| 9th July 2005 Went to Charles Darwin Research Centre and saw giant tortoises (incl Lonesome George, the only surviving Pinta tortoise) and land iguanas. Spent afternoon on beach watching marine iguanas and sea lions. Terry fell asleep and woke up with a sun burnt face (you should see his nose - it�s like a beacon!). Had dinner watching boobies diving for food - tried in vane to get a decent photo - far too quick!!! 10th July 2005 Got down to harbour at 9am and went out snorkelling. Went over to a small island first where the sea was quite rough. Saw loads of different tropical marine fish - loads of different colours and sizes (some as long as our arms). Terry stayed in longer (I got cold and thought I�d done well considering the conditions!!) and got to swim with 3 sea lions, playing around him - made his day!!! Then we went back to the main coastline and got in again where there are sharks - unfortunately didn�t see any though. But saw more different fish, coral etc... and this time I got closeish to a sea lion, before it swam away when Terry came over!!! Then the boat guide took us down a channel and we climbed up the cliffs for some great views of the bay, where the sharks should have been (water too murky to see) and over to another beach where there were marine iguanas - but this time we saw them swimming in the ocean!!! (Loads more photos!!!) It�s just so beautiful and amazing here!!! 11th July 2005 Early start (5am) (ouch!) to catch Fibras back to San Cristobal. Bought Heime, our wooden Galapagos tortoise on the harbour!!! (Heime the name of the lad on the Fibras looking after us). Got a taxi up to El Junco - a fresh water, volcano crater lake up high in the middle of the island - more great views and photos!! Watched frigate birds circling and diving in the lake. Spent afternoon on the beach sun bathing with sea lions. Got really close to them in the water, one swam right past us to get back to the shore. They�re really friendly! 12th July 2005 Left Galapagos and arrived in Quito 4pm. Taxi to bus station and bus straight to Latacunga ($1.50 each for 91 km). Found nice hotel - dinner - bed - shattered!!! 13th July 2005 Strolled round Latacunga and sat in the square outside the hotel just relaxing. Got a set menu for dinner at a local restaurant which started with chicken soup...... Claire�s had chicken toes in it, but didn�t know what they were and Terry would have let me eat them had he not been laughing so much he almost choked, so I guessed something was up with it!!! 14th July 2005 Day trip to Quilotoa. Got picked up at 7.30am and went straight to Sasquisili market, which was full of indiginous people selling all sorts. The animal market was full of cows, sheep, pigs, goats, llamas, chickens etc and we were just walking in amongst them - no pens!! Then there was a fruit and veg section and another for crafts and everyday items. Saw baskets made out of old tyres, men on peddle sewing machines, pigs heads cooking - amongst other things which looked lovely except for the flies all over them!! Also saw chicken feet for sale - maybe it�s a delicacy and I should have eaten them yesterday!! Then we went on to Quilotoa, winding our way through the Andes up to just over 4000 metres. At the top we looked down at the lake in the huge crater - apparently it takes 5 hours to walk round the rim. We descended 1200m down to the lake - sliding at times in the volcanic dust - rather steep! Then we had lunch by the lake before climbing back out. Only took an hour to get back up, which our guide said was good and that we did well, he also said we were in good condition - yeah right.... we could hardly breath because of the altitude!! 15th July 2005 Day trip to Cotopaxi. Started with an hour and a half journey squashed in the boot of a land cruiser with a german couple - very bumpy and cramped!! We trekked across the moorland next to Cotopaxi and managed to catch a few glimpses of it through the cloud. Again hard work due to altitude and the last bit was a gradual incline up the lava fields of Cotopaxi, which occasionaly have lava in them. Had lunch by a waterfall, then walked back further to another waterfall - great views all day with some lovely flowers and trees too. Bit dissapointing not to get closer to Cotopaxi, but no time for another trek. Got a bus straight to Banos when we got back and had a view of Tungurahua on the way into Banos - the active volcano above Banos which was smoking!! 16th July 2005 Had a walk round town and went to a waterfall by some of the public thermal baths, before walking along a path next to the river Vazcun - dodgy stomach though so didn�t go far and just went down to river and sat paddling in it for an hour or so..... Claire had her first nature poo - much needed.... Terry then bought laxatives and practically force fed them to her!!!! Saw guinea pig being cooked in town... looks nice apart from head and claws - cooked whole!! 17th July 2005 Went white water rafting down the river Pastaza, through rain forest for 2 hours - excellent!! Our raft guide was crazy and made our boat - 1 of 3 - go through the biggest rapids and he kept pushing people in - at the end he launched himself at me so that we both went in - drank quite a lot of river water... Saw a huge 8 inch blue butterfly. In the evening we went to see the waterfall by the baths lit up at night. |