Galapagos Islands

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HI there again, I am now adjusting to life back on the planet Earth after 8 days in paradise on the Galapagos Islands, 1000kms off the coast of Ecuador. Diana, Carolyn and I flew over there May 3 and joined a small launch with 7 other tourists and sailed north to 3 lovely islands and snorkled with reef sharks, giant turtles, penguins, sting rays, sea lions and countless tropical fish. We climbed volcanoes, watched marine iguanas, sea lions playing on the beach and in the water and saw amazing sunsets. On the 2nd day we chased and caught up with a pod of over 50 large dolphins and watched them for over 2 hours. After 24 hrs in port where we dropped off Ida from Italy and picked up an Aussie from Sydney called Alex, we visited the Charles Darwin Center of research and saw Lonesome George, a 150yr old 260kl land tortaise, and the last of his species left on the planet. We then sailed south to 4 more islands where the main attraction was Blue footed boobies (birds for those who didnt know), albatrosses and frigate birds, all which were in the mating season. One night we went ashore and witnessed a giant turtle laying her eggs and the scrambling to the waters edge of a newly hatched baby turtle. A truly fantastic experience. After a last trip ashore to watch land iguanas and more birds and look at cactus as tall as 10mts tall, we snorkled the last time, spent our last night together and on wed morning flew reluctenly to Quito where the temp was 14degress and it was raining.(on the islands it was 30drgrees and blue, blue sky every day and the water was a constant 24degrees. Caro flew back to the states the next morning and Diana and I spent a couple of days siteseeing then came north to Otavalo where the sat market is the largest in South AMerica. So we spent today buying all our souvenors and presents as we fly back to Europe in 2 weeks time. Tommorrow we drive to the border of Colombia and head up towards Venezeula. IN case u realized the gap bewteen Lima and here, I have to say that north Peru was not that exciting and except for a few days at the beach at Truhillo and visiting a couple of Inca ruins and then 2 weeks in the hill towns of Ecuador and at the beach at Puerto Lopez, the highlite of the past 6 weeks since Lima was definetly Galapagos. Althou it is very expensive to get there,air fare $300us and boat trips $100US a day and another $100us NAtional park entrance, all in all it was worth every cent and I would go again if the oportunaty ever arrises. Well, as I said earlier, now Im back on earth and no more meals waiting for me and being waitied on hand and foot, I guess I have to go now and search out some dinner and go and pack for the morning. So till next Travel Blog. All take care and catch u again soon. LOve from Kay xxxxx

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Photos

cartagena
ISLE TOUR Puerto Blanca

Comments

[Steve]

Hi there
Sounds as though it was amazing. Be carefule in Columbia as lots dead thru floods. We are in Sydney at the mo and loving it. Pity houses are so expensive. See you soon. Look foward to seeing some pics

[Eelco]

Nice pictures
But I remember galapagos a bit different! Wauw kay, back in Europe! You go back and forth 4 times while we are still in SA! Have fun!