Hello everyone!
Hope all is good back in blighty! Mothers birthday celebrations looked good! So much to catch up on.....
Sunday:
Me, Patrice, Isaac and a Dutch guy and american girl headed out to explore Quito. We bused to the old town and walked around the colonial buildings- lots of fancy churches. But the city has a very relaxed vibe to it. Hardly any traffic and relatively few people for a capital city! We walked up to a viewpoint on a hill in the middle of the city. A good view of how big it is- 3 million people, and you could see Cotapaxi (the big volcano) in the distance along with lots of others. We sat chilling up there and got some traditional foods from the stalls- grilled plantain with cheese and a drink called colada morada was really good. We walked down and bused back, then me and the two lads cooked up a feast with our leftovers and sat round in the garden with a few others.
Monday-
Breakfast with Isaac. Then a couple of local girls he knew met up with us for a bit. Said my sad farewells to the guys! I went to a tour place and sorted my Galápagos trip- it was about £1000 in total, but I always said if I had the money left I would do it and it is a once in a lifetime opportunity! I had a chilled afternoon- catching up with my journal, going out for food and catching up on sleep.
Tuesday-
Checked out, but spent the morning lurking waiting for my bus at 3 to Mindo. Was chatting to a cool English guy and German guy. I went for cerviche for lunch and in the restaurant a Colombian guy was trying to talk to me in Spanish and as I left he got out his guitar and was singing to me all the way back to the hostel- random.
I got a 2 hour bus to Mindo, where the bus dropped me and a local woman on the highway. Luckily she advised me about having to get a jeep into the town and we shared one which dropped me at a really nice hostel! Mindo is a town up in the mountains that is renowned for it 'clouded forest' and wildlife. My hostel was a wooden lodge next to a river and there were loads of beautiful hummingbirds around. The town is very quaint with beautiful surroundings. I found a vege restaurant and back at the hostel bumped into the Dutch guy from Quito so sat chatting to him and a few others. Then at 7.30 I got picked up to go on a night walk in the forest. It was run by an English guy who has moved over here and I was chatting to his brother who was over visiting. We went out with torches to explore the forest and found loads of huge spiders, including tarantulas and scorpion spiders. The frog chorus was tuneful and we found a few of them. We saw bats and some raccoon type things. The guide was very knowledgable about the plants, insects and animals.
Wednesday:
Set off quite early with a Dutch girl, Canadian girl and French couple for some hiking in the clouded forest. We got a taxi to a cable car thing that took you across above the forest canopy- didn't feel the safest, but good view. Then we hiked to a few different waterfalls. The forest was very tropical and we found several snakes on our path, as well as all the insects and beautiful birds and butterflies. Waterfalls were nice and we paddled a bit. Quite intense few hours walking, especially at altitude. Got the cable car back and walked down into town, passing the people doing the tubing. I grabbed a pizza and got the bus at 5pm back to Quito. I had decided to save on taxis and accommodation and spend the night in the airport for my 8am flight. So I got a taxi to the airport and chilled there- I read a bit and ate and when places shut I laid on their comfy leather bench and slept for a few hours.
Thursday:
Checked in and my flight left on time- 1 hour to Guayaquil, then I could stay on board as most of the passengers changed and we had 3 hours to the Galápagos. I was met in the airport by the guide and there were also most of the other 11 people on my tour- all backpackers about my age, except one older American lady. We got a bus to the port and a small boat out to "King of the Seas"- our boat for the trip, which was quite laughable beside all the large, modern yachts and catamarans. It was a small, wooden thing- I'm amazed they could fit 6 ensuite cabins on there. I shared with an Aussie girl called Carly, the beds were so thin! We were soon served an amazing 3 course meal- the boat may have been the economy version, but the food was the best I've eaten on my travels! So fresh and so many vegetables and lovely salads! Then we got the small boat to an island beach where walked along a bit and it really hit me that I was in the Galápagos! It is just like you imagine- such beautiful, unspoilt scenery and an abundance of wildlife! Iguanas, crabs, sea lions, lots of birds- flamingoes, herons. Our guide explained about where we were and some of the animals and then we had chance to chill on the beach and swim- crystal clear waters. Back to the boat and I must admit my sea legs are not good- I felt pretty rough, especially when the boat moved between destinations. But I was determined not to make an issue of it or let it spoil my trip and I soon learnt that laying down when we were in motion worked wonders. And I wasn't the only one- one of the girls was actually sick!
We sat up on the deck chatting and the bell rang for more amazing food. But I was early to bed to catch up on sleep and recover.
Friday 9th:
Early start- exquisite breakfast and little boat to red sand beach, which was just beautiful! We walked a long a bit as the guide showed us and told us about some of the wildlife. Then we went snorkelling- wow! So clear and it really is another world down there! Loads of colourful fish and big white tip reef sharks- a bit scary as they swim around you. Lunch back on the boat. Then a small boat to Black sand beach, more walking and we saw fur seals and learnt the difference between them and sea lions. Saw the notorious blue footed boobies (a bird). Then more snorkelling- not quite so clear, but saw stingrays, a turtle and sea lion. Really wavy, bumpy journey, felt so sick in the evening but I was tired so slept it off.
Mummas birthday Saturday:
Started the day with a lava walk! Black lava formations on much of the island and ash mountains. A 2 hour walk learning about how much of the Galápagos was formed by the volcanoes and tectonic plates. A very surreal environment. Back to boat for lunch. Then to another snorkelling spot. Saw loads of sea lions in the water and they swim around you- playing with you- it's so cool!! Saw a penguin on the rocks and another couple of reef sharks. Then back to the boat before going for another walk up a hill-a really good view!
Sunday
We went walking on a beach, loads of sea lions and baby ones. We found one only a couple of hours old with the placenta still on the rocks- it stunk. A couple of hawks. Loads of huge red crabs and marine iguanas. We went snorkelling- so clear! More sea lions to play with and most of us were able to snorkel all the way back out to the boat- a long swim but 100s of star fish and a few stingray. Lunch and siesta for 2 hours while we drove to the next spot. Boat ride to mangroves where we saw 100s of sea turtles, several of them were mating and some were huge. Also saw a spotted ray and little reef sharks. Loads of pelicans and blue footed boobies.
The animals are so tame, it's amazing to see humans and animals coexist so naturally! They are not bothered by our presence and it's amazing to see so most nature at work in it's natural setting! It really is a magical place! The rules are very strict- not allowed to touch the animals or use flash or move or remove anything from the Islands- we'd find the skeletons of animals because even these have their place in the ecosystem and so nothing is disturbed! All the trips and guides have very specific times and limited areas for when and where you can visit, which is good! It is such an amazing place that it would be such a shame for it to be spoilt by us humans, but they do seem to be doing a good job of keeping it this way. Our guide was very knowledgable about all the animals.
Monday:
Out at 6am, a final trip to an island where we were again inundated with baby sea lions and iguanas, etc. An impressive humpback whale skeleton washed up too. Then our final breakfast before we were dropped off back on shore. A few people were flying back. But several of us going to the main island Santa Cruz. We got a bus, a boat and a taxi to Peurto Ayora- the main town. Me, an Aussie guy called Dave and Yank called Jen checked into a hostel. We had a drink and ice cream with a few of the others who were getting another boat to a different island. Then me and Dave got a taxi to the highlands where we first visited lava tunnels, which were much like caves and had us crawling in mud on our hands and knees which was fun! Then to the fields and woodlands where there are dozens of the giant tortoises that you associate with Galapagos! They are amazing creatures- huge, but so calm. We walked around- so great to see them in the wild! Then to the Charles Darwin centre- a bit disappointing. We were hoping to learn about his studies and theories and more in the animals, but it was just a bit about the conservation work they are doing and a few captive animals they are breeding- but not the same after seeing them in the wild.
We come back, showered and went out for food with Jen. We all had lobster, as it's relatively cheap here! I don't know if I've eaten it before, but it was good if not a bit messy.
So, back to Quito tomorrow. Time is flying! Glad I visited the Galápagos- it is a surreal environment, I especially enjoyed the snorkelling! Keep the messages coming! Take care amigos!