We were very excited at the start of 2024 about two major experiences. One was Ecuador and the other was the possibility of getting permits to hike Havasu Falls. Barely a month into the new year and there are major updates to share. Ecuador is out and Havasu Falls is a go!
So Long Ecuador, Hello Costa Rica
If you happened to have missed it, Ecuador is at war. The new president of Ecuador came to power after another candidate was assassinated. Daniel Noboa was elected on a promise of returning safety and security to the country.
Well, things have gotten bad in Ecuador. Really bad. Drug cartels have declared war on the government. Major gang leaders escaped from prison. Armed takeover of a Television studio (while live on air). Police kidnapped off the street in broad daylight in both Quito and Guayaquil. And, a hospital takeover attempt….
We were planning Ecuador because Amigos International was going and DJ wanted to participate. With the escalation of violence in Ecuador we were about the pull the plug ourselves but… Amigos canceled in mid-January.
We were so looking forward to hiking and exploring in Ecuador but this is something we will have to re-consider many years from now.
So we’re pivoting. DJ will be doing a 3 week volunteer/homestay/camp in Costa Rica this summer. Hillary and I will go as well and do our own thing. We don’t know what that is yet, but we’ll figure it out.
We Scored a Havasu Falls 2024 Permit!!!!
Every year the Havasupai of Arizona make permits available to the public on February 1. They sell out almost immediately so we didn’t have high hopes.
This year the tribe took a new approach with a pre-sale which allowed you to buy the rights to get permits beginning in January. They randomly selected from those interested, based on dates chosen as first, second, and third choice. We could only do dates during DJ’s spring break so we still didn’t have high hopes. However…
Last week we got confirmation. We’re hiking Havasu Falls in late March! It’ll be a first for Hillary and DJ – backpacking with camping gear, sleeping in a tent, and cooking meals with a camp stove. But at this point we’ve got permits, flights, lodging, and camping gear rented. So we’re going one way or the other. 🙂
We travel to Phoenix and Havasu Falls in late March so we’ve got a few more weeks yet to get in some 10-12 mile hikes and a few opportunities to hike on back to back days.
Still Heading Toward The Next Journey in Life
It’s looking like the big experiences for 2024 are pretty well set now. We still have to arrange flights to/from Costa Rica and figure out what we are going to do (perhaps even El Camino de Costa Rica) but I don’t see any major obstacles to the two big activities of the year.
At the same time, we are still making progress on the bigger goal of sending DJ off in to adulthood, selling our home and business (or winding it down) here in Northern VA and heading off on a new adventure.
Major home repairs are underway, the business has been listed for sale, DJ is *finally* starting to think seriously about future career and college, and Hillary and I are making great strides on the last of our mobility goals. We’re even considering doing El Camino de Santiago over about 2 months in Spain, after sending DJ to college, and before heading to Asia.
With luck, everything will continue to move along and 2024 will continue to be an exciting year.