My adventures in Ecuador came with a few surprises, as any jaunt in a developing country should bring. However, I didn’t expect what I documented in my first vblog:
Fatigue was evident and I had to wait until the next day to venture to my second location: Vilcabamba. The few photos I was able to find could no do the town justice, so I took more video:
Much more rested and relaxed, thanks to a 45 minute massage (only 12 dollars!). The video itself can’t do the valley justice, but it’s a start.
The disappointing thing about the trip was the cuisine, or really the lack thereof. All of the good fruits and veggies grown nearby are cash crops and are exported. Same goes for coffee and cocoa, which leaves those of us in the country drinking instant coffee and eating lower quality crops. The veggies had to be overcooked to the point of mush so as to kill off any bacteria and, if you don’t count the street vendors, protein in sufficient qualities was hard to come by. I could never find any of the national delicacies like cuy, and the only steak I could get from from an Argentine steakhouse on my last night. The most readily available calories were all junk: ice cream, pastries, white, white, white…you get the idea. Intermittent fasting became my friend in the morning, and even though I was sure I might gain weight eating pure crap, I lost 3lbs in 10 days. In other words, Scott isn’t going to be writing about the traditional diet of Ecuador anytime soon.
Now, I thankfully never received any bouts of tourista and suffered zero indigestion. How did I do it?
1. Start using a Probiotic at least 2 weeks before your trip.
Many individuals are familiar with acidophilus and bifidus, but I like a product called Gut Health due to the low number of doses. Whichever you choose, start taking it at least 2 weeks before you leave.
2. Bring some fiber.
One of my clients, a self-proclaimed “traveling warhorse,” gave me this suggestion. I brought a sleeve of Fiber One and consumed a little every morning and a little before lunch on my first 5 days in Ecuador. It was something familiar and helped keep me regular in the face of low fiber food.
3. Digestive Enzymes are your friends.
I used digestive enzymes with every meal to try and ensure that all the crap was going to be broken down and digested properly. Good insurance no matter what.
Conclusion? The next time I go to Ecuador, it will be to board a plane that takes me to the Galapagos…that will be enough for me.
Skyler Tanner 
Being the oft-mentioned girlfriend who has struggled with eating in Ecuador, I have a few comments about the ¨traditional¨ eating here. One, is that things such as cuy are usually in the Northern Sierra part of Ecuador (not where we were) and is a delicacy. Most people in slightly tourist areas realize that this is not something most extranjeros eat and do not offer it to them. The only time I have been offered the roasted guinea pig was in a small village that has almost no tourism.
As for the vegetable situation, and I do have dreams about vegetables, what the people eat here is a lot of lentils and beans in soups. While it doesn´t compare to raw spinach, there are vegetables in the diet. They are just not in the quantities we have grown accustomed to in the states.
However, I will not eat white rice (cooked in tons of oil) or ever look at white bread again once I arrive home in July. I will always be grateful for clean water. Not only does it make it easier to stay hydrated and clean, but it allows you to actually eat the vegetables and fruits being grown around you!
Liked reading about your trip, it was a fun time!
can you please fix the videos they seem to be missing the link .. but by the way you write your trip seems to be really adventurous .. i will also plan to an adventerous trip soon .. hope it is as fun as yours
Just going through some of your earlier posts when I realised you look remarkebly like Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory!