Teleferiqo

Yes my family and friends there warned me to be streetwise even though I have to do that here in the inner city area of Sydney where I live. I thiought many of the locals were making much more of a big deal about it than it is - well in the old town of Quito anyway. I've always felt quite safe there.

I guess the perception but the thieves is that foreigners must be quite rich if they can afford to travel overseas......

I stayed in Ecuador for 2 months this summer, mostly centred in Quito as that was where i was volunteering. I am a 20 year old female and i took the buses by myself across the city and back to volunteer each day. I walked around the city but only during the day and not in any parks etc by myself, i also took taxis by myself etc...

I also did the teleferico with 3 other female volunteers and nothing happened although we did not climb the whole of Pinchincha, btu just went over the first peak. To be honest i would not have done it alone, just because of the relative dangers to a lone female in any country. BUt we didnt have any problems. I wouldnt advocate missing it out altogether, as unless any information specifically states that this area is a target then to be honest it could have been random and there is that danger anywhere in Ecaudor. Although i have to say that danger is very small if you are sensible and take appropraite precautions. E.g. how much money you carry, where you put it etc...
Im not trying to belittle the horrific circumstances of cupido76, what happened was awful and the psychological ramifications must be huge. However, if feel if you do appropraite research before you go anywhere in Ecuador and dont walk around by yourself at night etc then i feel that you are likely to be just fine.

I never had any real problems while i was there. There were afew potential problems that i (by myself or with the help of other volunteers) managed to diffuse. But considering that i dined at local places, stay with locals in a homestay, travelled with locals and other volunteers, volunteered and had to walk everyday through a very poor area etc... I did not get attacked, robbed, or anything else. The worse i probably had was an alsation chasing me and a bus driver on the way back from Tena who thought it would be a good idea to race the other bus drivers of opposing companies despite the claims of the passengers, oh and taxi drivers trying to rip me off, but if you know some spanish and what would be a fair price for a journey and someone is not using their taximeter then just haggle they are in the wrong and cnat do much about it. Although if by yourself make sure you have one foot out of the door before you haggle as there was one driver that tried to lock me and a friend in.

Oh woah i rambled...i just hope i made a bit of sense. I wouldnt want anyone to be scared and put of by Ecuador due ot the misfortunes (however awful) of a few. Its a beautiful county and the people can be lovely, few are not, but as i said just be sensible.

Laura
~X~