LAST YEAR, my classmates and I were planning a weekend trip to Baños, one of the most beautiful towns in Ecuador. We had been looking forward to it for weeks because it was supposed to be a relaxing getaway after midterm exams. The idea was to visit the waterfalls, go on the famous “swing at the end of the world,” and enjoy the thermal baths. I had imagined clear skies, warm weather, and lots of pictures for Instagram.

AT FIRST, everything was going perfectly. We had left Riobamba early in the morning, and the road trip was full of laughs and music. WHEN we arrived, the sky was a bit cloudy, but we didn't think much of it. We had already booked our activities and were ready for adventure.

BUT THEN, the weather changed completely. It started raining heavily just as we got to the Casa del Árbol. The swing was closed due to strong winds. We waited for over an hour, hoping the rain would stop, but it only got worse. Eventually, we decided to go down to town and look for food.

AFTER THAT, things just kept going wrong. The street we had parked on got flooded, and we had to walk barefoot through the water to get to the bus. One of my friends even slipped in the mud and lost her phone. BY THAT POINT, most of us were tired, wet, and frustrated.

HOWEVER, SOMETHING AMAZING happened that night. SINCE the rain hadn’t stopped, we all stayed at the hostel and started talking about random things—our dreams, childhood memories, funny stories. Someone brought out a guitar, and we ended up singing old Spanish songs together. FOR THE FIRST TIME in a while, we really connected as friends.

LOOKING BACK, the trip didn’t go how I had expected, but it taught me that sometimes, the best memories come from the worst situations. I had hoped for adventure—but what I got was even better: real friendship.

Thanks for reading,
Antonio