PART 2 - so where was I. Thats right, at the airport.. so to get from the airport to anywhere you have to get the airport bus to the chanel between Baltra and Santa Cruz, then the boat across the chanel and then as it was very late we got a taxi (it was a pick up truck so we sat in the back - coz they never let you do that in the UK - awesome) from the north of SantaCruz to Puerto Ayora in the south to meet the boat.. I got on the boat in calm water in harbour and immediately felt seasick - frikkin fantastic!!

The next morning the activities started bright an early with breakfast at 7 (7?? .. thats barbaric) Day1. the island of Floreana, the boat (also the floreana) motored through the night so that first thing we were ready to go, there is a formation of rocks called the Devils Crown and those swimmers in the group got excited about the snorkling activity.. so after the beach walk thats what we did. now as most of you know I´m not a swimmer, more of a sinker.. but after some encouragement from Kristina and Tina I thought I would have a little go.. staying close to the dingy I plunged in, donned my snorkle immediately swallowed half a pint of sea and got the overwhelming feeling I was about to suffocate.. todays lesson- stick to what you know, i got out of the water! Next we went to post office cove, this is where tourists post unstamped postcards for other tourists to deliver when they go back to your country.. you have to take someones too - its the done thing, apparently once upon a time the system was used by pirates. We also had some beach time and as it was so swealtering you just had to be in the water.. being the type of person who folds to peer pressure and doesn´t learn the lesson the first time I redonned the snorkle - and then gagged! Kristina (experienced snorkeler) had a look at my snorkle and declared it broken, then she gave me hers.. guess what.. I can only bloody snorkle.. sort of and with not much skill, but i did it!!

Day2. Espanola Island, this beautiful place was teaming with wildlife, the beaches and rocks were literally packed with sealions, many of which were young as this was some sort of nursery. You´re not allowed to touch them but inquisitive as they are the more you retreat the more they come at you! There were also lots of marine iguanas and more birdlife than you can shake a stick at (which would not be allowed to do either). After lunch we went to sealion beach.. now I am sure thats not its name but along the stretch of white sandy beach there must have been a hundred lazy sunbathing sealions that you had to pick your way through to get to the most spectacular clear turquoise water. It was paradise, absolutely the most perfect place in the world. Then we went snorkling, this time i suceeded and saw rays and turtles and black fish with purple and yellow fins.. it was totally magic looking into the water.. theres a whole nother world down there!!

Day3. We went to San Cristobal.. and San cristobal town. A small by british standards tourist harbout town.. we also went to the museum, it was fine but I have always thought of museums as intensily boring places and this was no exception (the only exceptions are the london science and the london natural history museums.. and the tate but technically thats an art gallery!) The town was lovely and we played there for the morning (downing icecreams) and in the afternoon we went snorkling again. this time the area had a strong current, stronger than me that is and iI got caught on the rocks and cut my legs... think I´ll lay off snorkling for a while!! That evening as a suprise we went to a rock called the sleeping lion.. It has a wide crack down the middle and once upon a time boats used to go through it until one day there was an accident and now it is forbidden... luckly our captain was not a man to pay attention to arbitrary rules so through it we went, to racaus applause. It was good to see the crew so excited and taking pictures doing something new, it made it feel extra special!!

Day4. and Day 5, were more of the same, snorkling (which I no longer took part in for fear of getting the cuts on my legs infected) and Island rock walks. i have seen more sealions and iguanas and seabirds than I could count and even went to a beach where the turtles had been laying eggs.

On Day6 our last morning we took a trip to black Turtle cove, fantastic seawater mangrove swamp filled to the brim with sea turtles. Then we were dropped at the airport for those who had flights to catch them and those of us who had an extra day headed back to Puerto Ayora (by bus and boat and taxi) to go visit lonesome george at the darwin center. It was wikid hot and though the giant tortoises were ... well Giant. The sun sapped at our enthusiasm. Lonesome george was hiding in the bushes and eventually we decided that a beer in a shaded beer garden would be much more fun... and it was.. there was a pub dog there that took a particular liking to Harms left leg.. so funny! We later had a posh dinner and as we walked back to our hostel theat night Claudia Sheiss (a girl from Puerto Ayora) won the Miss Ecuador contest for the 6th year running.. that is a huge HUGE deal over there and the town started an impromptu vehicular parade around the town, beeping and whooping.. for hours... it took a while to get to sleep!

On Day7.. we woke early and headed back to the airport in order to catch our flight to quito. I was looking forward to getting away from the heat of the Galapagos.. as stunning as it is you can have to much of a good thing, ya know.. we were too hot and had gotten to the point where none of the amazing things were that amazing anymore.. Back to the city me thinks!!