
Between Yachana Lodge and Loretto…
“Please be a traveler, not a tourist. Try new things, meet new people, and look beyond what’s right in front of you. Those are the keys to understanding this amazing world we live in.” Andrew Zimmern
Ecuador – As a child growing up in the Misssippi Delta, I was painfully shy and dreaded interactions with strangers. A loner, I thrived when roaming the outdoors, inspecting wildflowers along ditch banks or immersed in the dense canopy of the woodlands, where I might sit for hours in hushed tranquility.

My favored destination on my childhood roamings were big trees in dense areas. – Ceiba tree Near Rio Napo – Ecuador
I am grateful for young-adult opportunities of teaching art as well as speaking to groups as ‘A Gardening Artist.’ I realized that we all have strengths and weaknesses, and that unique threads connect us all. Slowly I grew comfortable with interacting with strangers, and now I embrace those opportunities to know my fellow man.
After leaving Yachana Lodge on Good Friday, friends Stephen and Xiomara and I embarked on a journey that presented many unique experiences which almost always included the locals. Continue reading