NEWS # 004
FIRST IMPRESSIONS ..... [from the first e-mails - the main trip report follows below this] ...
Have definitely found paradise. Got here yesterday and fell in love with the
place immediately. It's the most comfortable place I have ever been, if you
know what I mean. People very friendly, wildlife amazing, 27 degrees C and
the most sensational beaches I've ever seen. Not much surf yet but that may
change. I'll definitely be coming back here. Am just settling in for a few
days in a small town called Puerto Ayora and will visit the Charles Darwin
Research Station later today. Will send more news as I have it.
(later) Am having a fantastic time and will find it very hard to go back to Quito
when I have to. Have been to the Charles Darwin Research Centre today and then for a surf
amongst the turtles and pelicans. Will give you a full update on Saturday, hopefully.
Hi everyone!
The Galapagos Islands.
What can I say? Got up bright and early on Wednesday a.m. to be at the airport
at 0730 for the 0930 flight to the Islands. The cab driver was a bit of a
shark and could not fit my board in the car so stuck it out of the boot with
my rucksack on the top to stop it falling out on the way! He then charged me
double what I had paid on the way from the airport - he was a big chap
and I couldn't be bothered to fight. After all it was still only 10 dollars
for a very long journey.
Check in for the Islands was very easy though they search everyone's luggage
to make sure that they are not carrying anything that could upset the
delicate balance of the islands. Took all of five minutes and I was on my
way.
The flight goes via a place called Guayaquil where most of the passengers
got off so I was left with a great view and three seats to myself for the
next few hours.
The Islands appeared out of the cloud and remind me in some way of the
Canaries, being volcanic. As you enter the terminal building (a large shed!)
you have to walk over a mat rather like those we saw during the Foot and
Mouth crisis. I was wearing those rather old deck shoes and had to stand on
the mat for some time due to the queue. As a result they filled up with
disinfectant and now have a lovely aroma!!!
On leaving the airport, you are besieged by people selling tickets for the
bus to the capital, Puerto Ayora. Two buses and a ferry later, at the
princely sum of 2 dollars, and you finally arrive at the other side of the
Island.
The Galapagos Arch, Puerto Ayora
On getting off the bus I headed to the place where the hotels are and on the
way was accosted by a rather large gentleman wearing a pair of spectacles
that tilted at about 45 degrees and had definitely seen better days. He
managed to convince me that this hotel, the Hotel Elizabeth, would be a great
place to stay.
He offered me a small room with little view for ten dollars
and I succeeded in negotiating for a much larger room with double bed, own bathroom and
excellent view for eight dollars!
apart from the corrugated iron, the view was good!
I settled in nicely and decided to explore the island a bit. The Galapagos
Archipelago is made up of several islands but only two have airstrips. I am
in Santa Cruz.
I thought I should visit the tourist information centre first to at least
have an idea of where I was going. My enquiry of 'Hablas Ingles?'(do you
speak English?) was thankfully met with an English accent better than my
own! I was given some maps and came away from the centre feeling that I
could at least make my way around without getting completely lost.
My first stop was the Charles Darwin Research Station. This place is amazing
and has become the major study centre and tortoise breeding centre for the
islands. There tortoises from 3 inches long to 3 feet or more! There are
also all sorts of programs to study all the various flora and fauna of the
islands.
this was the little guys!
... and after a few years
From there I had to find lunch, which usually consists of fish soup,
followed by rice and chicken or similar at the princely sum of 2 dollars.
I spent the afternoon at a beach called Tortuga Bay. Imagine Saunton with
29C, and the only company a few turtles and some pelicans. Mind you you have
to sign in to the nature reserve to enable you to walk to the beach and you
have to sign out again to ensure that you have not expired in the intense
heat where the sun is directly overhead and casts no shadow at 1200! Added
to this is the 3 km walk to the beach!!!
That evening, had a meal at a little place up the road from the hotel and
popular with the locals called Williams. Lobster and rice for seven dollars!
Preceded by a couple of beers, I crashed out at about ten.
Since then have just chilled and surfed, though am rather burnt despite Factor
50 suncream and trying not to go out in the midday sun.
Met a crazy surfing
instructor called Wladimir (El Pelicano to his friends!) Last night he
suggested that I should go to the Club Habana, a top place where there would
be live music and a wild crew. Had a great night and it amazed me when
people out of the audience would just go up to the band playing and take
over playing their instruments! It seemed as if everyone could play.
A few too many beers and I arrived back at my hotel only to find that the
gate was bolted and the only way in was to climb over to broken glass
embedded on the concrete above the gate! Discretion being the better part of
valour, I rang the hotel bell and got the manager's wife out of bed to let
me in.
Surfed and chilled again today and am off on a Boat tour of the Islands
tomorrow. Will call in when I get back.
Seeya,
Halesy