INTERESTING PEOPLE - PART ONE

On Saturday, I attended the Farmer’s market here in Vilcabamba. One of the “farmers” that was selling her goat cheese and kale was a young lady from Oakland. Her mom lives in Sunnyvale. Naturally, we felt connected and I ended up chatting with her (Adrienne) for a while. Adrienne and her husband left California about four years ago. They were first living in Chile but did not like the pollution and weather there. They then moved to Ecuador and have been living here for the last three years or so. They bought a 3.5 hectares farm for $30K and have been developing it. Adrienne mentioned that the proceeds from their farm are able to cover their expenses. I believe with time, they will be able to generate income that more than covers their monthly expenses. She said that she definitely prefers the quality of water, air and food here compared to back home. I really admire folks like Adrienne & her husband who are working on something real – as opposed to products and services that are mere distractions and not a true need for a good life. I have met several other interesting people so far. The other day, I got to meet Anja, a German lady who discovered this valley 20 years ago. She loved its peace and nature & hence decided to settle here. Anja owns a beautiful home/hotel called Avalon and is also a yoga teacher. I happened to be at her place at the right time, that she offered me a free Kundalini Yoga class. This was my first time I have tried Kundalini yoga and I must say it was quite a workout. Anja also introduced me to Air Yoga.  Finally, there is Claire – an English geologist who used to work in Brisbane, Australia. She quit her job about a year ago and has been exploring Central America/South America via her motorbike. There were several other people that I have met so far that have quit their jobs and are traveling across Latin America for months. The best part of traveling for me is not the places that I get to see. Rather, it is the people that I get to meet and to be able to hear their stories.