We returned to the restaurant we found Jay and Liz eating breakfast at yesterday because we had a hankering for their 'Batida de fruta's - sadly they had no fruit left to make it, so we were stuck with coffees and fried plaintains. We had a couple of hours to spare before our tour started, so we went on a snack hunt. Yesterday we had planned to meet a Dutch couple for beers at a cool party hostel with Happy Hour - but because it was Sunday all the bars (that don't serve food) were closed, including this one. So instead a woman ("is it a guy?") greeted us, and told us about a tour her (?) family were taking the following Tuesday. $100 each, all included trip to Floreana Island. We agreed and payed them after breakfast today. A good deal we thought, so we bought oreos and crackers in preparation.

By the time 11.30am came around, we were ready and waiting for the bus to come pick us up - turns out it was the owner of the Dive company in his pick up truck. We were fitted with fins and snorkel gear and optional wetsuits - we all said no except Liz - and headed off in the boat toward the lava tunnels. Before long, we were already in the water. For some reason, the guide took a liking to me, and I was always the first person to see the penguins, the turtles, the see horses - I didn't want to look at the sharks - it was incredible! The Galapagos penguins were so tame and so unafraid of humans, a side affect of many generations living with no predators on the islands, and a common trait found in all of the wildlife on the Galapagos, the so-called 'tameness' they all display.

The second dive saw us more turtles - and lots of fish - and then lunch. Lunch was an issue. Despite informing them that I am vegetarian when we booked, the message didn't get passed along and I was given a tuna sandwich. b*****. The crew gave me extra fruit to make up for it, but still.

After lunch, we walked over the lava rock formations and saw Blue-Footed Boobies and their nesting grounds, sea lions flopping about and turtles swimming around beneath us.

This tour was definitely worth the money - the sheer number of animals we saw (penguins, fish, turtles, sea horses, sharks, boobies etc) was incredible, the guide was attentive (even rushing to bandage my toe as soon as he saw blood), his English was great and he greatly enjoyed what he was showing us. The lunch issue we sorted out when we got back; the guy apologised and got the kitchen to prepare me a hot, fresh vegetarian sandwich, so that was dinner sorted too.

Once back at the hostel, we all crashed and forgot about food.