In February and March 2020, just weeks before COVID-19 broke out, I was fortunate enough to travel with Fabian and his family to Ecuador. Fabian was born and raised in the indigenous mountain village of Salinas in the Andes. When I was ten years old, Fabian came to Norway and worked on the farm where I grew up. This turned into a lifelong friendship, and Fabian wanted to show me his homeland. The trip became a powerful encounter with a different culture, and Fabian’s family showed us everything Ecuador has to offer in terms of rich indigenous history. The Carnival was a highlight, and we traveled throughout the entire country — from mountains reaching 5,000 meters above sea level to the Pacific coastline.

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Quito (formally San Francisco de Quito) is the capital of Ecuador, the country’s most populous city, and at an elevation of 2,850 metres above sea level. Photo: Olav, February 2020

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Chimborazo mountain, photo at 4 800 metres above sea level. With a peak elevation of 6 263 metres, Chimborazo is the highest mountain in Ecuador. Chimborazo’s summit is also the farthest point on the Earth’s surface from the Earth’s center given that it is located along the planet’s equatorial bulge. Photo: Olav, February 2020.

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Salinas de Guaranda, also known as Salinas de Tomabela, is an Ecuadorian village at the altitude of 3550 m at the Andes in the province of Bolivar. It is known for its solidarity based economy and cooperative companies that produce cheeses, chocolates, dried mushrooms and fruits, alpaca wool yarn and textiles. The products are sold under the brand Salinerito. Photo: Olav, February 2020.

In March, Ecuador bursts into vibrant carnival celebrations. We were lucky to experience the lively streets, colorful parades, and joyous atmosphere of the Ecuadorian Carnival firsthand

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Who needs a bus when you have church benches on a truck? In Ecuador, these benches on a flatbed become a local bus in no time!

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Ecuador is one of the world’s largest banana producers, supplying bananas globally. Here’s a truck obviously loaded with… bananas!

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Standing at the Equator with the boys – adventure, laughter, and memories from a journey we’ll never forget.