Nova Scotia Travel: We cover the best attractions in Nova Scotia, Canada with photos, maps, and videos. These include lighthouses, beaches, and waterfalls. We were both born here – and love exploring our province.
Storyteller Travel is run by Bryan and Dena Haines.
We’ve been travel bloggers for many years. And we and love it!
When we moved to South America in 2009, we created GringosAbroad – which has since been merged into this site. It was the largest (most read) site about Ecuador travel.
Drew Haines is an animal enthusiast, travel writer, and content marketer. She loves to share her passion through her writing.
She is the founder and owner of Everywhere Wild Media, Everywhere Wild, and the founder and owner of JustBirding.
She lived in Ecuador for 6 years and explored the Galapagos Islands. Currently based in N.S., Canada.
When we first moved our young family to Cuenca we spoke no Spanish and had no income. Life was interesting. We write about Ecuador food, things to do, cities, expat life, real estate, animals, plants and Ecuador news. Our favorite areas include Cuenca, Quito, Salinas, and the Galapagos Islands.
Here are some of the things that we’ve been up to…
More Reading:
Here are the other sites we produce.
Storyteller Tech: We blog about action camera photography – settings, mounts, and video creation. We’ve covered editing software, half-underwater photography, GoPro settings, and time-lapse creation.
GudGear: Outdoor tutorials and reviews for your next adventure.
EnjoyJava: Coffee is awesome and deserves its own site. This is one we’ve talked about for a long time – and now we’re building it.
Great blog! Loved the way you expose Ecuador as a beautiful and an attractive destiny not only for retirement but for who is looking for adventures.
Bryan Haines
Friday 16th of April 2021
Thanks Carlos - we love the country!
Gissela
Wednesday 1st of November 2017
Buenos días por favor necesito contactarme con ustedes, por favor me pueden enviar un número telefónico o su correo electrónico?
Gracias,
Gissela
Bryan Haines
Wednesday 1st of November 2017
Buenos días Gissela, puede contactarnos aquí https://storyteller.travel/contact/
Neil
Tuesday 26th of September 2017
Hi Bryan and Dena,
I am an American anthropologist that has been living in Brasil for ten years. So, I am very familiar and adjusted to Latin American culture in general. As you probably know, over the past five years, Brasil has really fallen apart as a country and I am thinking of moving to Ecuador. I speak a little Spanish but am fluent in Portuguese and since the two languages are very similar, I think I would be able to tweak my Portuguese and speak Spanish fluently in a relatively short period of time. Already, I have been following your blog for about a year now and conducting much research about Ecuador. For me, I'm interested in the beach towns as I have been living in a beach city in Brasil during my entire stay here. In terms of finances, I more than meet the official requirements for retirement in Ecuador. However, one thing still confuses me considerably - that is - the requirement for insurance and exactly how that works. Could you please explain further how this new law impacts expats - the particulars, pros and cons of it? Thank you.
Daniel
Saturday 11th of November 2017
Niel:
My wife and I just signed up for insurance. For the two of us it was $85.00/month. It will draw from our credit card. We used a private company Belgenica. The agent we used in Cuenca also arranged to have our certificate filed with immigration for a small fee. It would be slighly less for a one person plan. Belgenica only covers 80%, other companies such as Salud offers better coverage plans but they cost close to $140/month .... we are in our 50’s and 40’s. In the end we decided the extra cost for more coverage just wasn’t worth it. Health costs are reasonable here. I don’t think we have spent more that a few hundred on medical costs in the two years we have been here, Hope this helps.
Chris Bushman
Thursday 1st of June 2017
What things about US tourists annoy Ecuadorians most? How can we make the best impression?
Rebecca Garn
Tuesday 29th of November 2016
Hi, I am moving to ecuador for 5 months with 2 friends and 11 children. We are looking at a house in Pallatanga,Chimborazo. Do you know anything about this area? Will we be able to find schools and sports for the kids there? How is transportation there? Any info you have will be very helpful. Thanks!
Stewart
Tuesday 6th of December 2016
Hi Rebecca,
Question. Are you planning on doing missionary work in Pallatanga? Will you be home schooling? These are the questions that come to mind. It´s a small town in a rural area very much off the beaten path. Ok. yes there must be very nice properties
with very nice houses, but the majority of the population are poor. Don´t expect to send your kids to a public school. That is not a good option in Quito (the capital of Ecuador) much less a small town that´s about 1-1/2 hours from Riobamba (the closest city).
We traveled by car last month from Quito to Cuenca via highway 35 and stopped in Riobamba and spent the night at a nice hotel called Hosteria La Andaluza that took in our labrador. Beautiful view of Chimborazo in the morning. That´s the closest I´ve been to Pallatanga.
My advise is find some place closer to a city . . . unless you´re doing missionary work.
Good luck and God Bless.
Drew Haines
Carlos
Thursday 15th of April 2021
Great blog! Loved the way you expose Ecuador as a beautiful and an attractive destiny not only for retirement but for who is looking for adventures.
Bryan Haines
Friday 16th of April 2021
Thanks Carlos - we love the country!
Gissela
Wednesday 1st of November 2017
Buenos días por favor necesito contactarme con ustedes, por favor me pueden enviar un número telefónico o su correo electrónico? Gracias, Gissela
Bryan Haines
Wednesday 1st of November 2017
Buenos días Gissela, puede contactarnos aquí https://storyteller.travel/contact/
Neil
Tuesday 26th of September 2017
Hi Bryan and Dena, I am an American anthropologist that has been living in Brasil for ten years. So, I am very familiar and adjusted to Latin American culture in general. As you probably know, over the past five years, Brasil has really fallen apart as a country and I am thinking of moving to Ecuador. I speak a little Spanish but am fluent in Portuguese and since the two languages are very similar, I think I would be able to tweak my Portuguese and speak Spanish fluently in a relatively short period of time. Already, I have been following your blog for about a year now and conducting much research about Ecuador. For me, I'm interested in the beach towns as I have been living in a beach city in Brasil during my entire stay here. In terms of finances, I more than meet the official requirements for retirement in Ecuador. However, one thing still confuses me considerably - that is - the requirement for insurance and exactly how that works. Could you please explain further how this new law impacts expats - the particulars, pros and cons of it? Thank you.
Daniel
Saturday 11th of November 2017
Niel: My wife and I just signed up for insurance. For the two of us it was $85.00/month. It will draw from our credit card. We used a private company Belgenica. The agent we used in Cuenca also arranged to have our certificate filed with immigration for a small fee. It would be slighly less for a one person plan. Belgenica only covers 80%, other companies such as Salud offers better coverage plans but they cost close to $140/month .... we are in our 50’s and 40’s. In the end we decided the extra cost for more coverage just wasn’t worth it. Health costs are reasonable here. I don’t think we have spent more that a few hundred on medical costs in the two years we have been here, Hope this helps.
Chris Bushman
Thursday 1st of June 2017
What things about US tourists annoy Ecuadorians most? How can we make the best impression?
Rebecca Garn
Tuesday 29th of November 2016
Hi, I am moving to ecuador for 5 months with 2 friends and 11 children. We are looking at a house in Pallatanga,Chimborazo. Do you know anything about this area? Will we be able to find schools and sports for the kids there? How is transportation there? Any info you have will be very helpful. Thanks!
Stewart
Tuesday 6th of December 2016
Hi Rebecca, Question. Are you planning on doing missionary work in Pallatanga? Will you be home schooling? These are the questions that come to mind. It´s a small town in a rural area very much off the beaten path. Ok. yes there must be very nice properties with very nice houses, but the majority of the population are poor. Don´t expect to send your kids to a public school. That is not a good option in Quito (the capital of Ecuador) much less a small town that´s about 1-1/2 hours from Riobamba (the closest city). We traveled by car last month from Quito to Cuenca via highway 35 and stopped in Riobamba and spent the night at a nice hotel called Hosteria La Andaluza that took in our labrador. Beautiful view of Chimborazo in the morning. That´s the closest I´ve been to Pallatanga. My advise is find some place closer to a city . . . unless you´re doing missionary work. Good luck and God Bless.