Mobile Passport App

UPDATE: Two of the travelers and I used the Mobile Passport when we landed in Miami International Airport. It DID speed up passing through immigration, although our plane was the only one that landed and was going through immigration at that early hour in the morning. I suppose that as the app becomes more popular, with more people using it, it will only be faster if they adjust the number of clerks they have for the Mobile Passport Line.

Mrs. Smith, a social studies teacher at PAHS and a mother of one of the students going to Ecuador, told me about the MOBILE PASSPORT app.  

The description from the website UpgradedPoints (click here) states:  

Mrs. Smith has friends that travel often and when returning to the states, they use Mobile Passport to speed up the process at customs. 

This trip will have many avenues in which students have the opportunities to learn, not only about Ecuador, but also about international travel. This is one of those opportunities!

If any of the travelers want to download this app before leaving home (to save your data usage when abroad), and go through customs using Mobile Passport on your smart phone, I will accompany you, and maybe another chaperone if the group is more than a few travelers. For those that travel internationally often, this could be a handy option to have when returning from your trip in the future. 

The benefit to going through customs quickly is that we can go to the luggage carousel and start collecting our group's luggage.

Is there anyone that has already used Mobile Passport? Does anyone have Global Entry? Do any of the parents of the student travelers have experience using Mobile Passport? If so, I'd love to hear about it!

Ribbons for the luggage

Today I bought neon pink ribbon for everyone's checked bag and carry-on. When you arrive at Palmyra Area High School on July 1 at 8:30 a.m., you need to get ribbons for your bags BEFORE you place your bag in the storage area under the bus and BEFORE you get on the bus.

Why do you need ribbons? There are two reasons:

1) When we arrive at the airport in Quito and wait for our luggage at the carousel, instead of only looking for your suitcase to pull off the carousel, anytime you see a suitcase with the neon pink ribbon you will grab that luggage and put it in the area where we are amassing the group's luggage.

In this way, we have more eyes looking for and watching everyone's suitcase.

2) Regarding the carry-ons; if someone accidentally walks away from their carry-on at the airport, the others will know immediately that the bag belongs to someone in our group and there is less chance that the bag will be left behind. 

YOU are responsible for your bags and I want YOU to be vigilant about keeping track of your bags, but the ribbons will be an extra measure in keeping our bags secure. 

Temperatures around Ecuador

The temperatures of the locations we will visit in Ecuador vary. In the previous post, I shared the information from Victor about two of our locations. Below is a chart with average highs/lows of the places we will visit. Pay particular attention to the temperatures at Cotopaxi National Park.

First, follow this link, How to Spend 2 Days in the Mindo Cloud Forest, and scroll to the bottom of the blog post to find What to Pack. It lists 6 items that travelers should be sure to pack when visiting Mindo Cloud Forest. If you don't have items that you need for the trip, you have 6 days to either find it locally or order it online.

Cotopaxi National Park
Did you notice the temperature at Cotopaxi National Park? The average high temperature is 41°! This morning at 5am, it was 22° Fahrenheit! We won't be at the park at 5am, but our hike in the park is in the morning. 

It will be wise to pack a warm long sleeve shirt, sweatshirt, or jacket, and gloves, for this 2 hour hike. Victor said in the email response that I shared with you that it is "cold and windy". Please take that into consideration when packing. 

Meet Victor - our Tour Guide from Ecuador (and other useful information)

Yesterday I received an email from Victor, our tour guide from Ecuador. He introduced himself and then continued with helpful information about our trip. I sent several questions to him for clarification on our excursions and his recommendations for the appropriate clothing.  

In the first half of the post is the information that Victor wrote in his first (introduction) email. The GREEN print is exactly what Victor wrote.

Below Victor's email information are questions that I sent to him. My questions are written in ORANGE and his responses are written in GREEN. It will be very useful information for the travelers in deciding what clothing to pack and planning what to wear for each day.

Currency
Bills higher than 50 used are rarely accepted. It is recommended to carry only coins and notes of low value.

Clothing
In the Amazon or jungle, wear clothing adequate for rain. If you can get yourself a raincoat (poncho), take it with you, as well as several sets of light pants and long sleeve shirts. Shorts are less useful because of the insects and abundant vegetation that we will walk through on our excursion. A hat and insect repellents are very important. 

(I asked him several questions about what to wear on specific days for the excursions. That information is written later in this blog post.)

Snorkeling
For snorkeling, the mask and snorkel are included BUT if any of the students lose a mask, snorkel, or fins, they'll have to pay for it. For example, only the mask will be more than 50 usd.

Sunscreen & Seasickness
You ned to bring sunscreen at Galapagos. Seasickness pills may be required for people sensitive to sea motion.

Suitcases
Try to bring small suitcases and very light because we are going on buses, ferry, and speedboats and big suitcases make us move slower from one place to another. Sometimes students bring tons of snacks in big suitcases so I suggest (that they) buy snacks her in Ecuador and try some local chocolate, plantain chips, coconut cookies, etc. And also you will help our local economy.

Water bottle
Water bottles are important to ring to refill at the islands.

Weather
The weather in Quito is currently sunny in the morning and some rain in the afternoon with temperatures ranging from 58F to 70F. In the Galapagos Islands the weather is hot with temperatures ranging from 74F to 90F.

Next...the questions I asked about specific excursions. Check your email for the itinerary which will tell you which day we are doing each of the activities.

1. MINDO CLOUD FOREST: We drive to Mind Cloud Forest and hike to the waterfall. How long is the hike to the waterfall? Is it best to wear long pants instead of shorts? Will we be in dense vegetation?

The hike is easy and it is a loop that may take one hour with the explanation. The waterfall is small and the only thing the kids may need is a raincoat. The path is not narrow and there is no problem with the vegetation.

2. CHARLES DARWIN RESEARCH CENTER: We have a two-hr tour at the CDRS followed by a sightseeing tour to see the twin craters, lava tunnels and giant tortoises. Is it appropriate to wear shorts for this?

No problem to wear shorts. The only thing I don't suggest is to wear flip flops. I suggest to wear Keen, Teva, or sneakers. 

3. LOS HUMEDALES: Since it is on the islands, I assume it will be warm and shorts will be appropriate.

Shorts are fine; we are going to walk on a wooden path.

4. COTOPAXI NATIONAL PARK: We have a 2-hr hike around the Limpiopungo Lake. Shorts or long pants?

Long pants; windy and cold.

5. WHITEWATER RAFTING: What level rapids?
Level 3; easy, fun, and very friendly rafting.

6. HIKE TO INDIGENOUS VILLAGE: How long is the hike. Is it best to wear long pants? Will we be in the jungle for the hike?

Some kids wear shorts. It is not a problem but they have to spray more bug spray. For me, the problem is the sandflies; mosquitos are not a problem.

REMINDER: Plan on arriving at PHS on July 1 at 8:30 am.

16 days until Ecuador

We have 16 days until we leave for Ecuador! 

Refer to your packing list to see which items you still need to purchase.

Some additional reminders to include the following: 

- Sunscreen (Mrs. Shuey shared THIS LINK for eco-friendly sunscreens) 

- Anti-seasick pills/patches (check with your doctor) for the boat rides to the islands (2+ hrs on a boat)

- Reusable Water Bottle

- Jacket for the cool mornings

- Eco-friendly Insect Repellent

- Swim suits  

- Hiking boots (or another possibility is to opt for sneakers that are trail sneakers and waterproof)

- Malaria pills (if your doctor recommended them)

- Rain slicker or umbrella

- Water shoes (or old sneakers that you don't mind getting soaked) for the whitewater rafting excursion

- Lightweight (breathable) long pants (option: zip off legs) and long-sleeved shirt(s) for walks in the jungle.

- Hand sanitizer

Do you know where your passport is at this moment? Remember, in Ecuador, your passport will be your BFF.

Have you called your credit card/bank or notified them online that you will be traveling outside of the US from July 1-11?

If you are taking prescription medicine along with you, is the prescription filled and in it's original container?

Have you told your mom and/or dad lately how thankful you are that you are able to go on this trip?

REMINDER: Meet at the HS parking lot (in the back) at 8:30 am on July 1.

If you plan to take the Amtrak train from Philadelphia to Elizabethtown on July 11, please let me know. (Our Amtrak group has grown to 7 and we have room for more if the train is more convenient for you and your family!)

Fun Facts about Ecuador #1

Over the next few days I will post interesting facts about Ecuador. While it is fun learning about Ecuador, the other reason I am posting is because I’m experimenting with blogging directly from my telephone. It all goes well, I can eliminate the need to take my mini iPad on the trip and be able to pack lighter.

The Spanish translation of Equator is ECUADOR. Ecuador was named after the equator because the equator runs through Ecuador. Ecuador is the only country that is named after a geographical feature.

Source: 18 interesting facts about Ecuador

Ecuador Informational Sheet

You will receive the Ecuador informational sheet as an attachment in an email, but you can also access it here by clicking on the following:

Ecuador Informational Sheet

Footwear & Clothing for Hiking

Columbia Sportswear - hiking shoe for women

If you did not purchase footwear for the hiking excursions in Ecuador yet, you may want to consider checking out the footwear at Columbia Sportswear Company.  There is an outlet store at Tanger Outlets in Lancaster,  (1500 Stanley K Tanger Blvd) which is across the highway from Dutch Wonderland.

I purchased the women's hiking shoe for $69.99 at the store last night. They passed this morning's test run on a 1.5 mile walk in the farm field lane with my dog; picking berries in my strawberry patch; chasing after my dog through the soybean field, across the road, and through the neighbor's freshly disced field (a glimpse into my eventful morning before school today). I give the hiking boots a two thumbs up.👍🏼👍🏼
Also, they are WATERPROOF!!!

Columbia Sportswear - hiking shoe for men

My husband needed shoes also and he purchased a men's hiking shoe for $49.99. The employee at Columbia said the shoe he purchased was the hiking shoe with the highest sales for the last few years.

They also had a good selection of lightweight jackets, lightweight long sleeve shirts, and lightweight pants for the jungle hikes if you want extra protection from bugs and mosquitoes. I know it sounds strange to wear long sleeves and pants in a hot climate, but they have a material that is called Omni-Shade, which deflects sunlight away from the body and is a breathable fabric. They have a huge selection of clothing with Omni-Shade. (see photo below for a full description). 

I plan on liberally spraying insect repellent to ward off mosquitos and other insects, along with wearing long sleeves and long pants on the hikes. If you attract mosquitos like I do, you may want to do the same.

Columbia Sportswear is currently having a Father's Day Sale in case you are considering checking out the store. I don't know if that sale also applies to buying products online. (btw - I do not have any affiliation with Columbia Sportswear 😊.)

I'm sure there are other stores that are closer that offer similar products but I wanted to let you know about Columbia's clothing and footwear in case you will be near Lancaster in the next week or so. 

The Excitement Builds!

 

After almost two years of planning, we have less than 30 days until we leave Palmyra for another continent and another culture - Ecuador, South America. At Sunday's meeting, I could feel the excitement building among the student travelers and their parents. 

For those that were unable to attend the meeting and for those in attendance, below is a summary of what we discussed at the meeting:

PAST DUE!! - $128 for bus to Philadelphia & tour guide tips in Ecuador. Submit a check payable to Cynthia Hitz or cash in a labeled envelope to Mrs. Hitz ASAP.

PAST DUE!! - color copy of passport

1. Please complete the Traveler Health & Medical Profile document and return to Sra. Hitz by Wednesday, June 5 in Room 130.  

2. The flights and hotels are listed on the yellow paper you received at the meeting. For quick access, take a photo of the information with your smart phone. In addition, the flights and hotels will be listed on the EF website 3 weeks before departure.

3. July 1: You need to be at PHS at 8:30 am on July 1, 2019. It will be a long day of traveling. We will arrive in Quito, Ecuador, at 10:57 at night. Try to get a good night's sleep for the previous two nights before the trip.

4. You will have time to buy lunch at the airport on July 1 before our 1:45 flight departure or you can bring a bagged lunch to eat at the airport.

5. Weight limit for checked bags is 44 pounds. Although the international flight has a weight limit of 50 pounds, the internal flights from Quito to the Galapagos Islands has a weight limit of 44 pounds.

6. Any liquids on the carry-on bag (or personal item) should follow the 3-1-1 rule. All liquids must be 3 ounces or less, in 1 clear ziplock plastic bag, 1 bag per person.

7. Any medication should be in the original container with the label of the prescription from the doctor.

8. Each traveler is responsible for handling his/her luggage throughout the trip.

9.Toilet Paper: Follow the Better Safe than Sorry philosophy and bring at least a partial roll of toilet paper.

10. AMTRAK. If you do not have transportation from Philadelphia to your home on July 11 2019, let me know as soon as possible. At least two teachers are planning on taking AMTRAK from the Philadelphia Airport to the Elizabethtown train station. We will not know what time we are arriving at Elizabethtown until after we land in Philadelphia and take SEPTA to the 30th street station.

11. Dietary Needs:  If you have dietary needs that the airline should know, you need to personally call the airlines. The airlines and flights are listed on the yellow sheet you received today.

Any dietary restrictions such as Vegan, Allergies, should be noted on the Medical form (white paper). Also, please email me that information so I can let Anna, the EF Tour Consultant know, as soon as possible.

12. A parent asked if the AAA prepaid cards work at ATMs in Ecuador since that is a safer option than bank debit cards (the traveler's bank account is not connected to the AAA prepaid cards and the cards can be reloaded from the US). I am checking into that and will send the information to parents as soon a I find out the answer.  

13. Ecuador uses 110 volt for electrical appliances so no special adaptors are needed. UPDATE: My friend Carrie said she had no issues using electric appliances in Ecuador but she had heard that the cords with the ground devices attached do not work in Ecuador.

14. Pack a change of clothes on your carry-on or in your personal item that you carry on the plane.  Don't play the "Will the airline loose my luggage?" lottery.

15. Don't forget to pack a jacket for the cool mornings; also a long sleeve shirt or two to cover arms during jungle hikes and possibly a lightweight pair of pants for the jungle hike.