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Monday 18th January, 2016
So as slowly as our Galapagos experience was, in arriving, it's now nearly at an end. We're packed and ready to go and as our final thanks to the crew are done after breakfast we board our Pangas for one final time. We've loved our time on the Queen of the Galapagos. She's a very comfortable ship, roomy for 16 travellers in 8 well fitted cabins. A little tired in places maybe but the crew of 8 have kept her spotless and have been superb, looking after us every minute of the day. Feeding us more than enough with fabulous tasty, fresh and interesting food every mealtime as well as hot snacks and juices each time we descended back aboard after swimming. There was always plenty and hardly ever was a plate with leftovers on the table.
G Adventures who organise the tours through our fantastic travel agents Trailfinders have done a great job, our only criticism would be they need to watch the snorkelers more with beady eyes. On a few occasions I had to show a pilot of the boat that someone needed help and at one point, I came to the rescue of a member of the group (yes we're now friends for life lol) but it shouldn't have happened and at the time I was so mad with a member of staff I swam to a dinghy some yards away, as fast as Ian Thorpe, to give the guide a piece of my mind.
But we've had a terrific time, the tours were superb and the knowledge we've gained is unbelievable. The wildlife is mind blowing, but truthfully my biggest shock was that 16 people (in fact 18 as 2 did a 4 day at the beginning and 2 joined as they left) from 6 different nations could spend 8 days together for around 14 hours a day and all get on so well in fact become real good friends. As well, our ages were spread from 26 - 75 years and we all had such a laugh, we struggled to part and had to get together on our final night after we got back to Quito.
Having left the Queen after breakfast our luggage was taken to the airport and checked in for us, another plus by the organisers, whilst we went to the Galapagos Interpretation Centre for a guided walk around the exhibits, it's a well laid out building showing us how the islands were formed, their volcanic as well as their recent history during the 18th and 19th centuries, in fact right up to the present day and how the future looks.
All too soon, we say goodbye to San Cristobal and are back at the Hotel Hilton Colon by early evening to shower and unpack, get the laundry done express, ( don't mention the laundry bill to Peter, he's still in shock!) repack and get to the bar by 8pm so the group can have it final hugs (those showers were desperately needed before hugs, it was mutually agreed lol) So the gang had to disperse to all corners of the globe. Heather and Chris off to the Cotapaxi Volcano, hope you had fun. The other Swifts back to Canada. Our N. Carolina friends home to plan more adventures, Martha will be sorting her photos no doubt and Diane will be thinking of her amazing splashes off the boat into the Pacific, well done you! Ehsan and Sara we're off to continue their extended honeymoon in Mexico, wonderful. Also finally our top underwater photographer Stefan and wife Tanja were heading to continue their travels in Peru as well as our English pals from Nottingham Jan and Mitch. We hope you all have a great time. At the beginning of our trip as I said we had 2 great guys join us. Paul from Ireland a superb Man U supporter, can I say more? And Fabian who amazingly spied amazing fish and creatures at exactly the same time as me on a couple of occasions, I send special good wishes to you and the family this spring!
So the end of part 1 of this 3 part trip, tomorrow we head to Costa Rica for the next 12 days. Speak sometime soon.
- comments
armitage Ahhh. Sounds wonderful,and they way you write and put it all together beats reading any Saturday paper in bed with a cuppa. Look forward to the next episode of Liz and Flackys travels. Glad you are enjoying it. Xx
Chris Swift Hope you are having a wonderful time in Costa Rica! Heather and I really enjoyed Cotopaxi and are on a trek at Quilatoa. We are really finding it tough not having a briefing everyday and having to make our own decisions!
wanderlizzy Thanx guys.So glad ur enjoying ur trip Chris n Heather, Peter n I were both laughing at ur comment re decisions, we miss all u guys and especially all those snacks after our swims. We're even having to make our own coffees!!! What's all that about??? Ha ha xxxMaudie, thank u, been sat by hot springs pool writing my next episodes, hope they make u laugh xxx it's a hard life!
Caroline dilks That seal lion is hilarious xxxx
wanderlizzy They're better to swim with, the do smell really bad on land lol xxx
wendy Love the pelican
amanda gorman I want a seal like that xx
wanderlizzy You wait til I've posted all the pics and I post a load of videos. The one where I'm swimming with that Sealion will have u in fits xx