I spend my last day in Montañita chasing green waves, reflecting on balance and wondering whether I will ever become a proper surfer myself.
Montañita – Day 3: Breaking the Surf
I spend my third day in Montañita sharpening my surf technique, losing at chess and confronting some frightening climate tipping points too.
Montañita – Day 2: Chasing Waves
I move onto a smaller surfboard in Montañita, catch more waves and learn how fast one calf cramp can bring a perfect day to a halt.
Montañita – Day 1: The Art of the Wave
I return to the Pacific for surf lessons in Montañita, where I meet a craftsman whose handmade balsa surfboards turn sheer passion into art.
Tena – Day 3: A Spiritual Hangover
I unpack my ayahuasca visions, comfort a friend after a difficult trip and spend my final morning in the Ecuadorian Amazon making chocolate.
Tena – Day 2: The Spirit Vine
I meet Shiripuno’s Kichwa women, spot Amazon wildlife and return to ayahuasca, where a vivid night of visions brings unexpected inner peace.
Tena – Day 1: Road to the Amazon
I receive my MRCEM result on the road to Tena, then rediscover my love for the Amazon through jungle walks, river tubing and wildlife.
Cotopaxi – Day 4: Limpiopungo Lagoon
I celebrate passing my exam among the birds, springs and Inca ruins around Limpiopungo Lagoon before saying goodbye to Cotopaxi.
Cotopaxi – Day 3: Climbing Pasochoa
I climb Pasochoa beneath blue skies, watch a long-awaited Cotopaxi sunset, and rediscover why medicine and travel both need balance in life.
Cotopaxi – Day 2: Into Thin Air
I climb through Cotopaxi’s thin air to the glacier, then head back to Secret Garden and rediscover why human connections keep me travelling.