"Don't stop goin', goin' South
'Cause they'll let you play your music real damn loud
Don't stop headin', headin' South
'Cause they will understand the words
That are pouring from your mouth"
lyrics by Zach Bryan "Heading South"
What a great way to celebrate my birthday -- crossing the equator. I hadn't really thought about it much, but when I came to the 0 degrees, 0' 00", I was actually a bit emotional. Wow. I just drove from Oregon to the other half of the world!
There's a nice museum at the equator with a lot of information about the equator, mapping, and the sun. The equator was first mapped by French geographers in the 18th century using triangulation with the high volcanic peaks in Ecuador. Another interesting fact is that on the equator, one can see all the stars in the sky including Ursa major and the southern cross. The museum shows a new way to map and look at the world with the equator running from top to bottom instead of the western view of north at the top. Also at the museum is a nice botanical garden of agaves from different countries.
After visiting the equator museum, I continued heading south towards Quito. I stayed at a wonderful campground called CoDa Vista on a tall hill overlooking Quito with a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains including Cotopaxi. The campground is owned by a wonderfully friendly and kind Canadian named Andy with the help of his girlfriend, Gabi. Andy has only had it open for seven months, and he has big dreams of adding social areas, more bathrooms, and cabanas. After I arrived, he found out it was my birthday and brought me a delicious Danish. There were several other overlanders there including one family from France. Their two kids loved Andy and were always trying to wrestle with him.
The day after arriving at CoDa Vista I decided that I was going to go to the Galapagos. I spent the whole day looking into options for a cruise and flights. I booked the flight at noon and the cruise by 5 pm, and left the next morning for the airport at 5 am.
After returning I spent a wonderful evening with Andy and Gabi and a fellow from the Netherlands in Andy's little cabin drinking Old Fashions, listening to Stevie Wonder, and enjoying some good conversation. Thanks Andy and Gabi for your hospitality and wonderful place to camp.
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