The First Month
Difficult weather, suspicion, kindness and one much needed hug have been par for the course so far as our cyclist pushes through Ecuador
Article by Laura Bingham
I think the hardest part of doing anything new is getting over the first few hurdles and I’ve certainly faced a few during my first month of attempting to cycle across South America with no money.
One of the main challenges I’ve faced this month is doubting myself and struggling to trust in the power of human kindness and generosity. We came across a village in the middle of the rainforest, there was nothing else for miles and remarkably, not one person in the entire community would agree to help us. When we eventually reached the next village, a man let us camp on his porch and kindly let Cho and I use his shower. The shower room was very basic; there was no light and it had to be no bigger than three foot by three foot containing only a bucket of cold, smelly water to use. It was then that the realization hit me; this was this family’s life! This was their ‘shower’. The experience really opened my eyes to the different ways people live around the world and what is ‘normal’. Whilst I’ve been pedaling away, it’s really made me think about what we take for granted in our homes.
At an altitude of almost 3,500m, the mountains of Ecuador are beautiful but also very cold and with it being the winter season, it’s also very wet. I found that with the ongoing fight against the pouring rain combined with a severe lack of food, the days became extremely hard. The second challenge came after three days of pushing my bike up a hill. We found very few places to camp because of the terrain and with only a small amount of rice as our food source, I hit a wall. I was cold, hungry and completely exhausted. I found that the indigenous people within the mountains of Ecuador were not fond of ‘gringos’ and despite how desperate we were, people did not want to help us. I picked myself up and carried on, but the rain continued to pour harder and harder taking the heat from my fingertips and turning them to icicles. I have never felt so desperate in my whole life. But, salvation came when a family offered us shelter! They let us stay in their sitting room, lit us a fire and presented us with warm food. We were so incredibly grateful and I will never forget their kindness and what they did for us that day. The following morning we helped the family with their daily chores by chopping down trees and helped out around the house. I also gave the mother a pair of my gloves as she said she suffered with terrible pains in her fingers because of the cold. They fed us a plate of guinea pig before we left – which was surprisingly good – and feeling refreshed and re-energized after our stay, we were ready to head on and tackle the next challenge.
It hasn’t all been hurdles; there have been some truly unforgettable and inspiring moments. So far, I have lived a whole month without any money, I have not spent a single penny! How have I done this? Through a lot of very nice people! I remember one day we saw an orange tree in someone’s garden that was filled with ripe, juicy oranges. The young boy, who lived there, offered us some to take with us and after chatting with him and his family, they invited us in for dinner. My face dropped and I practically ran inside! The family were very sweet and generous, they asked lots of questions about Cho and I and our journey.
When we arrived in the village of Vilcabamba the people were celebrating their annual carnival and if you happen to visit here around this time of year, be prepared to be struck countless times with water balloons, water guns and lots of foam! When the evening came, I was worried about finding a place to stay as we were surrounded by so many people but we stumbled across a great little restaurant called ‘The Lions Bear’ which was owned by a young English couple, Steph and Josh. They welcomed us in and offered us food and a few beers then let us stay for the night. The next day we helped them sell food at their stall for the carnival which they worked on with an American couple. When we met them, the lady gave me the best ‘Mummy’ hug which instantly opened up the flood gates! Sometimes a strong hug is the most comforting thing in the world. The man offered us $50 to take with us and as much as I resisted, he really wouldn’t let us leave without taking it – so now we have a buffer! It’s amazing the security we now feel having a little bit of money for emergency food or supplies.
After a month of being on this bike, I’ve started to become accustomed to life on the streets. Having no money has brought a whole new element of fear. Money is such a powerful thing in our lives as well as food and it’s something that I’ve never had to seriously think about as an element of surviving. In the first week we ate a lot of mangoes as they were literally littering the floor wherever we went. It then changed to bananas which were a much better source of fuel. When I’ve felt hunger back home, it was just a feeling I didn’t really think about as I knew food wasn’t hard for me to get. Now, my world revolves around food. When will I next eat? Will it ever come? Will I be able to cycle the distance I need to? The children from the charity I support, Operation South America must face these issues on a daily basis. They have to work and do countless chores as well as go to school without food. It’s a heartbreaking thought knowing they have to face this every day of their lives.
My first month has already opened my eyes to what some people go through daily. I am not sure if it will get any easier or become ten times harder, but I am still here, surviving and pedaling.
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