor buildings.
I have noticed that everyone here wears a mask. Everyone.
A man stopped me as I entered the grocery store this morning to buy water. He rattled off some instructions in Spanish as I stared blankly at him. After a bit of charades, he pretended to shoot an imaginary needle in his arm and I realized he wanted to see my vaccination card.
They don’t play down here.
Anyway…
Every year I leave the country for my birthday. It is a tradition I started 10 years ago.
Most of the time alone, sometimes with folks. This time alone.
It is a time for me to get away, clear my head, think about the future, and celebrate that I am still alive. A reminder to myself that everything will be ok. It always is.
A few years ago, I was in Thailand for my birthday. My friend and I were staying on Koh Phangan Island. At the end of the night, I sat on the beach staring at the ocean. It was quiet and dark. Then, for the first time in my life, I felt self-acceptance. Usually, I get sad and beat myself up because I have not achieved this or done that or whatever. For some reason, this time was different.
I remember thinking, wow, I made it this far in life. I have done a few cool things. Good for me. No fireworks, just simple acceptance of myself and my life.
Make sure you figure out a way to celebrate your life every year. Whether that is traveling alone to the land of bananas or celebrating with a group of folks in your backyard. Make it special to you. Do what you love to do.
My birthday is next Wednesday. I hope I don’t do jungle drugs.
Trey
P.S. If you have any suggestions for Ecuador let me know because I have made zero plans and here I am.