Ecuador

I went to Quito alone in December 2006. I went to get the frequent flier miles I needed (long story). Quito was great – beautiful city, nice views, friendly people, etc. I visited the San Francisco church and ate well. I was only here for about 36 hours, but would definitely go back. Almost 10,000 feet above sea level! I was breathing heavy.

I needed the frequent flier miles on American Airlines so I planned a QUICK trip to Ecuador. I arrive on the night of Friday December 8th and return on Sunday December 10th. It will give me all day on Saturday December 9th to explore Quito. I bought the Lonely Planet guide and will have a great time.

I almost went to Panama, but realized you needed a visa (Ecuador you don’t if trip is less than 90 days). I also checked out Bolivia, Columbia, and other spots in South America, but Quito works best. Some flights to Europe would have been easier for the miles (e.g. Brussels, Zurich) but those are two places we’d like to go for vacation, and this is a place that isn’t high on my wife’s list of places to visit (at least at this point).