Galapagos Islands

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We sorted out our tour to the Galapagos Islands from Quito and decided to spend a few days exploring the islands on our own before embarking on a 4 day boat tour.
We arrived on the 11th of May at Baltra Airport and travelled down to Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz which is the most populated island. From here we took a boat to Isla Isabela. The journey took more than two hours which was an experience in itself. First the boat wouldn´t start and we were covered with a cloud of smoke for what felt like at least 30 minutes. Monia was terrified as we were not given life jackets to wear and the boat was clearly overloaded. Kiki worried about getting sea sick as the smoke itself was enough to make anyone sick. Moreover we could not comfort and reassure each other as we were not given seats together. The journey was pretty horrendous. Monia got used to the sea and felt bored. She tried to talk to Kiki who replied, not even looking at her with her eyes fixed on the horizon -Monia, I can´t talk to you right now, I have to focus my gaze.
Finally we arrived and decided to stay at a hotel right on the beach. We spent two full days on the island. The first day we rented bikes and explored the coastline. It was wonderful to be able to do so independently, stopping wherever we liked for as long as we liked. We were amazed to come across so many different animals without even looking for them. Tortoises, sea lions, iguanas, huge crickets, crabs, various birds etc just appeared along the way. Amazing.
On the 14th we went back to Puerto Ayora and spent a night there. We visited the Darwin Station among other things.
On the 15th the boat tour started and we embarked on Yolita 1. Yolita 1 was certainly an experience... 16 people from all over the world stuck on a tiny boat with tiny cabins where there was only space for one person to move around at a time, an incompetent, but amusing guide called Frankie who hardly spoke English, a bell being rung to summon us whenever it was time to do anything, ie eating, getting up at the crack of dawn, embarking and disembarking etc...
Frankie was unfortunately not very informative so we feel we may have missed out on quite a bit of information about the islands. He did amuse us with animated explanations and a funny way of pronouncing the word July: Juuul. Hopefully we will soon figure out how to post videos...
Because there wasn´t much to do after dark, our rhythm changed completely and we went to bed at 8 o´clock during the nights. Monia had never gone to bed this early in her life, but appreciated the beauty of the early mornings.
No words can explain the beauty of the Islands. Even the pictures don´t quite capture it, but at least you can get an idea...

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Photos

Alone on the beach!!
Taking a break from our wonderful bike ride to explore Isla Isabela... We were so pleased to have this beautiful beach all to ourselves.

View from our hotel.
This was the view that we woke up to on our first morning at Isla Isabela. Absolutely beautiful as Monia likes to say.

Monia all alone...
This is what Monia gets up to when Kiki is not around... Taking pictures of herself...

Mar Iguanas
We were so excited to come across our first Mar Iguanas!

Monia kissing a Cactus...
Monia loves Cacti...

Tired Kiki arriving at the Beautiful Vista Point
Kiki was not feeling so well this day and she thought Monia was riding too fast not even turning around to check whether she was still able to breathe. When we reached this vista point she decided not to climb up to the stairs as she said she needed to rest. Monia therefore had to go up on her own. While busy taking pictures of herself, Monia was pleasantly surprised to see Kiki arrive slowly and quietly, like a tortoise up on the platform. Monia didn´t dare to laugh but have a proper look at Kiki´s facial expression and you will get what she found so amusing. This is why she just had to take a picture.

Vista Point
Kiki was pleased and proud that she decided to come up as the view was magnificent.

Comments

[Zenon Burzawa]

amazing
Very nice sceneries and pictures well taken. Interesting blog. Well done ladies. I'm sure you can write a fantastic book, not only a blog;)) Keep it going!