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The Glapagos Islands are spectacular!! Everyone needs to visit them!!
We got up early on Friday morning to catch our flights to the coast and then over to Baltra on Santa Cruz. We were met by our guide who took us to the port. At the port we were greeted by some sea lions resting on a bench - so we were off to a great start!
After lunch on the boat (my home for 4 nights) we went over to Plaza Sur which is a little island covered in sea lions. I couldn't believe how many there were!! I was able to get up really close to the sea lions without them minding (apart from the daddy sea lion who was noisily letting us know he was about protecting his harem). There were also bright red crabs on the rocks and sea iguanas.
After a rocky night on the boat we went to Floreana Island and stopped off at Post Office bay. Here there is a post box where you can put in a postcard in the hope that another vistitor will deliver it for you - quite cool really. But there were none for the north east so I didn't pick any up! Also on the island we went down a cave. After that we went snorkelling and I spotted a huge sea turtle feeding on algae. It was very graceful despite its size!
The next day we went to Espanola and saw loads of iguanas, blue footed boobies, masked boobies, albatros and sea lions! It was interesting to watch the creatures go about their business. The blue footed boobies have a special mating dance which we watched.
After another hot any rough night we reached Santa Fe. Here we saw some hybrid iguanas as well as lots of different birds and bachelor sea lions. This island also had a forest of cacti which was nice.
That night we stayed in Santa Cruz port so we able to go onto land for a few beers before catching a water taxi back to the boat.
On our final morning we went to the Charles Darwin Research Station to see different tortoises. It is amazing how they differ from island to island! Anyway I think there must have been something in the air that morning because alot of the tortoises we saw were attempting to mate. Lonesome George was even trying to mate (he is the last of his species and the scientist have been trying for years to get him to mate without success).
We then caught a couple of flights back to Quito!
All in all it was an amazing few days. Sleeping on a boat was not great, but seeing all those animal more than made up for it!!
Also I have managed to learn some key phrases in Spanish over the duration of the trip - 1 beer please, white coffee, do you speak english etc. All good preparation for my next few weeks in Peru and Boliva. Unfortunately they speak Portugese in Brazil - but it must be fairly similar to Spanish!!
All the best,
Louise xxx
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