Hey there my Steemit friends! I'm no longer in transit and I find myself parked for the holidays in a lovely hotel for 12 dollars a night and a three minute walk from the Melecon 2000 (main drag along the river) in Guayaquil Ecuador. The last two and a half weeks have been brutal. It's taken me on a 40 hour journey across the planet through 5 countries and 8 locations. My last true not "In Transit" location was in Krabi Thailand where I enjoyed beaches like this one.
I left Thailand at the end of last month after having a great last minute dinner steemit meet up @theywillkillyou and @fitinfun in Bangkok the night before my big flight. @fitinfun is a social media and weight loss expert and @theywillkillyou is youtube-famous with about one million subscribers!
I booked my tickets in Laos several months ago from Bangkok to Orlando Florida with a ten hour over night layover in Stockholm Sweden then another five hour layover in London. It was pretty rough. Not sure if it was worth the $200 savings as I couldn't find a real good deal and you know a good deal is important to any "Travel Pro". Here is a photo of celebrity chef Jamie Oliver's restaurant in Heathrow Airport in London, who I'm a big fan of.
I landed in Orlando jet lagged and spaced out. My friend Bob came and picked me up and I stayed four nights at his house, recovered and got my circadian rhythm (body's clock) back in sink with the new time zone. I came from literally the other side of the planet, a twelve hour time difference. Talk about drilling a hole to China! Bob's a little camera shy but here is a photo of me in his kitchen and my first American meal. East meats west! T-Bone steak topped with sauteed onions and a Thai style beef bone vegetable soup! I must have been missing Thailand already! lol
Next it was a two hour bus to Tampa to see my father and his wife/my lovely stepmother Phyliss. They were one week away from closing on a brand new house just north of Tampa, and have been living in a hotel "Travel Pro" style waiting to move in. I got the hotel room right next to them. We also walked around the historic town of Sarasota which the famous Ringling Brothers helped develop along with a large Greek population.
After three nights with them, I hopped a four hour bus to Ft. Lauderdale Florida to see Uncle Kenny! He's a fun guy to pal around with. Been a bachelor his whole life, so living alone in his older years he enjoyed my company and we went all you can eat buffet hopping each day for four days. Kind of a hobby of his, trying all the buffets in the area. But he's also way into health and grows his own wheat grass, a travel pro health post of that is coming down the pike for sure.
Then onto Quito Ecuador to take care of some investments and see some old friends. Being the second highest capital city in the world, it was cold and chilly and I was happy to leave a short four days later. I was busy wheeling and dealing with the banks as they offer about 10% interest there, but I did find time to visit the Basilica Cathedral built in the early 1800s, as well as walk around the historic district and take a tonne of "Real Life Captured" photos.
Then I hopped an over night eight hour bus to Guayaquil Ecuador for $10.50; where it's sunny and warm and where I am now. Not only am I here for the weather. I'm also here to visit my lovely x girlfriend, we were together for over two years until things feel apart. We'll see if there is any spark left for a future together. (she's 28, so don't go thinking anything weird!)
With over 1,000 photos I went through on the airplanes from Bangkok to Orlando. I've got so many high quality and amazing posts that one post per a day just won't cut it. With all the free time just hanging in Guayaquil for the next few weeks, I'm going to start posting two or three times a day and bring my wonderful steemit friends some great "Travel Pro" blogging loaded with great information and high quality photos including some the best beaches I've ever seen in Thailand.
Thank you all for your interest and support. Sincerely- Dan "World Travel Pro!"
Not To be Missed!
Travel Pro Eats #5: Kow Mooooooo! In Chiang Mai Thailand (5 food photos)
Travel Pro Hang Out Hot Spot #4: Amsterdam Bar, Koh Phagnan Island Thailand (16 photos and video)
With over 10 years of travel experience I answer travel and international lifestyle questions. Leave a question in the comments and I may make a Steemit post just for you!
