Field notes

0222 April 2026LinkedIn post, in English1 min read

Earth Day: planting coral near Islote Sucre

untitled; our heading

Place: Islote Sucre, Machalilla National Park, Manabí

For Earth Day, Allyson and her family set out by boat from Los Ciriales beach to plant coral near Islote Sucre. A representative of the Conmar Foundation explained why reef restoration matters, and an Ecuadorian freediver taught them the basics before the work began: tying coral fragments onto the restoration frames known as “spiders”, which were then placed on the seabed to grow. From the boat they could already see older nurseries full of life. She closes by noting that every tour she offers supports local foundations.

“Small actions, repeated with intention, can regenerate the planet.”

0420 May 2025LinkedIn article, in English4 min read

The Cueva de los Tayos: More Than Just an Instagram Moment

Place: Cueva de los Tayos, Morona Santiago

Looking back on an expedition to the Cueva de los Tayos, a cave famous for its legends and for Neil Armstrong’s visit, Allyson writes that the trip stopped being about the photo. What stayed with her were the Shuar communities who cared for the place long before tourism: shared meals, a maito cooked deep in the forest, jewellery bought straight from the women who make it. She credits the specialised guides and crew who kept the group safe and respectful, and urges visitors to read before going, starting with researcher Manuel Palacios’s book Amerika Prohibida.

“It’s not about just seeing a place but truly understanding it.”

066 December 2024LinkedIn article, in English2 min read

Participation in the XII Business Macro-Round: Ecuador Origen del Cacao

Place: Hilton Colón, Guayaquil

In November 2024 Allyson spent three days as an exhibitor at the XII Macro Rueda de Negocios “Ecuador Origen del Cacao” in Guayaquil, representing Voyage de Rêve, a Switzerland-based travel exporter run by Ecuadorians. In meetings with tour operators from abroad she presented tailor-made trips across Ecuador’s four regions, including solo travel for women and socially responsible tourism. She describes stands of indigenous crafts and cacao and pitahaya products, a talk with the Deputy Minister of Export Promotion, and a Swiss businessman keen to show his clients where his chocolate comes from.

“closer to my dream of representing Ecuador at international fairs”

0815 March 2024LinkedIn article, in English2 min read

Exploring Ecuador’s Coastal Beauty: A TV5 EcoJourney

Place: Paján, Manglaralto, Machalilla and Salango

A Canadian TV5 crew hired Allyson as logistics and production lead for two weeks of filming eco-tourism along the coast, so transport, lodging, government permits and equipment were hers to solve. The route ran from the farms, birds and waterfalls of San Francisco de Paján to the mangroves of Manglaralto, where she stepped in front of the camera to explain why mangroves matter, then to the Agua Blanca commune in Machalilla National Park and snorkelling off Salango. The episodes belong to TV5’s series “Partir autrement entre amis”.

“not just a film project but a learning experience”