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Published: September 24th 2008
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Ok everyone knows that going to the Galapagos is expensive, but I said to myself 'what the hell' you only live once!!!! Most people I know have raved about the Islands and this was my chance to experience them first hand without the aid of David Attenborough on TV.
Also if your going to do it....do it in style!!!! No camping, no overlanding this was 5 star luxuary all the way.
Our trip started with 2 nights at the Quito Hotel situated in the new town of Quito. The hotel was set on a hill overlooking a valley, with snowcapped mountains in the background. There was a swimming pool, gym, jacuzzi, steam and sauna rooms. I had a great big double bed to myself....need I say anymore.
The only down side was Andy, my humpty room mate who was getting all stressed because his credit card hadn't arrived (it's a very long on going saga).
On the second afternoon a VERY nice man came and took us on a tour of Quito old town. He took us around a number of churches, cathedrales, plazas and then took us up to a viewing point over the city. Apparently there are a number
of underground tunnels under Quito which link the churches and monastries up. They had to seal these tunnels because the nuns and monks were using them to have a bit of the old horizontal howsyourfather!!!!!!!!! How Rude!!!
Included in our package was a meal out in a restaurant, not knowing where we were going, we were picked up from our hotel and taken on a ride through Quito. At this point we were making jokes that we would probably end up at KFC or Dominos Pizza.....we were not expecting very much.
Our driver then delivered us outside the Sucre National Theatre, it appeared that our meal was at the 'Theatrum Quito Resturant' on the second floor of the theatre. I must admit that it has to be the poshest place I have eaten in my life. The restaurant was very elegant, decorated in red and black, and it was one of those places that took 3 paragraphs to explain each items on the menu.......everything was on a bed of something. It was also one of the nicest meals I have eaten....that might have had something to do with the fact I didn't have to worry about the cost!!!!
The next
day we were picked up from the hotel, taken to the airport, given our boarding passes, sent to the VIP lounge, got on the aircraft, picked up and deposited on the boat........it was all very easy, everything went smoothly......I could get used to this!!!!
There is only one word that can describe the Galapagos.....Awesome! Every island we went to was full of wildlife and unusual landscapes. I don't think that there is quite another place like it on earth.
Our boat the Athala had 9 crew, who couldn't do enough for you. El Capitan Pedro was a sight for sore eyes.....would I?.....yes I would. Unfortunately he was extremely shy and only spoke spanish!!!!!
The passengers onboard were a funny old mix of nutters really..........
Joe and his wife (name begins with M, couldn't pronounce it), hypo 1 & 2. They were from Boston USA and allergic to everything. They spent most of their time talking about being allergic to things when they wern't being allergic. They both graduated from MIT, but she acted like she was 7. They were on honeymoon, but used to read to each other at night before bed!!!!!! Alarm bells are ringing here!!!!!!
Luis and his
wife from Mexico. They spoke a little English and since my Spanish is not up to full conversations they spent most of their time speaking to Yvonne (naturalist or naturist - not sure which. One you take your clothes off...it's the other one) in Spanish.
John & Candice from California USA. Usual loud American, he's done this, that and the other. Good fun at night when he's drunk, vandalising chairs and embarrasing himself!!!! Candice was a sweet girl, very quiet.
Sean aka Coco Loco. He is mad, off his trolley and very funny to watch. He is from Singapore, doesn't like the cold and loves to take photos of everything and everyone. He will eat anything and frequently tried to eat everything on the islands.
Alanna & Gareth from New Zealand, living in England. The most sane people on the boat. They are travelling around for a number of months. I would like to say thankyou to them, because without them, I may have actually jumped overboard!
I wasn't actually looking forward to spending 8 days on a boat as I get sea sick in a bath tub ;-) but actually it was OK. Most of the travelling we did
was overnight when I was out for the count catching up on my zzzz's.
I suppose when you see a lot of something you begin to get very blase about them. It was the same with the sealions...at first we were like ooohhh it's so cute, by the time you have seen 500 of them they are not so cute. They also sound like someone vomiting down the toilet and smell similar too! I have now managed to get my sealion pictures down to 120!!!!!
My favourite creature in the Galapagos is the rather comical Blue Footed Boobie. Besides being quite sweet to look at (for a bird), they have a mating ritual which consists of the male lifting one foot in the air at a time. This is followed by some skypointing with his beak and some whistling. They are not bothered by humans and you can literally walk within inches of them. They look up at you, like a dog would expecting a biscuit.
I'm not really a water person, but even I have to admit that the snorkeling is something quite special in the Galapagos. I saw lots and lots of fish...one of which freaked me out
cause it wouldn't stop following me!!!! I also managed to swim with the sealions which was cool too. From our dingy's we saw penguins, turtles and sharks which was amazing also. My words cannot do it justice, I only hope my photos help to give you some idea of what we saw.
As with everything that you enjoy it all went too quickly. After another night in Quito its a short hop to my next destination Colombia.
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