Today we start the long journey from Montana to Quito, Ecuador for our Galapagos Adventure. Our flight didn’t depart too early, 7:00 am, and we made it through airport security without issue. Our first layover in Denver flew by, and when we arrived in Houston we spent most of our time trying to exchange the $100 bills my husband, Ryan, …

This morning we had a great breakfast at the hotel before meeting Santiago and Carlos, our guide and driver, for the day. We headed south from the city towards Cotopaxi, which is one of the world’s highest active volcanoes (just under 6,000 m). We stopped at a lookout to take in views of the valley that Quito occupies; it is a long narrow …

After sleeping in a little, Betty and her family picked us up for a trip up to Otavalo. The famed market was alive with energy as all the local artisans from the area converged in the central plaza, and many of the adjoining streets of this small town to sell their goods. The traditional clothing and one –on-one interactions take you back in …

Today is the day that we fly out to the Galapagos! As an Anthropologist by education I have studied Darwin and the Galapagos Islands for years. I was excited to head out to the islands to witness the famed variations for myself. As our plane was descending on San Cristobal I was in awe that I could see Kicker Rock (one of the most recognizable …

Frigates, and finches, and boobies .. Oh My! The Galapagos attracts animal enthusiasts from around the world, but I maintain that the happiest visitors have to be the birders! The uniqueness and sheer quantity of birds was overwhelming. I was most excited to see the Blue Footed Boobie before I arrived, but as soon as we made our way around …

Food on this trip can be divided into two parts – mainland food and seafood. Similar to Peruvian food, the mainland food was very potato based (which made me very happy!). We didn’t have a lot of time on the mainland, but I really enjoyed the food that we were able to try. There was one restaurant near Otavalo that provided one of my …

One thing people should know about me is that I had never been afraid of water. Growing up I was the first person in the lake, I loved tubing (I never was able to water ski) and being on the river was a favorite pass time. Fast forward to high school when I was getting certified to be a diver. I loved the classes (being in Montana, these classes …

Our cruise took us over to the western islands in the archipelago. These are the youngest islands – and although I hate to choose a favorite, I really think Fernandina was amazing! This island seemed so raw to me. The black lava flow with the sparse vegetation, and the literal piles of marine Iguanas made this a super special stop! People …

At the end of a trip I like to look back over what I packed and makes notes for what I would have done differently. The most important thing I packed was seasickness medication. Everyone on our boat was taking something, and I am happy to report that no one on our ship suffered from seasickness. Remedies spanned the gamut from acupressure bands to …