Hola everyone!
Since Reena arrived we have had a busy few days! We have been to a place called Mindo, which was in a cloud forest a few hours North of Quito and then we went to Otavalo. This was a real great experience, as the handicraft market on a Saturday dominates the town and you get to mingle and haggle with the local traders. Me and Kara spent a small fortune there and came away with a hammock of all things (where we are going to put it we are not sure, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!)
Now onto today. Well after an early start at 3am and having a minor stressful event at the airport, we have made it to the Galapagos Islands! The airport was still closed when we arrived to check in and it only opened an hour before our flight, so we had to rush a little to get our luggage sorted etc, but it was worth it as me and K got first class seats on the flight from Guayaquil to Galapagos, which was amazing!
Arriving was great too as you got a brilliant view of the Islands below and it also showed just how surrounded by water we really are! It has already been a great experience so far, the place we are staying is very new, spacious and has a wonderful roof top terrace! It is also across the bay from Puerto Ayora and so we have to get a water taxi to our hotel, which is great experience bobbing along in a little motor boat getting splashed against the ocean swells. Plus it is cheap, only 60 cents!
The wildlife is incredible, we have already seen pelicans, marine iguanas, a variety of finches, many lizards and also getting accustomed to the mosquitoes! The marine iguanas are huge sometimes (some over a metre of the ones we have seen so far) and you can see them swimming in the water, using their tails and legs, then climbing out of the water to sunbath.
The weather is hot and humid, the only issue we have is deciding on what places to see and what to do there. This is because you can snorkel, scuba dive to see a range of fishes including hammerhead sharks, climb volcanoes, swim with penguins the list grows .... plus there is a real danger we could blow all our money here too!
Anways, there will be more to follow once we have actually decided what to do. I hope that everyone is well and there have not been too many questions about my toe yet (which is fine now!). I hope you find this fun to follow and we send our love to everyone!
John and Kara xxx
ps some photos now -
Since Reena arrived we have had a busy few days! We have been to a place called Mindo, which was in a cloud forest a few hours North of Quito and then we went to Otavalo. This was a real great experience, as the handicraft market on a Saturday dominates the town and you get to mingle and haggle with the local traders. Me and Kara spent a small fortune there and came away with a hammock of all things (where we are going to put it we are not sure, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!)
Now onto today. Well after an early start at 3am and having a minor stressful event at the airport, we have made it to the Galapagos Islands! The airport was still closed when we arrived to check in and it only opened an hour before our flight, so we had to rush a little to get our luggage sorted etc, but it was worth it as me and K got first class seats on the flight from Guayaquil to Galapagos, which was amazing!
Arriving was great too as you got a brilliant view of the Islands below and it also showed just how surrounded by water we really are! It has already been a great experience so far, the place we are staying is very new, spacious and has a wonderful roof top terrace! It is also across the bay from Puerto Ayora and so we have to get a water taxi to our hotel, which is great experience bobbing along in a little motor boat getting splashed against the ocean swells. Plus it is cheap, only 60 cents!
The wildlife is incredible, we have already seen pelicans, marine iguanas, a variety of finches, many lizards and also getting accustomed to the mosquitoes! The marine iguanas are huge sometimes (some over a metre of the ones we have seen so far) and you can see them swimming in the water, using their tails and legs, then climbing out of the water to sunbath.
The weather is hot and humid, the only issue we have is deciding on what places to see and what to do there. This is because you can snorkel, scuba dive to see a range of fishes including hammerhead sharks, climb volcanoes, swim with penguins the list grows .... plus there is a real danger we could blow all our money here too!
Anways, there will be more to follow once we have actually decided what to do. I hope that everyone is well and there have not been too many questions about my toe yet (which is fine now!). I hope you find this fun to follow and we send our love to everyone!
John and Kara xxx
ps some photos now -
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| Hostal at Mindo |
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| Cloud Forest, about one hour North of Quito |
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| Otavalo Market |
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| First View of the Galapagos Islands |
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| A baby (maybe 18 inches) marine Iguana, which Reena named Dave |
Hi All - you look like you are enjoying yourselves! The hammock looks really comfortable!
ReplyDeleteHope that you are all getting on well together and that you have had a good day today at the Darwin place. Have a lie in tomorrow!
Loads of Love from Mum and Dad and allXXX
Hola!
ReplyDeleteWell, flying First Class to the Galapagos, surely it can't get better than that?! It looks the most wonderful place ever - great to have a few pics again. There were 100's of little lizards in Madeira but nothing like the lovely 'Dave'! You both look so brown now - enjoy the rest of your stay there (as if there's a choice!).
Love Mum & Pete xx
PS Glad the toe's better John, I'd been losing sleep with all the worry ....
PPS As for the hammock ..... !!