The Journey

Sunday, June 28

  100% chocolate and 100%hats!

by ash on Sun 28 Jun 2009 11:45 BST

We’ve now tried the chocolate, one square at a time seems to be the most that can be consumed without after effects, should last a while.

Ash is now practising the correct jaunty angle to use with his new genuine Ecuadorian Panama hat. Should blend in well…

  Real Chocolate

by ash on Sun 28 Jun 2009 03:58 BST

One of Ecuador’s primary exports is chocolate. We came across some rather strong stuff yesterday, so we bought a bar of 100% pure chocolate.

Monday, July 6

  Flo on the way to Chile

by ash on Mon 06 Jul 2009 14:07 BST

Just found out that Florence has left Korea and is now on the way to Chile, ETA 02AUG09, six days later than previous estimate.

  The Galapagos Islands

by ash on Mon 06 Jul 2009 14:06 BST

We sailed around the Galapagos Islands for a week on board the M/Y Eden, calling in at many of the islands including Espanola, Santiago, Genovesa, Floreana, Santa Cruz and Bartolome.

The wildlife was out of this world, Iguanas lazing around on the rocks, giant tortoises meandering around the forests, the birds so fearless they would just watch with a certain disinterest as you approached within inches of them. Blue Footed, Red Footed and Nazca Boobies abound as do Frigate and Tropic birds.

We spent a lot of time snorkelling as well and swam with sharks, sea lions, turtles and penguins.

 

 

A few photos have been posted but we’ll put some more on when we return from the jungle – should be back on line by Friday.

So, after an eight day cruise around the Galapagos Islands, observing wildlife ashore and afloat/underwater and a five day jungle adventure, we’re now back in the big city.

We were overwhelmed by the fauna of the Galapagos, obviously the different species but also the number of birds, reptiles and marine life and their behaviour. The birds and reptiles generally seemed totally disinterested in us (a few feigning mild curiosity) allowing us to approach and study them at short range ( approx 12”).

The young sea lions on the other hand were impatient to swim with us whenever they could, turtles, penguins and sharks were a bit more sedate and tended to get on with the serious business of eating sea weed or terrorizing the tropical fish.

The jungle adventure started with the trip to Sani Lodge. A 45 minute flight, followed by a two hour bus ride, a four hour motorised canoe voyage and then a 30 minute smaller motor/paddle canoe. Well that was the first day done!

It rained throughout the journey so we arrived soaked and looking forward to a hot shower and dry clothes.

Unfortunately, the showers were unfeasibly cold for the equator and that was the last time we saw dry clothes until our return to Quito. On the return journey the bus threw a tread on a tyre so we all had to decamp to the roadside for a while as well.

Still, we had a good time doing two route marches through the jungle per day, cold showers at night, getting into wet clothes every morning at 0530, two choices on the menu for dinner (take it – or – leave it).  Sounds a bit like basic training (boot camp) to me…The only difference was, we were paying them…

………down in the jungle living in a tent,

better than a pre-fab, you don’t pay rent!

However, it was brilliant and worth the trench foot and parasites. 

We’ve now had enough local Ecuadorian food (bananas, cassava, manioc, yucca and various other root vegetables ;o) ) to last for some time so we are frequenting steakhouses, pizzerias and Mexican restaurants but we may even try Indian/Chinese in the near future too.