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Galapagos 1 (Sunday): Getting under way

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1st April 2018

The Galapagos islands are a special destination in many ways. Historically significant, touristically exciting (we hope) and ecologically vulnerable because of the bloody tourists. So, although San Cristobal is only some 90 minutes’ flying time from mainland Ecuador, and although it’s just a domestic flight, many aspects of getting there are controlled as if an international flight – and then some.

The passenger lists are scrutinised and controlled very carefully. Because you can’t just potter about the islands by yourself, but must be in a group led by a guide, every embarcation is carefuly checked to make sure that all travellers have a legitimate travel plan. Suitcases are sealed before check-in to make sure that no unwanted materials (meaning mainly fruit, veg, meat, that sort of thing) sneak in. When you disembark, there is a multi-stage process to check people’s provenance and onward plans, and to check, once again, that no extraneous biological matter comes in unannounced – it’s the only time in my life when I have had to answer “yes” when asked if I was bringing in camping materials, as I was wearing hiking boots.

(By the way, I was damn’ glad I had these with me, as on at least one activity in the islands no other footwear would have been appropriate. Our initial materials gave the impression that Teva sandals would be OK, and this was not always the case.)

Such care might result in torturous processes before you eventually get on to the islands, but it’s entirely justified in order to ensure, as best possible, that travellers don’t degrade the environment. Yes, it’s self interest in that tourism is better sustained this way; but also scientific research benefits.

The excellent job Sunvil had done to take us smoothly through three weeks that included five flights, four bus rides, four boat rides, many excursions and innumerable hotel transfers looked in danger of falling apart in the melée at the exit at San Cristobal airport

but this was eventually proven to be an illusion, and the planeload of incoming travellers was eventually assigned to buses to take them onwards – in our case to a RIB transfer to M/V Origin, the newest in Ecoventura’s fleet of cruise boats. This will be our home and that for eighteen other souls for a week as we are led around the high and low points of the (southern) Galapagos ilands. We even caught sight of sea lions and a pelican as we waited to be transferred.

The boat is excellent; room for 20 people in 10 very well-organised and well-appointed cabins; a very comfortable lounge/bar/dining room; excellent food; and friendly and competent crew and tour guide/naturalists. Even our first evening’s view from the boat was rather nice,

particularly later, as the sun went down.

And then – we were off! A spot of lunch (at which we met Allison, Nick and Harry, a very gemütlich family from the UK) and a swift and a thorough safety briefing were followed by immediately going out on a snorkelling trip. This, for Jane and me, was a bit daunting, as we have had very little experience, and getting into wetsuits and snorkelling gear is something of a faff. And the snorkelling experience wasn’t particularly brilliant, as the visibility in the water was poor. I took a waterproof camera with me, and took several photos, but couldn’t, on later examination, work out what they were supposed to be of. I think this is a photo of a sea turtle.

Others were more skillful in managing the snorkelling process and for example managed to get videos of playing with sealions, though. I shall try again later in the week. Maybe.

After we got back and dried off, we had a welcome cocktail of Listerine and Tonic, dinner, introductions to captain, crew and the other travellers on board, and a briefing about day 2, which looked to provide opportunities for hiking, snorkelling, kayaking, beach swimming and being whizzed around in a RIB. As I write this, I feel I may write up the hike instead of going snorkelling, but – who knows. It’s clear that we’re in for an active time!

Here’s the Day 2 installment

Half way through – and what have we learned?

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31st March 2018

Here we are, three weeks through a six-week odyssey around the left-hand side of South America, and we’ve seen Santiago, many bits of Patagonia in Chile and Argentina, and Easter Island. Obviously, we’ve learned a vast amount about the history, geography and climate of these areas, but what about the other stuff, the tacit learning that you pick up as you go along, rather than have explained to you by a tour guide?

  • Internet access is normally very slow. The UK media give the UK a bad rap on internet access speed. They should come here before doing any more criticising.
  • It is possible to live without constant internet access. Even for a whole week. No, really.
  • It’s surprising the extent to which English she is not spoke – not only by residents, but also tourists and the people there to serve them in hotels, on tours, etc. This is more a reflection on my arrogant assumption that foreigners should speak my language, based upon years of travel mainly around Europe, where, largely, they do. But I was surprised at how rarely I heard English being spoken around me.
  • Even with people who do speak English, it pays to be considered and careful in expressing yourself. You will almost certainly be misunderstood if you don’t.
  • The Chileans are even better at queuing than the Brits. Just as well, as life seems to present them with plenty of opportunities to practice.
  • If you are a wearer of spectacles and are going away for 6 weeks, take a spare pair. I nearly broke mine in week one (hands up, yes, I walked into a plate glass window), but fortunately was able to bend them back into approximately the right shape.
  • If you are a wearer of spectacles and your holiday might involve swimming/snorkelling, remember to take a robust case for them. In my case, I thought to acquire and take a waterproof camera, but forgot the case for my specs.
  • It’s a pleasant surprise when the local bank’s ATM doesn’t rush you several quid for a withdrawal of cash. So far, the typical charge for taking out £50 of local currency has been about £6.
  • Currency is a bit of a puzzle. Many, but by no means all, places in Chile and Argentina will take US dollars. Many, but by no means all, will take credit cards. It’s not easy to know which is which, so there’s a danger of walking around with multiple currencies. Not a big problem. But, still…
  • Two days on Easter Island fills your head to bursting with information about the place. What’s a week in the Galapagos Islands going to be like, for heaven’s sake?
  • You need normal shoes for Santiago, proper waterproof walking boots for Patagonia (and, as it turned out, the Galapagos, where water shoes are also useful), and trainers for Easter Island (I used here the Teva sandals I packed for the Galapagos and they were OK but not comfortable). That’s a lot of packing space for footwear.
  • My estimation of Salomon as a provider of footwear has plummeted. I spent a lot of money on a pair of Salomon hiking boots, and they lasted less than two years of moderate mileage before (1) springing a leak and (2) having the uppers peel away from the soles. Of course, this only happened once I had left the UK. I shall be complaining upon my return. I realise I shan’t get my money back, but a good moan is pleasingly cathartic.
  • It seems a fairly rare occurrence that anyone takes any notice of hand baggage size restrictions or that South American airlines enforce them.
  • We’re halfway through the teabags we brought with us (plus the ones we’ve harvested from various hotel breakfasts). Extreme care is going to be needed to eke out the remainder, as that major staff of life, Earl Grey tea, is by no means as ubiquitous as any civilised nation needs to realise that it should be.
  • There is no Marmite on hotel breakfast buffets. Rarely is there bacon.
  • And, finally, half way through the longest holiday either of us has ever taken, we are still (a) enjoying everything and (b) talking to each other, so there is a pleasing prospect that the other half is going to be equally enjoyable.

Ecuador: half a day in Guayaquil

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31st March 2018

This is definitely, positively, the last post before we depart for the Galapagos tomorrow. But we had a chance to wander around in Guayaquil, Ecuador’s largest city, before we flew out, and so here are a few snaps I took as we wandered about.

Before we got here, though, we had some amusing moments. The lady who sat next to me on the plane had brought her dog with her, something I’d never experienced before. It was very cute and very well-behaved:

and Jane took this photo of a dog which was just lying quietly among the incoming people in the immigration queue. No-one paid it any attention and it responded in kind.

Even before we got to Guayaquil, it was clear it was an interesting place. Jane took this photo from the aeroplane, and our taxi driver later told us that it was of rice fields to the south of the city.

I would never have automatically associated Ecuador with rice, which just goes to show how much I know.

We were billeted in the rather posh Wyndham hotel, which is handily placed to explore Guayaquil’s waterfront area and the well-known tourist attraction hill, Cerro Santa Ana, to climb which takes 444 steps (the authorities have kindly numbered them). Climbing them, you get a good sense of the buzz and colour of the place.

It’s a steamy, hot place and the locals even set out small pools for kids to take a cooling dip in.

At the top, you find the well-known lighthouse

and some good views, like this one over the neighbouring hill, Cerro del Carmen.

And you can also see over the local waterfront area.

We wandered back down the hill and along the waterfront, which was noisy and crowded, and full of holiday atmosphere.

and ended up in the Parque Seminario, just in front of the cathedral. The park is also known as the Parque de los Iguanas, for a very obvious reason.

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We stopped for a (very) late lunch in a restaurant called La Canoa and then wandered back in the gathering dusk, which provided a nice view of the town hall.

the local Ferris Wheel (La Perla)

and of the Cerro Santa Ana in the evening light.

So we didn’t have a lot of time here, but I think that Guayaquil gave us a good introduction to Ecuador, its people and its climate. I hope that we can acclimatise to the steamy heat and enjoy our time in the Galapagos. Watch this space to find out!