[SUZAN HASKINS]

I must have an iron stomach because I have never been sick. And I’m not very cautious. But for you visitors, I suggest you stick to bottled water. You’ll find it in hotels, you can order it in restaurants, etc. In Cuenca and Cotacachi, many expats drink water right from the tap. But again, if you’re just coming to visit, play it safe and drink bottled water. If you prepare your own food, you’ll find tiny bottles of disinfectant in the produce section of the grocery store, The brand we use is Kilol and it is a grapefruit extract. (Citrus, just like the limey sailors used to use.) Rinse your produce, but it in a large bowl, cover it with water, drop in 3 or 4 drops and let it soak a bit. If you are cooking the produce you can skip this step. Cooking kills any bacteria. I don’t worry about eating salads in restaurants as they will have already washed the produce. That said, I recommend visitors no eat food they buy from street vendors, and don’t eat at filthy restaurants. Choose the clean places, choose the popular places with lots of people, etc. If you do pick up a bug, ask someone at your hotel or pharmacy to recommend a remedy. (P.S. A friend from Panama got ‘tourist’s revenge from a hotel we stayed at together in Las Vegas. It’s all about bacteria your body is not used to…)

[SUZAN HASKINS]

We’ve put together some detailed itineraries for you, based on the amount of time you have to spend in the country….if you only have a certain number of days — or if you have a month or more — where should you go, where should you stay, and who should you talk to? Find the answer here: https://internationalliving.com/country_clubs/travel-itineraries/

[SUZAN HASKINS]

In the city of Quito itself, you’ll find the Quito Tenis and Golf Club. Learn more here: http://www.qtgc.com. Memberships are limited and can be difficult to obtain.

However, there are three other options (Los Cerros, Los Chillos, and Arrayanes) all in the neighboring valleys, within about 30 minutes of the heart of the city. Initiation fees average about $10,000 with additional monthly fees of about $200 to $300. You can easily find the websites for this with a Google search.

You’ll also find two golf courses in the larger city of Guayaquil and a nine-hole course in Cuenca. All told, course quality in Ecuador ranges from adequate to excellent.

And keep in mind that playing golf in the rarified atmosphere of the high-altitude Andes Mountains will cause your ball to spin less, curve less, and soar farther than ever. Instant game changer.

[SUZAN HASKINS]

I doubt you will have any problem. Overall, Ecuadorians are very welcoming and outgoing.

[SUZAN HASKINS]

Hi Sylvie, you can either fly to Manta and head south from there. Or by car from Quito, you’ll take the highway through Santo Domingo. Puerto Lopez is about 45 minutes south of Manta.

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