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You've got to be kidding me. That's all the way down in South America. Heck, it takes me that long to fly from the US Right coast to the Left coast.
Sure it costs more to fly to SA but you get food, more leg room and a personal video system. Furtherly amazing is that Ecuador is GMT+6 (central DST or mountain DT depending on season). Minimal jet lag - cool.
All packed up and ready to wait. Now I feel bad we made the kitchen staff start early so we could get breakfast before hitting the road.
People from just about any culture other than NA would chill for 2 hours, find a coffee shop, socialize and relax; but when Americans are told there's a flight change and they have two hours to wait they pack it full of something. In our case that meant hunting down some local landmark (a church). I'm not the church going type but they're cool to look at.
Stumbling upon a Saturday morning market in the local park as the vendors were setting up is far more engaging. "How much more do you need?" Good thing we didn't bring large empty packs or the craft-shopping may have caused us to miss our bus.
SA airport security is great; just like the US 10 years ago. No need to show up 2 hours early. 30 minutes and you're clear.
The chill of a Quito morning doesn't prepare you for the humidity and warmth of San Cristobal. It was obvious from the minute we sat down to a mid-afternoon lunch that the trip guide, Alfredo Meneses, cares about his guests and food. Local cuisine, top level service and preparation. So much for loosing a few....
A hike to and through the local preserve, up a hill and along the coast is the only thing that kept me from napping. Intro to geography, history and ecology of Galapagos permeated the excursion. I could have spent 2 hours just in the open air museum but I had to keep up so as not to miss anything....
Warm breezes sitting bayside is not how I expected to be eating on the trip - but I wasn't going to complain.
Most people wish for sunshine when traveling but the few peeks of sun we had yesterday reminded me were on the equator - and only 6 days before the equinox. The radiance of the sun is almost overwhelming so clouds, fog and occasional light rain were fine by me.
The plant zones were evident as we climbed the ancient volcano in a small bus making stops to look for birds.
A stop at a tortoise breeding center got us up close for the first time. Free roaming adults and cage protected young gave us a good perspective how these lumbering giants develop. One aggressive male decided to oust another using both the ramming and tail nipping techniques.
Near the top of the volcano we got an eerie fog shrouded tour with Alfredo and Pedro leading. The mud trail kicked the difficulty level up two notches. I was amused listening to the discussions of the benefits of walking trail left in the wet grass or trail right through the mud. Luckily Alfredo suffered no serious bodily injury when he misjudged the surface tension of mud on the side of a gully.
"Down there is a lake where Frigate birds come to wash. In that direction is the ....." Looks like thick fog to me. Fog does force you to examine what's right in front of you rather than the horizon. Plants, small birds, and sure footing.
After lunch back in town we had a short break before launching kayaks into moderate surf. Ordinarily a calm port, the change of seasons kicked up the waves a bit. Circling around a small point and into a cliff-sided cove where Frigate birds and blue footed boobies hang out took about 45 minutes. The plan was to snorkel and look around the rocks. The dark clouds and dropping sun dimmed the visibility.
Honestly I don't remember what we saw underwater though I'm sure it was great. As soon as a group of juvenile male sea lions joined us I forgot all else. Certainly nothing a guide could plan for, swimming with sea lions has got to be one of the highlights. Just inches away, rolling, spinning, diving and generally playing - the sea lions obviously wanted to show us we were out of our element. I dove down 8 to 10 times about 12 to 15 feet deep and each time was followed by 2 sea lions. Sometimes they followed me, other times they lead. I just wish I'd had an underwater video camera.
Waterlogged and exhausted, we made our way back in near darkness.
Sunny morning so I don't mind hanging out while Alfredo gets things organized for the boat ride out for the snorkel destination - Kicker Rock.
Along the way we slow along rocky shore to spot boobies, frigates, sea lions and marine iguana. High clouds roll in by the time we reach the destination. One spin around the rock shows there's more going on than shear rock face - Nesting and relaxing birds (my mother kept the list, I just watched).
Over the gunwale and through a tunnel in the rock - I'm glad I wore my wetsuit. The water is warm but not quite warm enough for long term immersion. The cliff face teams with 1000 times more life than above. Each 'level' deeper there are new and different life to meet. Colors are of course muted due to the overcast sky but still brilliant. I wish for dive gear to get deeper and closer to the group of patrolling sharks 50 ft or so below.
After a brief lunch in a cove we disembark to the sandy beach teeming with sea lions. Swimming here was not an option as the dominant male barked his disapproval of our presence while parralleling the shore keeping his harem, offspring and us in line.
Mothers and pups pretty much ignored our intrusion. Some of the youngsters found us a curiosity worth investigating so we were the ones backing away.
A relatively early dinner left time to walk the village before the shops closed.
Headcount at the airport for the 1 hour flight to Isabella was short - Forgot Kristen. Good thing it's only a 5 min. drive.
Now we understood why there was a 25 lb luggage weight limit for the trip. I kept mine to 21 lbs so it wasn't my fault we were 100 lbs over on the weigh-in. The 5 and 9 passenger prop planes don't have the safety factor a large commercial jet has I guess. At least they didn't charge extra for checked bags....
I'm not sure it's routine for passengers to jump over the ticket counter and duck under the baggage door and walk down the conveyor belt; but that's how we scrambled to reach our luggage in order to extract anything we could do without for a couple days. The planes weren't taking off until we lightened the load 100 lbs.
We took the same path back to the passenger check-in area before being escorted through the security screening. What's the point - we were already on 'the other side' sorting our bags. Must have made the attendants feel useful I guess.
The twin engine wing over 9 passenger plane I got into was beat. But the pilot had a white shirt and tie on so it made me feel better. It looked like all the instruments were in working order so why did he have a bright yellow hand-held GPS on the dashboard? He kept poking at it when we were inside the clouds during most of the journey.
We didn't think much about the commotion between the other 3 members of our group (Brenda, Bob and Fabio) on the ground in Isabella when they said one of their plane's doors opened during flight. Not until later when Brenda (a pilot herself) explained the seriousness of the situation did we realize that had things gone just a little differently, they may not have made it.
Isabella's village area is sprucing up with curbs and sidewalks going in along the sand street. After checking into rooms we head out for an afternoon mountain bike ride. An open-sided bus trails us for breakdowns. Along the beach and up into a park, the scenery is fantastic. The thin clouds take the edge off the sun and keep it comfortable. Now we find wild tortoises crossing the road oblivious to those wheeling by. We stop at a series of short walks to observation points atop hills, swamps and ponds on the lookout for plants and animals. Isabella has similarities and differences from San Cristobal. I can't recollect them precisely of course but the lava fields are immense.
After lunch in a local restaurant (dirt floor, canopy roof, plastic chairs - good food) we headed for a boat ride, snorkel and walk with the iguana. The cove was a convoluted maze of lava flows - The captain was definately experienced, pausing to wait until a swell passed over a reef so he could clear it without clipping his prop.
The waves stirred up the water diminishing visibility but watching the penguins along the shore and walking through the marine iguana colony made up for it. How can you tell the difference between lava and marine iguana? The iguana move. I nearly stepped on dozens walking along - the creatures look like they morphed right out of the rough black/gray lava. Like most of the other critters we encountered, the marine iguana cooperated with our filming.
The highlight of our day was pushing the flat-bed truck converted into an open-sided bus around in ankle deep mud. So much for trying to keep clean.
Another sea to summit day for a horse ride around the volcanic caldera. Due to mud, we walked until we reached the rim. Fog obscured our view but it diminshed as we reached the half way point around. 100 ft below was a wasteland of black lava from an eruption 5 years ago. Fumerals depositing yellow and white minerals on the black showed this place is still active.
It didn't feel like it had been 40 years since I last rode a horse. My mother wasn't so keen on the idea but braved one guaranteed to be docile (that and Alfredo offered to lead her steed.
We made way around the rim further to a point were we could see the side volcanos of eruptions in the past number of years and the shoreline off in the distance.
2 hours later, the truck-bus was still wallowed in the mud so we pushed and got a tow. Still the driver did everything he could to get it restuck by ... well it's over.
Like most lunch meals, we arrive later than anticipated but the hosts are understanding and gracious. Palm thatch roof, dirt floor and great food (must be the typical combination).
The restaurant is part of a larger farm and camp complex and the owner proudly gives us a tour. All sorts of fruit trees (tropical and semi tropical of course) as well as vegetables and a private compound of tortoises. All in well-kept order.
An afternoon off is welcomed. I decline the Jens' offer to join him and Bob surfing though I had said I wanted to the previous day. Glad I didn't go after walking up the beach and watching them get pummeled by the surf.
Susan and I take a boardwalk deep into a swamp but only see a few birds before darkness falls.
Up extra early for the trip to Santa Cruz. I'm wary of becoming sea sick and sit next to transom even though we get a soaking from spray and rain. Robin and I enjoy commiserating over the conditions with a laugh.
After a quick taxi-truck ride, we get a tour of the Darwin Research Center. By far the largest tortoises we've yet seen.
Richard takes over for Alfredo who has to travel to the US.
Another taxi-truck ride up to a park for more tortoise encounters and a short walk.
Upon return to the town we catch a water-taxi to our outstanding accommodations. While we get settled, Richard rounds up inflatable kayaks for an afternoon paddle.
I wasn't expecting much but was plesently surprised by the blue footed boobies flying and diving in formation just a few yards from out kayaks. A diversion into a narrow rock canyon revealed more birds just hanging out.
Travel day with ups and downs and lots of waiting around.
Last night as a whole group for dinner. Closing of one trip and beginning of another tomorrow.
Another travel morning. It seems like it would be a long distance between Quito and Coca - headwaters area of Amazon river - but the 50 min. flight shows how close it really is.
After a brief snack at the lodge's in-town reception we hop a boat for the 2 hour ride down-river.
We get a short time to settle into our raised platform lodgings at Sacha before orientation.
After dinner we take an hour night walk and mostly find insects and lizards.
The jungle is warm and humid but the room fans make sleeping tolerable.
Knock at the door comes at 5 am - long before sunrise. Boat half hour to parrot clay licks. Whole lot of patient waiting. While others peer expectantly over the rail of the shelter / blind, I nap on a bench and look up occasionally at the bat clinging to the underside of the roof.
Two more stops for parrot watching then back for lunch.
The late afternoon walk takes us through forest. Not much wildlife going on.
Who'd have thought we'd see nearly 50 different colorful singing birds by noon. The clouds and occasional sprinkles helped extend the birds morning activities while we peered down from the cable-tower walk above. I can see how some people would worry about their safety walking a hundred feet or more up across a simple cable bridge. I had to resist swaying the cables as others crossed. There's something about causing panic in other people's expressions that has always facinated me - must be the 7 year old I never grew out of.
Over 50 birds in just a few hours. The fun part was being the first in the group to catch a glimpse and point out a 'new' one. So while others gazed at the most recent find, I was off looking towards another treetop.
The rest of the day had it's events (unbelieveable heavy downpour after lunch, restful nap, butterfly breeding pens, scrumpious meals, and a peaceful canoe ride with tiny biting ants crawling all over me) but none compared to the treetop bird gazing.
My mother got her chance to watch early morning birds after missing yesterday's cable walk due to food illness. Almost in a state of frenzy due to how quickly the birds entered and departed the tree top we climbed up via the second most rickety looking wooden stairway system I've ever walked.
I kept my eyes on the rotted wood connections while others watched for the next bird - most of which we saw the morning before. The bright sun brought up the temps quickly.
It's just too bad there weren't any giant snakes.
After lunch and relaxing we tried watching birds at the cable walk again but the warm afternoon and sun probably kept birds under cover so there were few to spot.
Canoe across lake, walk a mile, 2 hour power boat ride, pick-up taxi, flight to Quito, bus around town on tour, then late night flight and home. All within 24 hours.
The most exciting of day's events was the boat ride. Due to recent rain, the water was way up so the pilot brought us through some sketchy side streams that were much more interesting and exciting than the main channel.
