April 25, 2004
Off to the Galapagos!
MD 80 AA to Dallas 13:50 20 C
We are on our way to Dallas, which starts
the first leg of our trip. We will be staying at a hotel overnight and off
to Guayaquil in the morning. Damon and I are looking forward to this trip
very much. The airport in Vancouver was not very busy at all so everything
was a breeze. Hopefully that is a trend for the rest of this trip.
April 26, 2004
B 777 AA to Miami 11:25 am 22 C
Getting ready to take off and am feeling a
little tired as Damon was up at 5:30 am. Pigged out at the free buffet
breakfast so will hopefully have a nap this flight. So far so good,
although Damon wouldn’t take his shoes off through security so they did a
bomb test on his shoes and re-checked him with the security wand. I
however, took off my shoes off and had them back on before they were
finished with Damon. “It’s the point of it” says he. I have a feeling we
will be going through something similar on the way home.
April 26, 2004
A 300 AA to Guayaquil 16:53
We will be arriving at around 8:00 pm and
am looking forward to a bed. Damon has promised me some shrimp tomorrow for
lunch. I would also like to have some mango and banana, maybe for
breakfast. They recommend we don’t wander through the streets at night,
always take a taxi. Too bad. Can hardly wait for tomorrow!
PS It just occurred to me as we leave Florida, that I
have been there 5 times (4 of which were final destinations) and have never
been out of the airport! I surely MUST be Damon’s girlfriend!
April 27, 2004
Guayaquil
We are having our first full day in
Guayaquil! This morning we went out with our tour guide Veronica and she
showed us all around the city. Chichen-Itza is nothing, we climbed 500
stairs to get to the highest point in the city and had the most beautiful
view. You could see everything from there! We saw statues, park and a
cemetery. Damon really likes the park across the street from our hotel.
Instead of birds they have lots and lots of iguanas. We were told not to
stand under the trees as they will not hesitate to poop on your head. They
didn’t say anything about good luck either! The weather is cloudy today but
I don’t mind, I am hot enough as it is without the sun.
We went to the Blue Snail for dinner as it
specializes in seafood and Damon promised me shrimp. It was sooooo good!
The shrimp were quite big and they came in a cold salsa soup. I will make
that for company one day. The beer here is $1.50 and the pop $1.20. For
once Damon didn’t give me “the look” when the bill arrived. In fact, he was
quite excited at the price of beer. We were both happy with our meal
although neither of us were exactly sure what we were ordering. We were in
bed by 8:00 pm and lights out by 10:00 pm.
April 28, 2004
Slept in until 8:00 am, even after going to
bed so early! We are meeting Veronica at10:00 am and she is taking us on a
historical tour. We were also invited to a cocktail del mas (free drinks),
so will attend that at 7:00 pm.
Had a wonderful time with Veronica this
morning. There were a lot of typical animals and plants of Ecuador. After
the tour, we walked around town trying to find a place to buy wine. As we
were walking, a lady stopped and told us “not dat way” in broken English.
We soon found out it was some kind of protest. We will look in the paper
tomorrow.
The cocktail hour this evening was
amazing! There was sushi, pork, chicken, shrimp, tuna and lots of
desserts. I guess we don’t need to go for dinner! We met the executive
chef (Mesias) and he speaks English very well. We had a wonderful time
chatting with him for almost the whole night. At 9:00 pm he left us as he
wanted to go home to his wife who is from Switzerland. Damon and I finished
our drinks and headed up to our room so we could get ready for our trip to
the Galapagos tomorrow. This is what we have been waiting for!
April 29, 2004
A 320 Tame Airlines to Galapagos
9:14 am
We are just about ready to land on Baltra
Island and when we get on the boat we are supposed to practice the safety
drills, have lunch and then snorkel! I can hardly wait until this
afternoon!!
We are going on our first tour of the day.
We will be arriving on Bartolome Island in about a half an hour. The name
of our team is the Albatross so we are starting off with a hike up 360
stairs (good thing we practiced earlier on our trip) so we can have an
amazing view of the island. After the hike we are going snorkeling and will
hopefully swim with sea lions and penguins. I am a little nervous to be
honest but this is what I came to do. It really is beautiful here. The
water is a gorgeous blue and already we have seen a blue footed boobie dive
into the water. Those things go so fast, it almost looks like an airplane
would if it was crashing. I can hardly wait to see more!
As I sit here in bed, I wonder how I can
possibly put into words what we saw today. The hike was not as hard as I
thought it would be and when we arrived on the island, a marine iguana and
some sally light foot crabs were there to greet us. As we walked, there
were endemic (which means only the one area has this) plants to the
Galapagos and the most amazing view once we got to the top. The climb back
down was a little easier and we ran into many lava lizards. They are very
small in size and since it is mating season, the females have a VERY red
throat. After our hike we went for a well deserved swim. We saw penguins,
pelicans, and sea lions, we hadn’t even gotten off the boat yet! When we
got in the water, we saw many fish and the biggest sting ray I could ever
imagine (apparently it is not THAT big). The highlight of our day would
have to be seeing the dozen or so sea turtles. They were hiding in the
seaweed at the bottom of the ocean although a couple came out to swim. Of
course it had to come to an end at some point and I would have rather kept
on snorkeling and skipped dinner all together! When Damon lost his mask
somewhere in the ocean, I knew it was time to go. Somehow, it was found by
the guy working our boat (don’t ask me how he saw it, it was buried) and
Damon didn’t have to pay for it. The water is a little cold here so after
45 mins our bodies needed some warming up. There is more snorkeling
tomorrow and I can’t wait!
We met this couple at lunch this afternoon,
Nadia and Vince. They live in Rome and they are on their honeymoon. She is
originally from Australia and speaks English really well and he needs to
practice a whole lot more. We are lucky to be seated with them for the rest
of our stay.
April30.2004
It was early to rise at 6:45 this morning
but totally worth it. As I sit here to write in my journal during siesta
(1:30-3:30 pm), I can barely keep my eyes off the water. There is so much
to see and in the blink of an eye you could miss everything! We went for a
long walk at Fernandina Island. We saw a lot of sea lions, mostly young so
they are very brave and love having their picture taken. If you stopped
giving them attention, they would yell at you. They were very good at
posing for the picture. I think Damon got 40 pictures of the one sea lion.
You couldn’t help it. He was too cute. After Jorge (our guide) dragged us
away, we ran into some more marine iguanas, sally light foot crabs (their
shell is so beautiful) and for the first time we saw some flightless
cormorants. That really was amazing. They let us get so close. You were
scared to breath. There were two mothers sitting in their nests and they
gave us a peak at the new additions to their family. It was a very special
moment. I can’t explain it, you just have to experience it. After our
walk, we quickly came back to the boat where we changed into our swimsuits
and headed out to do some snorkeling.
This snorkeling trip was one to remember.
We first ran into a sea turtle who was feasting on some algae. We think the
sea turtle was female as they are bigger than the males. I sure hope the
picture turns out with our underwater camera! We then look up to see a
crowd of people swimming in one spot so we went to check it out. We soon
forgot how cold the water was (about 18 C) when the sea lions started
playing with us. They would swim right up to your mask and then dart away.
I would start to laugh and then water would start to fill my mask. I
couldn’t help but smile as we were having so much fun playing with them. I
can’t tell you what that feels like. It really makes me speechless. You
would think that is the end of our day but we just had lunch and now this
little siesta, which allows me this opportunity to write about this mornings
events.
This afternoon we went for a boat ride and
of course ran into many sea lions, pelicans, and a whole lot a boobies!
Blue footed ones that is. They were mating when we went by so they made a
lot of noise, danced with each other and the males would spread their
wings. We also saw a lot of fish jumping out of the water and we think a
shark was scarring them. While the fish were scared of the shark, they
didn’t think about the dangerous boobies lurking at the surface. It was
quite a sight and perfect timing on our part. The blue footed boobies were
diving into the ocean to get their prey and we were so close, both Damon and
I got pooped on. This is about the only time I will ever brag about such a
thing! When we arrived at our destination (Isabela Island), we had a 45
minute walk ahead of us. Along our way to the top, we saw Galapagos mocking
birds (I learned how to call to them), and Darwin finches (the males are
black and the females are grey). When we finally got to the top we had a
beautiful view of 1000 year old lava. Very different from what we are used
to. Pretty soon we will be headed for dinner but For now, I am enjoying a
vino tinto and will now focus my attention on the sea lion that has been
swimming around our boat this whole time I have been writing. The young sea
lions are so curious and playful. They will not hesitate to check things
out. The pelicans are pretty brave along with the marine iguanas. The
boobies, penguins and turtles are quite shy. Adios, I am going to enjoy the
scenery.
May 1, 2004
Santiago Island
It is now siesta time and the boat is
really rocking. I was trying to sit in the hammock but it was making me
sick. I am feeling better now that my chair doesn’t move.
Our morning on this day was yet again
packed with adventure. We saw more sea lions and lots of babies as it is
that time of year. We also saw sea urchins, oyster catchers (a bird with a
bright orange beak), and lava herons. Our walk was fun but I always can’t
wait to snorkel.
After our walk we couldn’t wait to jump in
the ocean as all the young sea lions were playing. You could see them
leaping out of the ocean begging us to play with them. There were about 6-8
sea lions to swim with and they were so happy to see us. They would chase
each other and wanted us to join in but I don’t know if they understand that
we can’t swim as quickly as them. One of the sea lions really liked to try
and scare you. He would almost touch your nose with his before dashing off
again. I love swimming with them. It is so much fun. When we finally had
to get out of the water because it was time to go, we saw two male bulls
fighting for territory. That was a sight to see!
When we arrived at the boat, we had a quick
shower to rinse off and then headed to the restaurant for a traditional
Ecaudorian meal. We started off with some shrimp in a cold tomato soup (you
are supposed to put popcorn in it but we didn’t know until it was too late),
then we had some potato soup which only Vince and I really liked. At the
buffet we had cooked bananas, corn, pork, fish, and a tropical fruit for
dessert. Not all of it was good but most of it was. I am going to finish
off with my siesta with my eyes closed but will be back with more tales of
my travels.
It is not even 10:00 pm yet and I am lying
in bed already. I feel so tired after spending all day in the sun.
This afternoon we went to Rabida Island to
look at the landscape. We saw lots of cacti and unfortunately it is
becoming less common as the donkeys love to eat them. We also ran into a
rare Galapagos tomato bush. It was a hot walk but earlier when we arrived
at Rabida we had a wet landing off the dingy and my dress caught on the
handle so I lost my balance and then along came a wave at the perfect moment
and tipped me over. We all had a good laugh and I was a little
embarrassed. Oh well, I am just surprised it didn’t happen earlier. On our
walk we of course ran into sea lions although this was slightly different
because it was a long stretch of beach with many herds. We ran into a sea
lion which we guess to be a week old, who was nursing. What a beautiful
sight! While we were watching that, we heard a noise and we saw another sea
lion nursing (about 1 month old) and he was a VERY noisy eater.
Unfortunately we couldn’t stay forever but I knew we were going snorkeling
again so I was anxious to get going.
This snorkeling trip was different because
we didn’t swim with any sea lions but we saw some tropical fish like the
parrotfish and others too. We also saw many starfish and a boobie decided
to fish while I was snorkeling so I had a prime view of him catching the
fish and diving into the water. While all this was happening, our group
left without us (what ‘s new) so we caught the last dingy out. All in all
it was a wonderful day but am a little disappointed we won’t be snorkeling
tomorrow. I hope the tortoises make up for it.
Right now, Damon is hanging his head out
our bedroom window watching a sea lion swim right under our window. I can
hear him splashing and am going to watch too.
May 2, 2004
Today is our last full day and I am not
looking forward to going home. I have had a lot of firsts during this visit
and could have a lot more if only we could stay longer. I will be very sad
when we leave tomorrow afternoon.
Right now it is very quiet on the boat as
everyone is in their rooms having a siesta. Apparently the boat started
rocking at 4:00 am. Things were falling and doors slamming. I think it woke
everyone up except me. I didn’t wake up until 5:45 am! I did much better
than everyone else. I feel great and don’t think I will even have a nap.
This morning we were on Santa Cruz Island
visiting the Darwin Station. The Galapagos Islands are 1 of 2 places in the
world where you will find giant tortoises and we stood an inch away from
them! Most of them are not shy and will let you get so close without even
flinching. The ones in the wild will scare easily. The Darwin Station is
trying desperately to save the tortoise. They are incubating the eggs (with
the temperature, you can control the sex), and raising the tortoises for
about 4 years before returning them to the wild. They are quite pleased
with the results so far.
Unfortunately for George and the other older
giant tortoises, they cannot be returned to the wild because nobody can
determine which island they came from therefore they must remain at the
Darwin Station. It is not such a rough life and they make the environment
as natural as possible.
Tortoises can live over 100 years. They
look so wise and their expression is one of sadness. They do not move very
quickly but elegantly and gracefully. What an amazing opportunity for us to
see such a creature at such close range.
On our tour of the Darwin Station, we ran
into our first land iguana. It is a sandy colour but looks similar to a
marine iguana.
This afternoon we are hopefully going to
see more tortoises but I can’t remember what we are doing exactly. Can’t
wait to find out!
Our afternoon consisted of a hike searching
for giant tortoises. We came across 3 but they were much more shy than at
the Darwin Station. It is more rewarding when you are searching for them
and finally you spot one.
After our visit with the tortoises, we went
for a hike inside a lava tube. It is like a giant cave with lots of
minerals. This particular lava cave goes for about a mile although we
didn’t hike the full length of the tunnel we got a pretty good idea of what
it is like. It is quite difficult to walk in because of the lava. It is
like walking on a bunch of rocks.
After the lava tube it was time to go pack
to the boat and pack our things to go home.
May 3, 2004
I am now sitting on an airplane on our way
back to Guayaquil. I am going to miss the Galapagos Islands very much. It
is very difficult to leave such a unique and beautiful place.
This morning before we left for breakfast
on the cruise ship, Damon happened to be looking out our bedroom window at
the right time and spotted a shark. We are not sure what kind it was
because we only saw the fin and his tail. I couldn’t believe we lucked out
like that on our last day!
After breakfast we had one more trip to the
beach. This beach had beautiful soft white sand. We went for a little walk
with Jorge and found two flamingos and a common stilt (bird). I am thankful
our group had some horseshoes somewhere because we had not seen any
flamingos yet.
Our luck had not run out yet! After our
dingy ride we had to wait at the dock for our bus to the airport and a
frigate bird happened to fly right in front of us! We were so disappointed
that we didn’t see any and at the last possible moment we were able to catch
a quick glimpse, red breast and all! We did not get a good picture but we
saw one and that is all that matters. All in all, I think we are both quite
happy with what we saw and all our adventures. This was an amazing trip and
I would recommend it to anybody. Save your money, it was worth it! Now we
are making our way back home but you never know, we still have one more
night in Guayaquil and another adventure in Dallas. We might get into
trouble yet!
Nadia and Vince were staying in Guayaquil
for the night as well so we decided to get together one last night for
dinner. We went to Cafeteria Lo Nuestro which is a really quaint
restaurant and was recommended by the locals. We had shrimp, prawns and
calamari. We were really happy with all the food and it was so much better
than on the boat. We said goodbye to our new friends and I would love to
visit them in Rome. The invite is there and vice versa. I hope the rest of
their honeymoon is just as nice as our trip to the Galapagos.
May 4, 2004
We woke up in Guayaquil this morning, went
for breakfast and off to the airport we go. It is not as exciting to come
home although tomorrow in Dallas we are going to go for a steak and see
where JFK was shot. Not much to report today as we are just flying all
day. We are not arriving in Dallas until around 10:45 pm and we will just
go to bed I am sure. I wish I could write something a little more exciting
but even Damon is behaving today, although he did get the finger treatment
at the airport leaving Guayaquil. Ha ha!
May 5, 2004
We spent the day in Dallas today although I
was a little disappointed that I didn’t see as much big hair as I thought I
would. Our flight attendants didn’t disappoint me though.
We went to the spot where JFK was shot and
then we went to the 6th floor museum where the shooter was. I
have to tell you it was a little creepy. We didn’t plan our trip to the
museum all that well as we ended up touring with about 100 kids.
To save money, we decided to take the train
to the airport. When we couldn’t get the machine to take our money, a guy
with a gun waved us on. We heard an announcement about checking tickets and
this lady threatened us by telling us there was an armed guard. We said “we
know, he’s the one who let us on”. Anyway, when we got off at our stop, I
thanked the guard and we purchased our tickets.
Damon and I are now on the last flight home
and I am very sad to leave but also happy to come home and share our new
knowledge.
We are now at home and I can’t tell you how much fun packing is and how
unpacking is the exact opposite. I wonder why it takes 1 hour to pack
and 3 days to unpack? I am sad to say it is now back to the real
world. I hope you made it through my journal and I know it is a little
long but there was so much to share and I didn’t want to leave anything out.
Damon and I took over 1300 pictures and trying to cut it to 100 was
impossible but I did manage about 150. While I am still basking in our
last trip, Damon is ready to research the next. I guess that is why I
have only been to 5 countries and Damon is now at 64. How do I keep up
with him? L