So...the reality is setting in that we will be travelling to South America in a few months! Excited but somewhat tentative as well. I have never travelled outside of North America, so its a very big deal for me! We have been to a travel clinic and reviewed what vaccines and medications we should be taking. Hepatitis A and B are recommended as well as malaria medication. Main concern is with mosquitoes that carry malaria. According to our information, these mosquitoes come out in the evening. All of the hotels we are staying at have mosquito nets for the beds.  If we go out in the evening we are advised to use strong insect repellent and wear long pants and shirts. I will be interested to see how the locals deal with this problem, and whether they have any immunity to the diseased insects.
I have also started wondering about the practicalities of travelling. Mike and I want to make sure we pack as lightly as possible, because we will be changing locations often. We have been looking at Pac Safe luggage, which is resistant to theft. We are also looking at money belts and other options for keeping ID and money in a safe location when moving around. I have been wondering about what to pack for toiletries. I am not certain if the hotels and B and B places will have these items, but I do not want to pack too much from here either.
All of these specifics are making the trip more real to me, and my anticipation is growing. I am looking forward to meeting people along the way and immersing myself in the culture of Ecuador. If any of you reading the blog have travel tips, please post them in the comments!