To Galapagos or not to Galapagos
Trip Start
Oct 01, 2008
1
15
61
Trip End
Apr 01, 2009
Quito,
Ecuador
Thursday, November 20, 2008
"Shall we go to the Galapagos, Precious?"
"No, Precious, we might be stuck on a boat and sharing a tiny cabin with nasty people, or people we don't understand".
"But it's the chance of a lifetime, Precious".
"Yes Precious, but we don't like boats that don't have bars, do we".
"But Precious it would be rude not to".
"And what about sea sickness Precious? And bad weather? And engine noise at night? And diesel smell? What about them Precious?"
"But Precious, we're on the equator and we have to sleep in our thermals under a thick quilt and blanket. We want to be warm again Precious"
So I've spent the last few days researching travellers tales, travel companies, boats and itineraries. The outcome?
I'm flying to the Galapagos on Saturday at 7.30am (bet that's the only morning I don't wake at 5am!) and doing 7 days island hopping by fast shuttle, sleepingin my own room on shore every night on 3 different islands and it's only costing $1000 including flights, meals and guide (I was expecting to have to spend GBP1000 at least).
Obviously I'm not going to the more remote islands, but IŽll get more out of the islands I stay on and I wont be trapped with the same 10 - 20 people in a confined space.
I may still have to go snorkelling though.
Went to Mitad del Mondo, the equator park. Hadn't realised it was the French who found the equator on that very spot and Quito province became Ecuador as a result. Flushed with their success, the dastardly Frogs then went on to invent the metre and spoil it for the rest of us.
Making the most of the international cuisine available in Quito - done Syrian, Thai and Indian so far.
