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Published: August 1st 2006
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Esteban, Dad and I
Esteban was are fabulous guide in the Galapagos (at a whopping 20 years of age this time!) Hello everyone,
What a week it has been. It´s all so jumbled in my head. I took great care to write everything down so I could remember exactly how it went, but I left off with that a few days ago. And besides I still couldn´t link the name of the island, bay or beach we were on with whatever we were doing there. So as you may have guessed my dad and I really did manage to get the the Galapagos!! We booked a last minute 7 day cruise which we just finished yesterday. (Yesderday seems like a very very long time ago.) Considering we had no idea what we would be doing, the kind of boat we would be on or who we would be with things worked out very very well for us.
We got to the Quito airport early early on the morning on the 21st and we discovered a few of our fellow passengers right off. We all had to wear these hideous red buttons that let the whole world know we were going on a cruise in the Galapagos, how embarrassing! But at least we could spot one of our own. Anyway... we met
Mr. Crab
God these guys are gorgeous! up with Graeme a 35 year old guy from Newcastle and an older Australian couple and their sister. And that was it! We didn´t find out till a bit later but the 6 of us were the only English speakers on the tour and so we had our own guide, Esteban (20). That was very very cool. The boat we were on, Tip Top III, was glorious. It is a 16 passenger yacht, three floors, and really quite lovely. The decks were wood and all of interior was wood as well. The cabins were small but very comfortable. Of course I was thinking about the sailing trip I had been on a few weeks earlier on a 35 ft boat... Comparatively the rooms were HUGE!! And the shower was massive. And there was hot water. hehe, I felt very spoiled. What a way to live.
I found out quickly at dinner that the food was great and the company was, well we lucked out. The Australians were very very nice and shared their wine with us and Graeme was excellent company as well. I was very relieved to have another young person around. It was he and Esteban and
Preening Pelican
This is one of my favorite pictures I... The next youngest person there was Dad!! I could see how 7 days would be a bit much for my cousins who were there two summers ago. It would have been a very different experience had it not been for Esteban and Graeme. Though the Australians would have nearly made up for it.
Anyway... Our seven days was jam packed full of snorkeling and nature walks. Breakfast was at 7 am and everyone was going strong until about 8pm. After dinner everyone went to bed!! The whole yacht was deserted except for Esteban, Graeme, Bill and I who stayed up to play cards. It was pretty funny. Anyway! The islands were beautiful. I think snorkeling was my favorite part. Even though the water was a bit cold and the visibility wasn´t the best it was wonderful to see all of the fish, and best of all the turtles and the sea lions. The sea lions were amazing! I wanted to hug them and pet them and play with them. I was supremely pleased however at being able to swim with them. They would get so close! Less than a foot away! I could have reached out and touched
them very easily, but I didn´t. The turtles were fun too, I liked to watch them eat. They were so slow and graceful... We saw lots of parrot fish and many many puffers. I had no idea they came in so many colors.
The bird life was incredible as well. All the finches! And the yellow fly catcher was so beauiful. And we saw flamingos and penguins and flightless cormorants, and frigats and boobies (not those kind of boobies!) and nocturnal sea gulls. It was glorious!! Oh and pelicans, I got some good pictures of those. And of course the iguanas. I desperately wanted to pick up one of those too. The babies were so cute! Especially compared to the adults. And the beaches were beautiful. I especially liked the green sand ones (bits of olivene) and the ones that had sand that was nearly all shells and bits of pencil urchin.
In addition to the wonders of the animal life the geology of the Galapagos was pretty incredible. We did a lot of walking on lava fields. Man that stuff is sharp!! Every surface of the rocks could cut you. Yikes! I think Volcano Chico was my
Sea lion
These guys are pretty agile all things considered. I was impressed! favorite spot. We rode horses (these poor sickly things which I would have NOT ridden had I had a chance to protest) up to the highlands and walked the rest of the way. The rocks in that area were incredible! Lots of red and yellow. And many of the rocks had a sheen about them that sort of looked like oil in the light. Blue, green and red.
Anyway... I have a lot more to jabber on about but I´m tired of writing!
Our general plan currently is to leave the Galapagos on the 31st for Guayaquil. Then to Quito on the 4th where my dad will leave to San Fran and I will be off to Dublin. I will write more before then, but that is the plan!
Miss you all!
Love,
Kara
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Travis Klaas
non-member comment
Looks like so much fun
Wow babe, The pic's, do they give the Galapagos any justice? They look absolutely amazing. Next time here is no way I am letting you go on this cool of an adventure with out me. love you