My spirit is telling me Cuenca with many trips a year to the beach 😂❤

@@JC-zd9de That sounds great!

Aww I'm so happy to hear our video came right on time for you. Yes, I've been totally converted to a mountain girl because of the cool, not so humid weather and less bugs/mosquitoes. We took a trip to Montañita ( a city on the coast) last year, and it was a bit too hot and humid for me to enjoy. I was surprised. Maybe, it was also the time of the year that we went (around April). I do still miss the ocean though, but life in the mountains is not so bad. It grows on you, after you adjust to the altitude. You can also alternate between Cuenca and Manta, and see which one is a best fit for you. You can take a van from Cuenca to Quayaquil (about 3.5 hours) , and then take a bus from Guayaquil to many coastal cities, including Manta. If you're not one for road trips, alternatively, you can fly from Cuenca to Quito, and then fly from Quito to Manta. I think that might be super convenient. And oh yes, you're more than welcome to donate to us here, through Paypal: paypal.com/paypalme/JudithBQuist Or here, ko-fi.com/wellnessxplora And we'll take you up on that offer for lunch or dinner too. We are big foodies 😂 Thank you so much for watching and commenting. I appreciate your support. 🙏🏾

@@TheXplorasDiary I will donate next month, pinky swear.

@@moviemystic999 Sure, sure. No pressure 😆

Thank you so much for your kind words, and also for watching and commenting, Peter. Your support means a lot. Happy to know that you find our videos valuable. I appreciate you 🙏🏾

You're not alone in your experience, the elevation is always an issue when you arrive initially. But I think for many people, their bodies adjust after a while. I hear drinking lots of water and Coca Tea helps though. And oh, I still get scared while going on long trips through the mountains because of how the roads bend and wind. So Scary! My anxiety goes through the roof of the road, but the breathtaking views always serve as a good distraction. Thanks for watching and commenting. I appreciate your support.🙏🏾

I'm sure you'll enjoy life in the mountains as well. Unfortunately, we didn't take the house because it had already been rented out. But I'm sure if you contact Johannes ( the real estate agent in the video) and tell him what you're looking for, he may be able to find you something similar.

Totally agree. We didn't want to leave the property. It was so stunning. Thanks for watching and commenting.🙏🏾

Good Choice 😆. Thanks for watching and commenting

You're absolutely right. It's why we're considering just staying in the building we're in now because we have a generator here. Thanks for watching and commenting.

You're right. Having some form of transportation would ease the stress of getting to town. But since we don't have a car, we'd need to rely on taxis which could easily add up. I'm guessing about $20 for a trip to and from the city. Not too bad if you plan on leaving the house only once a week. I loved the bath tubs and jaccuzis in the third apartment for the same reason as you, i love a good bath over a shower 😂 Thank you so much for watching and commenting. Your support means a lot.

I'm glad the video was helpful. Thank you too for watching and commenting. I appreciate your support🙏🏾

Yes, the 1st house is in a great location, but the last house was so dreamy. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for watching and commenting.

Yes, you're absolutely right about the last house, It needs a generator. It's why we're considering staying where we currently are, because we do have a generator here. We just wanted to see what's out there on the rental market. Thanks for watching and commenting. Always appreciate seeing you comment. Have an amazing week.

The third one was my favorite too. Thank you so much for watching and commenting. I appreciate your support. 🙏🏾

For sure. The home was fabulous and also offered a lot more value for the price. Thanks for watching and commenting 🙏🏾

I'm glad you enjoyed the video. I appreciate you watching and commenting.

Yes, Ecuador is a must visit. An underrated destination in South America, in my opinion. I think visiting will help you feel the vibe and see if it's for you. There's also an expat community in Manta (which is on the coast), so you can also be close to the beach if that's your preference. Thanks so much for watching, commenting and subscribing. I appreciate you 🙏🏾❤️

Thanks so much🙏🏾. I'm glad you're finding them helpful.

Thanks for watching and commenting. Glad you found the video helpful. 🙏🏾

And YES, the sweater is gorgeous and versatile for the cooler temperature. I want one, and I love earth tone colors.

Thanks so much for watching and commenting. It means a lot to us. Absolutely. You can contact my friend here at this email address lajuan.gruber@att.net , I'm sure she'll make you the perfect custom scarf.

Thank you so much for your kind words. ☺️❤️🙏🏾

Totally agree with you, it's a bit removed from town and not as convenient. The third apartment is literally walking distance from the city centre, so that's a better choice if you're looking to save money on having to pay for taxis in and out of town. Thanks for watching and contributing. I appreciate your support 🙏🏾

Thanks so much for watching and commenting. It means a lot. Absolutely. You can contact my friend here at this email address lajuan.gruber@att.net , I'm sure she'll make you the perfect scarf.

Thank you too for your continuous support. It really means a lot.

Thanks for watching and commenting❤️

very true!

probably $10. one direction. $20. rt x 2x a week,,, x 4 weeks

We don't plan on buying a car now, so we would have to rely on taxis for locations like the last one. Yea, I think a dog and some security cameras on the property would be a wonderful addition. I hope we come across more beautiful properties like these that are even closer to the city. Thanks for watching and commenting.

@@BPe-ie9je I think you're on point with this guesstimate. I'm guessing $20 - $22 for round trips from the city.

Agreed. Thanks so much for watching and commenting.

We're going to have to check out Manta then. We've only been to Montañita on the coast. What did you love about Manta?

For sure. Please make sure you subscribe so you don't miss out on them. Thank you too for watching and commenting.

Im leaning towards agreeing,,,#1 but negotiate price way down in this market.

is he showing you more properties???

House #3 has very functional kitchen.

do you know.....on demand hot water heaters or hot water tank?

You're right. Navigating that road could get muddy and treacherous during the rainy season, and much cooler at night since it's higher in the mountains. I was told it was 1 to 2 degrees cooler than Cuenca.

I'm with you. It was difficult to leave. The views suck you right in. Thanks a lot for watching and commenting.

Thanks for watching and commenting. We appreciate your contribution.

Yes, it's an underrated gem here in South America. Beautiful landscapes and wonderful people. An exploratory trip to determine if it's a good fit for you is a great decision. Thank you for watching and commenting. I appreciate you 🙏🏾

Thanks a lot for watching and commenting

Gringolandia seems getting a bit more 'apeal'? It's near Transvia, right? big plus. Quick hop to El Centro?

appt #3 dishwasher 🙂, w people leaving, those coming slowed down a bit, I'd imagine you could find used car from gringo, cheap, basically unloading,,,,if you decided you wanted car. A ded icated taxi driver (call on need) sounds great, too. Boy!!!! youm might have to go day, hot springs spa to think this one thru!!! Great to have lovely choices. My plumber told me stay away from IG fridges. Compressor motors going out after yr., so, $1200. to fix.

I love the way you did this video. Not rushed at all and I really appreciate that you give enough time for viewers to actually read your descriptions and captions. Those properties were all beautiful but the house was too secluded for me. And having only one road in and one out would make me uneasy. I have been to various cities in Ecuador over 2 visits planning my retirement in a couple years. I fell in love with Cuenca this last visit so I’ll be spending 3 weeks there in February and I’m really looking forward to it. I’ll be watching for more of your videos. Love your music selections too. Regards from Canada 😊

Another beautiful video….loved them all. I noticed that one of the properties close by is a construction site. Could generate a lot of noise. Without a car the house outside of town (though lovely) might give me pause. Might be tough to get a taxi to come when it’s raining, imho. Good luck with your decision.

Yes, for the last property you should be able to get local produce and eggs from nearby farmers and small tiendas/shops in the community The balcony of the unfurnished apt was a bit too close to the road and there was some construction work going on at that time, so it wasn't my favorite. Since most of the apartment buildings were new, we didn't ask about poorly done plumbing but I'm sure it's something you can ask the building to do for you. Oh there's LOTS OF YARN here, very easily available. I think there may even be some knitting groups here (I think my friend who knits has mentioned that to me before. Yes, prices are negotiable. Especially when you don't have a pet

You're right, apt #1 it's a sweet spot. But still a little pricey for the Cuenca rental market. I appreciate you watching and commenting.

I love your thought process. These things are important to consider when finding a place to live here. Thanks for watching and contributing. I appreciate your insights.

You're absolutely right. It's gorgeous but a bit too far away from everything. We enjoy living in the city, close to all that we need. Thanks for watching and commenting. ☺️

Absolutely ☺️. Thanks so much for watching and commenting.

Oh yes, we love living in the mountains, the cool air, greenery and good vibes. It's a beautiful experience. But you're right, having a generator is essential given that there have been some massive power outages in the last couple of months.

I'll dig around and see if I can find the video. Thanks for sharing this.

I'm sure you're counting down the days to your trip. Let us know when you're around ☺️

Hola ❤

Unfortunately, the last location has just been rented out. But we would have to rely on taxis for a location like that since we don't own a car here. Thank you too for watching and commenting. Your support means a lot to us,

@@TheXplorasDiary Wow! That rented out so fast! Do you know what the approximate Cab fare would be from El Centro to this location?

@@pedroblanco8311 The real estate agent said he believed it would be around aprx. $10 to get into town and another $10 back to the house.

@@TheXplorasDiary Thanks for sharing.

Great choice ☺️. Thanks for watching and commenting. We appreciate you

Oh no! I will connect you to him. Here's his information once again. Johannes Görcke Telephone number and Whatsapp number: +593 98 483 8552 Wishing you all the best with your process. Maybe you can opt for an airbnb. instead of a hotel, so that you can take your time with the process. I'm sure the perfect place is waiting for you 🙏🏾

@@TheXplorasDiary the one I had an issue with was normally an Airbnb. Thanks for the contact information I will text him later today.

Yes, for sure. Renting is cheaper than doing airbnb long term because with airbnb, you'll have to consider taxes, and additional fees like cleaning and service fees, so It'll be a little more expensive than just renting out a place.

I don't think it's a lot of work. It's one of the reasons I love this channel. The music is so relaxing, the visual content amazing and the text adds so much to the story telling.

Unfortunately, the bathrooms in the last house didn't have windows leading outside (for that kind of ventilation), but they did have fans for ventilation

No, my hair is not braided. I have locs. I have seen a couple of women with new braids, but I haven't found where the braid shops are yet. I'll make a video on it when I discover where they are.

@@TheXplorasDiary let me go on and hit the follow button. Cuz my poor twists are are still twisting but holding on for dear life.😭😭😭

@@TheXplorasDiary are you all going to be downtown tomorrow night for the fireworks?? If so, I hope I get to meet and give you a warm welcome to Cuenca☺️

I'm not entirely sure how much it costs to buy a house here because we're renting at the moment. However, I have seen some apartments for sale within the $100,000 and above range

We still haven't chosen yet because we like where we currently live now.

Thanks so much. You can email my friend who made the scarf here Lajuan.gruber@att.net , I'm sure she'll be happy to connect with you and make you something you like.