I felt like a kid on Christmas Eve, trying to sleep the night
before my red-eye flight from Quito to San Cristobal.
(Administration and sea lion capital of the Galapagos Islands.) We
stopped in Guayaquil to pick up more passengers but missed our 8am
take-off deadline when repair work began on the runway. Our 4 hour
wait in the transfer lounge just increased my anticipation for the
famed archipelago.
As soon as you land in the Galapagos you feel yourself breathe
out, your shoulders drop and the pace of life moves from hare to
tortoise. As you can see we disembarked the plane during a tropical
downpour, a reminder we were visiting in the hot and steamy wet
season.We were met by our local guide, Pepo and Galakiwi co-owner,
Tim. (Tim's other claim to fame is making the 6 o'clock news in New
Zealand for water-bombing cricketer, Mark Greatbatch a few years
back.)
We got settled into hotel rooms overlooking the boardwalk and
prepared for the first activity, a downhill bike ride from the
highest point on San Cristobal. We stopped in at Casa de Cibo -
Pepo's family tree house, complete with electricity and flushing
toilet. I took a slide down the fireman's pole from the top of the
tree and split my shorts.
After that display I think my aspirations of becoming a
firewoman are shot. We biked through the tiny town of El Progreso
and five different vegetation zones until we reach a beach called
La Loberia. (Sea lion bay.)
We had fun spotting sunbathing marine iguanas along the sandy
track.
The setting sun illuminated the pink sky and the black volcanic
rock framed the ocean with a contrasting silhouette. The pelicans
scanned the water from above, picking their target and spear
fishing, using their beak like a kebab stick to stab their prey.
The water is at it's warmest right now, about 25-26 degrees Celsius
and it felt good to dive in instantly washed away the delays and
stress of getting here. After sunset, we biked back to town and got
ready for a welcome dinner of fresh fish and island cuisine at a
small local restaurant. One day down, still seven to go!
To read more check out:
Galapagos Islands Part 2: Swimming with sea lions,
marine iguanas and shaaaaarks!