LOCATION: San Cristobel - Guayaquil - Lima
Well that’s a Galapagos wrap - bring on the next one.
Predictably everything ran like clockwork to get us off the Treasure of Galapagos. First job of the morning was to get the final wet items off the balcony and into the suitcases.. needed to have everything out by 8 am. We were easily done and were enjoying breakfast as all the behind the scenes cleanup and luggage collection took place.
A dry landing at St Cristobal was our final ferry in the dingy. No shortage of animals to greet us. We had been watching the sea lions playing in the bay all morning from the boat, even propping themselves up in the dinghy of our neighbouring boat. Did wake to the constant barking of the dozens of sea lions on the shore and a little surprising to see civilisation after our five days of isolation.
First activity of the morning was a visit to the interpretive centre.
A fitting end to the trip. A walk through interpretive centre that reinforced all the information that @Jaime had been sharing but the visuals and models gave you the opportunity to nod in acknowledgement of the journey you had shared.
Only down side. Not air conditioned. We were dressed for a day of flying and within 5 minutes it was like being in a sauna. Dripping wet, sticky clothing had us looking forward to leaving rather than wanting to linger and learn more.
The last part of the morning with @Jaime was to be let loose on the tourist strip to do some souvenir shopping. Again, the downside was that very few of the venues were air conditioned. Stinking hot as the day progressed and with a few purchases on board we opted to draw up a seat that at least had a breeze from the waterfront and enjoy a cold drink.
Back on the bus for the 10 minute ride to the airport and @Jaime collected his tips and waved us goodbye. A torturous 20 minutes to get through the check in process in a tin shed - with just a single booth open for checkin. Much easier through the immigration and security checks but not much relief from the heat. Not sure how @Mac heard my name but he picked up that I had been isolated for a bag search and was taken through by security to open up my bag to ensure I wasn’t taking any materials from the Islands. Felt a little embarrassed because my dirty night wear had been bundled on top of the packing cubes - which meant that when I flipped the case open, the poor woman had to handle my pjs and smalls that had been discarded in the morning.
The airport here was chaotic. Little to no air conditioning on offer - an open shed for the waiting lounges - no sound proofing between you and the runway meant the sound was deafening as each plane landed and took off. After the five days on the boat in virtual isolation - it was almost too much.
Settled in for our 50 minute flight to Guayaquil (@Deb has renamed it guacamole for convenience of pronunciation) and all too soon we were waving goodbye to the other members of the group who were staying on board for the refuelling and then heading back to Quito. Got a quick start of 2% in my dead phone from “Naughty Ray” and am confident that it will eventually start again.
We were relieved to see our luggage had arrived and spotted a huge red KFC sign in the terminal which was a great distraction because we were thirty minutes early for checkin. Bolted to place our order and then bolted the food down - it was 4.30 pm and constituted a late lunch.
Surprised to find out that our premium economy seats here entitled us to access in the VIP lounge - very comfortable way to wile away the two hours until our next flight.
It seems customary in Ecuador that if you are over 65 you get priority treatment. I was singled out as the “old person” in the group and was sheparded to the “old person needs help line” and my entourage of three just tagged along. Could have been worse - the six old people in front of me were in wheel chairs. Mind you, did have to laugh at the “oldie” in front of me - was very sprightly at the doorway of the aircraft - sprung out of her wheelchair, threw two bags over her shoulder and sprinted down the aisle!
We were in row 1 for this two hour flight and enjoyed a prawn and mango salad for dinner (very good, but seriously didn’t rival that finger licking good late lunch.) I had a glass of red wine and pulled my fleece over my head and slept. Good thing, because on landing, @Mac sprinted us through Lima international because three flights had arrived within 10 minutes of each other. We were number 8 in the immigration queue with hundreds queuing behind us - thankfully, at least 20 gates open!
A little different here because they separate you - have to make sense of the broken English and the multiple questions on your own. @Mac and @Lloyd suffer from the same “I can’t understand you” deficiency so there were a few frustrating and tense moments as they faced the interrogation for entry and the requests for photos and finger prints. @Deb turned back to help @Lloyd at the counter and was very sternly turned away. Not sure how we got through - @Deb and I answered “10 days” to the “how long are you staying" question. The men offered 6 and 7 …. Ha ha, that 6/7 stuff is sort of how we are.
Predictably, our on the ground transport was waiting in the throng of people. That area out the gate waiting for passengers was a seething mass of people. Banners, signs, placards, balloons, roses …. if the welcome had been for us would have felt like rock stars but according to @Gonsalves, just an ordinary Tuesday night in Lima.
The 45 minute drive in the dark was in peak hour traffic! Yep. Approaching midnight. Horns, sirens, city streets, freeways - certainly woke us up! At one stage we were caught in the middle of an intersection, with three lanes of traffic on our left so close we could have cleaned their windscreen! It was head shaking drama at every switchback turn.
The best was yet to come as we hit the road along the cliffs overlooking the Pacific. Remember, it is approaching midnight on a Tuesday night. If a parking space or half space was available - there was a car in it - people were crowded along the railings - drinks in hand - “watching the beautiful waves.” Seriously, go home to bed! According to @Gonsalves, all of this is, again, “just a normal Tueaday night in Lima.”
Do think we will need to revisit some of the instructions because he spoke for 40 minutes about the upcoming details of the next 10 days! Thank goodness it is written down.
Checked in, have a map, know where the laundry is … other than breakfast, that is as far as we are thinking for this evening. The sea lions, iguana and the relaxed pace of Galapagos seem a lot further away than just this morning!
Can you believe this?
Amazing Facts About Darwin in the Galapagos from Co-Pilot
He wasn't there long: Darwin only spent 5 weeks in the Galapagos (September-October 1835), which was only a tiny fraction of his 5-year voyage on the HMS Beagle.
He ate the evidence: Contrary to being a modern conservationist, Darwin and his crew feasted on the giant tortoises, describing them as "delicious" in soup.
He missed the significance of the finches: While the "Darwin's Finches" are famous, he did not label his finch specimens by island while there. He had to rely on others' samples to realize they were distinct species.
He loved the volcanoes more: When arriving, Darwin was more interested in seeing active volcanoes than the wildlife. He compared the islands to "furnaces" and a "desert".
Wildlife had no fear: He was amazed by the tameness of the animals, a feature that still exists today, allowing him to easily approach finches, iguanas, and tortoises.
The tortoises are still there: The species of giant tortoise that fascinated him can still be observed in the archipelago today, with some projects dedicated to their conservation, such as the Charles Darwin Research Station.
Survival Barometer
Steps 13 601
Weather 34 in Galapagos 20 for nightime arrival in Lima
Health - have been carrying a barking cough that rivals the sea lions - not sick - just cough, cough, cough for nearly two weeks
For Jesse:
Found a swing - time to move on from the islands - The card still holding on
"We are twinnies in our seats, Nanny."
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