Turning 27 In Ecuador

Amazing Group

Ecuador is not a bad place to celebrate your 27 birthday, especially when you have a ton of friends with you and a party bus. When the 18th of September (2010) rolled around I was a pretty happy man. I had hired a Chiva Bus, essentially an opened top vehicle complete with DJ, disco lights and as much alcohol as you can put down your throat. It drives around Quito for 2 hours while you dance the night away and it ended up becoming a pretty messy affair.

Before this bus madness however, we first had some drinks on the terrace of the Secret Garden Hostal, above the twinkling lights of Quito. I have some amazing friends here and they had treated me to a whole host of suprises. The terrace was decorated with birthday banners, then I was give a number of brilliant presents, including an "I love Quito" t-shirt with all the names of the guys who had helped create it on the back. I also got a giant bottle of Jagermiester - which was finished by us all in about 40 minutes, and the entire DVD box set of 24, season 8. Yay. Amazingly these guys had also made me a brilliant hand drawn card by Dom (a very talented Australian who had been volunteering at the Secret Garden for some time) and an incredible cake in the shape of a volcano, complete with dripping lava. It wouldnt be until two days later when we actually ate it but I can tell you it was delicious. I was also given presents by my Ecua-brothers (Jefferson and Santo), by Jaqui, Mike and by Diana. I was a bit overwhelmed by it all!!!

As people started to gather on the terrace we continued to party and drink ourselves stupid. Eventually we all left for the party bus. I had 35 people on it. Most were friends from the Secret Garden, but equally I had work mates there, some of my other Ecuadorian buddies and a number of all their friends. The party bus was brilliant. I dont remember most of it but I do remember enjoying it if those two things together are possible. Half way through the night the bus stopped by a park and we all got off for some sort of drinking games. I had to dance with three people and the rest would vote on who was the winner. I would then be the king of the party and the winner would be the queen. It was no suprise that everyone picked Dom as my queen!!! We were given crowns and prizes.

We continued on the bus before eventually being dropped off in the Mariscal. There 35 drunk people headed off to a club for more dancing madness. I was pulled up on stage at one point and an entire bottle of champagne was poured over me. By the end I could barely stand. I woke up the next morning a little hung-over.

It was a fantastic night which I enjoyed immensly. Its nice being in another country surrounded by amazing people, especially who you have only just met say a few months before. It really shows you how brilliant most people in this world can be. Two years ago I was celebrateing my birthday in New Zealand by jumping off a large bridge. Last year I was back with my boys in London, an amazing reunion after not seeing them all for a year and a half, and this year im getting drunk with 35 people on a party bus around Ecuador. I wonder where I will be next year.......???

With my birthday over for another year I only had a week left of work before my big trip away. My friend Ricky was getting married in London in February (2011) but his bachelor party was taking place in Las Vegas in one weeks time and I would be leaving Ecuador for the first time in 10 months to share in this holiday of chaos. I couldn´t wait. I would spend 4 nights with my boys in Vegas (after not seeing them all for almost a year) and then spend 6 nights in Los Angeles with Brenna. It would be amazing, but leaving brought some mixed emotions. The amazing group of friends that had been with me here in Ecuador for the last few months were all leaving. Most would be gone when I returned in 10 days and that was sad.

The week before I left, Ella and Nina had gone to Colombia. Elena (my work buddy and good friend) had headed back home to England and slowly others were soon disappearing. I put these sad thoughts to the back of my mind - for my trip had arrived. I was off. I packed my bag and prepared myself for a bachelor party in Vegas. 12 boys from London, spending 4 nights going mental in the Sin City of the United States Of America. Only one thing passed through my mind.............god help me!!!!