The view from the Monument of the Equator
The country of Ecuador is named for the Equator and no trip to the country would be complete without a visit to this imaginary line that divides the earth into northern and southern hemispheres. Just 45 minutes from central Quito, the city of Mitad del Mundo (Spanish for “Middle of the World”) sits right on Latitude 0° and is home to the Equator Monument, the official Equator museum and a planetarium. But for a little more fun, head down the road to the Inti Nan Solar Museum where you can view exhibits from Ecuador’s history (including an actual shrunken head) and perform various experiments to test the Coriolis Effect like watching water swirl in reverse directions as it drains on either side of the Equator. It’s a bit of a tourist trap but definitely still worth a visit.
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I'm Jenny McIver, career girl, globetrotter. On New Year's Day, 2005, a newspaper article about a man who took a trip around the world sparked a wanderlust in me that has yet to abate. I spent the following year planning my own trip-of-a-lifetime and have since made it into an annual, month-long adventure visiting and writing about more than 130 countries on all 7 continents along the way - all while maintaining a full-time career. Today, my goal is to be that spark of inspiration for others by proving that you can fulfill your wildest travel dreams without quitting your day job.