Days 62-64

Day 62: Nap All Day (01/28/10)

I woke up around 6:45 and allowed myself to go back to sleep. I woke up again around 7:30 and got up this time.
I started getting ready and made it to breakfast before 9. The owner looked at his watch in disbelief and we both laughed.
I set my things down and asked if I could do laundry today. He said yes, so I went and grabbed my clothes and started the washer.
There was no juice today, but yogurt and fruit. I wrote while eating and am hoping my laundry is about ready to swap (though my guess is that it's still got some time). If it's not ready, I'll have to figure out what to do while I wait.
7 minutes lefts, I can wait. I read the guidebook about Loja/Vilcabamba and Podocarpus National Park.
I swap my laundry and head to the internet place to check email and look some things up.
Of course I don't end up doing anything on my list (of people to write and things to look up). The internet always just sucks me in.
I did email my mom and Santiago to let them know that I'm back in Cuenca.
I updated my blog a bit too.
When I finally finished wasting time online, I headed back to the hotel and decided to go to Tía for yogurt and granola for lunch, since nothing has been sitting well.
On the way there I thought of a fun (dorky/cheesy, I like cheesy stuff sometimes) Valentine's idea, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to actually make it happen. I'm picturing it relatively large and on red paper, but I don't think I can make that happen. I'm fairly determined to figure it out though. Maybe I can find the right kind of paper here at one of the paper stores.
Went to Tía, got yogurt and granola, walked back to the hotel.
I wound up just eating the yogurt. Probably about 5-10 minutes after finishing it I had to run to the bathroom. Then 3 minutes after I finished that I had to run back, and then again maybe 5-10 minutes later. UGH. I decided to stick around the hotel a while and try to nap because my stomach still felt if-y.
I just laid there a while and finally slept for a bit. I woke up around 7:30 and thought about trying to get soup or something. I decided not to and just stayed in and tried to sleep more. I watched some TV and then just laid there listening to the music from the dance club a couple doors down (until I fell asleep).

Day 63: Hotel and Internet (01/29/10)

I woke up around 8, then laid in bed until 8:45. Went to breakfast at 9. Last night while I was watching TV I tried to French braid my hair for kicks. I'm not as bad at it as I thought I might be, although I do need a lot of practice.
This morning my hair really looked like a mess, so I had some brushing to do before breakfast.
After breakfast I'm gonna shower and then check email. Later today I'm gonna try bra shopping (because the one real bra I brought with me is clearly on it's way out).
So, I showered and headed to the internet shop. I actually accomplished a few things this time. I wrote lots of emails, and found my confirmation number for my flight home and tried to look up fees for changing the date of my flight (all it said was "fees may apply to changed reservations," no shit Sherlock). I wrote down both of the help numbers for reservations. Maybe I'll call soon. We'll see.
One of the emails I sent was to my mom about this trip. A lot of the stuff I wrote is stuff that I've been feeling or thinking for a long time, but only shared with friends. I know she really wanted me to enjoy all my time here and have new experiences etc., and I'm afraid she'll be really bummed or maybe even a little hurt. It feels both good and bad to have told her, but I needed to.
Anyway, I talked to Christina for a while and then realized that I'd spent an obscene amount of time online. GROSS.
Part of it is that I'm afraid to go more than a block or two from the hotel and I'm afraid to eat or drink.
When I get back to the hotel I start watching TV. After a while my stomach starts really grumbling so I decide to try to eat some of the granola I bought.
I eat some and my tummy is a little restless. I do some stretching (my muscles are tight and sore) and the grumbly feelings slow down. This gives me hope. I drink a little water in sips. Maybe it's just about over?!? We'll see, but I'm very hopeful.
I watch more TV, cry a bit, watch a tiny bit more and go to sleep (around 11:30 or 2).

Day 64: Chin Up (01/30/10)

I woke up pretty late today, 9;45. I threw on some clothes and ran down for breakfast. There's juice today! I listen to my iPod and do a little writing.
After breakfast I go back up, dress myself more properly and head to the internet shop.
I got an email from my mom that was better than expected.
I spent a little time on email etc and then added 3 more days to my blog.
It was lunch time when I finished, but I didn't really feel hungry yet.
I went to the hotel and snacked on granola a little and watched a little TV. (Xena was on, random)
I took a nap for 3-ish hours and now I'm up again.
I want to go somewhere new for dinner but there aren't really many places that I haven't been to in walking distance. I don't want to take a cab if I'm not sure where I'm headed.
I think I might end up at the place on the corner, but I don't really want a sandwich and that's apparently the only worth while thing on the menu (my salad was ok last time I went, but I don't think I'd get it again). I'm tempted to just curl up, and snack on granola if I really need something. I feel like I should get out of my room though (for mental health's sake).
I force myself to go out. I decide to head to Calle Larga and see where I end up. I decide to go to a small bar/cafe that I've been to another time. It's called"Chipotle:Subs and Shots." The last time I was here the drink and the food was pretty good. This time I get a mojito (it's happy hour) and a quesadilla that sounds packed full of stuff.
The waiter speaks a little English. He asks me where I'm from and when I tell him he says "Ah! Your college is Lewis and Clark." He's the first person I've found that had heard of Portland, let alone a college there.
The mojito he made me is pretty good, but a little strong. Hopefully the quesadilla is good. I've got a feeling I'm going to wind up with some heartburn. I ran out of pepcid about a week ago now (I should probably re-up).
For some reason drinking this mojito is making me think of Nay. I'm really glad I got to talk to her for so long the other day. She's such a peach. I love her to bits.
The food is good and there's sour cream (that's a first here)!
There's a guy in here now that was here the last time I came. I swear he's not that old (late 30s?), but he's talking to girls at the bar about being retired here. He said he had 5 cars/motorcycles in Canada that he sold to come here and that he was some type of investment banker.
He sounded a bit like a P.O.S. the last time I was here, but this conversation that he's having now confirms it and then some.
Goal for tomorrow: Valentines.
I hope things go well between now and Valentine's, but I guess we'll see.
When I finished everything (eating/drinking) I go up to pay and as I'm leaving the waiter invites me to come back later and party. I say maybe, but I know that I mean no.
I finally feel like I'm getting over this gut thing, I don't need to get drunk and I really don't need a hangover.
I got to the internet place and check email etc. I had emailed Jenny and Steven about maybe working at the bubble tea place again when I'm back, and judging from the positive little note Jenny left me on facebook, there's a good chance I'll get to! Yay! I told her that made me super stoked.
I signed out and entered two more days to my blog (only 20-ish more to go).
I decided to call Laura. It's been forever and Ben gave me her number. She didn't answer (I forgot it was the weekend and she's probably working). I called Natallie next. I'm SO glad I did. We had a really great conversation. I can't wait to come home and squeeze her. I miss physical contact, hugs.
On the up side, I've eaten two normal meals today and drank a whole bottle of water! CHIN UP.

Day 61

Day 61: Oldies (01/27/10)

I woke up this morning to my "monthly friend" (to quote my friend), dealt with it, went back to sleep. Woke up to a bloody nose, stayed up to deal with it, and then found myself forced to rush to the toilet. UGH. I had really hoped (no matter how improbable) that I would wake up cured. Alas, such was not the case.
The visual swaying of everything is still there, but a bit less than a couple days ago. I'm out of seasickness meds, but I'm gonna try to tough it out today (hopefully that goes over well).
I went to breakfast closer to 9:30, but the owner still gave me shit about it being late. Breakfast was the usual.
After I ate I ran upstairs so I could shower before the younger guy started cleaning my room (because then I'll have to wait a while).
After showering and moisturizing, I got ready to head out (though, I'm not sure where).
Once outside I decide I'm going to do some walking. I decide to walk to the movie theater to see when (and what) movies are playing and maybe hit the pharmacy too.
I get to the mall to find the theater closed. Oh well. I wonder why?
I decide not to go to the pharmacy, but walk a different, longer, route back towards the hotel (I'm really hot and want to change shoes).
Once I get back and change I decide to go to the internet shop for a while. I didn't have any new messages or anything, but wound up having plenty to occupy my time with (as per usual).
I stumbled upon my old online photo albums. I had forgotten about a lot of these!
Looking at these pictures makes me happy and sad. So many of those people I haven't really seen in a while. And I'm not as close with them as before. But we had some good times!
I pry myself from the computer and head out for lunch at the veggie place around the corner.
It was good (as usual). I think it's called "Govinda's," but I always forget to double check.
I realized one of the nice things about the vegetarian almuerzos is that you don't have to worry about meat. I know that is a pretty obvious statement, but it's nice. I know words for a lot of different meats, but not all of them and I've ended up eating a few that I could've gone without.
After lunch I headed back to the hotel to read and write a bit.
I'm going to try to figure out where I'd like to stay near Loja. If I figure that out today, I'll try to buy a bus ticket in the next couple days.
I think right now I'm going to do a little walking and try to digest my food. Maybe take a little nap after (I'm surprisingly sleepy).
I walked for a while. A lot of it was on streets with names I recognize (from maps and ads) but haven't really walked on before.
It was nice. I brought only a couple dollars with me and my room key and iPod.
A bit more than half way through the walk, I felt an impending bathroom need. I tried to rush back to the hotel, but still had a bit to go and was afraid to walk too fast.
I made it back to the hotel in time, but just barely.
After that I decided to hang out at the hotel for a while.
I watched a little TV and then tried to sleep.
I must have succeeded, because I woke up around 6:30 I think.
I decided to have a light dinner of yogurt and fiber stuff, because I had over done lunch a bit (and felt it).
I went to the tienda a couple doors down and bought a little thing of yogurt, then came back to the hotel. I ate the yogurt and contemplated going to the internet shop.
I almost vetoed it to stay in and just sleep, but then decided to go. I added a few more blogs, read messages and talked to Nay for a while.
When I got back to the hotel the doors were closed and locked. I felt bad ringing the bell, but I knew they had to be up still (they never seem to go to bed before 12).
I apologized when he opened the door and promised myself I'd wake up earlier tomorrow to make up for it.
I got my laundry together for the morning and watched a little TV.
I had some difficulty falling asleep, but slept soundly until morning.

Days 57-60

Day 57: Santa Cruz to San Cristobal (01/23/10)

I got up at 8 hoping to make it to breakfast by 9, but around 8:30 ish I lost my motivation.
I missed breakfast by 5 or 10 minutes and decided to go looking for a place after hitting the bank and paying for a boat to San Cristobal.
I tried to get some cash with my USAA card first, but it said that I'd exceeded my limit.
Next I tried my Chase card and that worked (thankfully).
The boat ticket was $30 and was for one of the boats at 2pm.
I left my bag with the desk and headed out in search of food. After a lot of walking I headed to a place with a few other people out front and ordered a sandwich and juice. The sandwich was ok, but the juice was delicious.
I headed to an internet shop briefly (this one is more expensive than the one closer to my hotel, but it also has phones). I only stayed a short while, then headed to my hotel for my bag.
When I was walking towards the main drag, I ran into the woman from the desk of the hotel.
She said that my boat was called "Cholita," I thanked her for her help and we parted ways.
I stopped in at the (cheaper) internet place again, then headed to the dock to figure out where to catch my boat.
I waited and talked to (I think) a British couple for a bit (Fiona and??).
They offered recommendations about places they had been. They both quit their jobs and are traveling for 1-1.5 years all over South America.
There was some confusion about my boat, but it thankfully was resolved in time. My bags were checked by some type of island authorities and I was ok-ed.
The boat was much nicer than I had pictured.
The seats were plush and a flat screen TV played music videos the whole ride (2.5-ish hours).
Last minute a girl sat next to me. She (Tara) is from (northern) New Jersey and has a boyfriend (Wilson) here on San Cristobal. She met him while studying abroad and they've been dating since (about 2 years).
She offered to meet me at the dock at 8 to show me around. I checked into my hotel, which is a bit disappointing to be honest (tomorrow I'll probably try to find something else).
I ate a small snack then headed to an internet place across the street from the dock.
At 7:50 I started signing out of things and payed for my time (much cheaper than all the places on Santa Cruz).
I think I made it out to the dock about 8 and have been sitting and writing since, but they're still no shows. I hope the internet clock wasn't wrong. Oh well, I guess.
I'm gonna head back now.
When I got back there were a ton of large ants (I smashed some, but they kept coming). I got in my pjs and went to bed. I woke up a couple times in the night, but managed to sleep ok.

Day 58: Killing Time (01/24/10)

This morning I decided to ask about a pharmacy to get some seasickness meds (to see if maybe that would help).
My stomach was quite upset and I was afraid that I might need some re-hydration supplies (unfortunately I left the ones I already had in Cuenca).
I asked the older woman near the hotel entrance. She was very nice (much nicer than the woman that checked me in), she told me the pharmacy was on the main drag, so I went to look.
I walked the front street and didn't see it, so I stopped for some breakfast, then headed to the internet place. I couldn't find out where a pharmacy was located, but I did find the name of the seasickness medicine that is most commonly found in Ecuador (Mareol).
After I finished up online I bought some Gatorade and headed down a different street back to the hotel.
I found the pharmacy on one of the side streets and bought some Mareol.
The only problem is that there are no instructions. I went ahead and took one, got in my underwear, put a cool damp bandanna on my forehead, pointed the fan at myself and tried to nap on top of my sheets.
At one point I think someone opened my room (to clean?) thankfully my back was to them and they left right away.
I got up around 5 and decided to try to find some yogurt, toilet paper and look for Mareol instructions.
The store I thought would be open for sure, wasn't. I walked a while and made it to the internet shop without passing an open store.
It took me a while, but I finally found official instructions for the Mareol (1-2 pills 2-4 times a day).
I was online forever, but I guess that's not such a bad thing, since I don't know what else I'd do.
I went to the store next door and bought toilet paper, but they didn't have yogurt. I headed to the ATM to get some more cash.
A few blocks away I found a small store with yogurt (I also got some Gatorade).
When I got back to the hotel I ate the yogurt, drank some water and took another Mareol.
I decided to shower tonight so I wouldn't have to worry about it in the morning. I took a couple pictures of the shower head because (like a lot of construction and wiring in Ecuador) it's pretty sketchy.
After killing about 30 ants and packing up, I tried to sleep. It was still early and I had a hard time falling asleep.
I woke up a couple times, but didn't sleep too badly.
Being ill is making me want to be home, more than I already wanted to be.

Day 59: San Cristobal to Cuenca (01/25/10)

I woke up a few times in the night. I was worried that my clock wasn't set correctly (well, I knew it wasn't, but wasn't sure how off it was) so I think that had something to do with it.
I woke up when my clock said 8 (it was really 6) and stayed in bed until it said 10 (really 8).
I left to get some breakfast, find the actually time and kill some of it.
My plane is supposed to leave at 12:45 and the travel agency told me to arrive at the airport 2 hours early, but I was assured by other travelers, and the guide from my boat tour, that 2 hours wasn't necessary.
I ate breakfast at the same place as the other morning, but ordered something different.
After, I went to the internet place for a while then headed down the boardwalk. I stopped at the post office to mail some postcards. It costs as much to send a postcard as as letter ($2 a piece).
I headed to one of the public bathrooms on the boardwalk and when I came out Angela and Stefano (the Italian couple) were nearby.
I talked to them for a while and then we sat and waited for the bus that was coming to take them to the airport. Angela said it would probably be fine for me to ride with them (I thought so too), but she asked Estefano (the guide) to be sure. He okay-ed it.
We got to the airport just after 11 and checked in. We had to wait until 12:39 almost to go through the "customs" and then waited about another 30 minutes before loading the plane. We left late, but still made it to Guayaquil about on time.
Once in Guayaquil I had to go back out to check-in with TAME for my Cuenca flight.
All of the signs said check-in for various classes of passengers for a Quito flight leaving 30 minutes after my flight.
I was a little confused, but I still had a while before the flight, so I sat and wrote and listened to my iPod.
When it got down to around what I guessed should be boarding time, I went to the desk to ask.
The man checked me in right away and I made my way to the terminal.
In Guayaquil you have to walk through a store to get to the flight gates.
When I got through, I sat close to my departure gate, but there still weren't any attendants at it.
After about 20 minutes they started loading the plane. The flight was pretty empty. On the last flight (to Guayaquil) the plane had been very full, but I had somehow wound up with a row of seats to myself.
The ceiling above my seat (for the second flight) was dripping some unknown substance. A larger drop hit the top digit of one of my fingers and it burned.
Luckily during the actual flight it only dripped tiny droplets and they hit the inflight magazine I was reading.
I got to Cuenca on time. It was raining. I was glad my rain coat was at the top of my bag. I hopped a taxi right away and headed to Hostel Santa Fe.
It feels strangely like a second home.
This time I have the room next to the one I had before. It's bathroom has a fan (the other one didn't) which is nice, but the room itself is a little awkward. Because of the door placement (to the room and bathroom) there isn't really a different spot to put the bed. The hanger pole is right above the bed, which is probably the most awkward part.
I kind of slept in, which was nice, but I'm still feeling the non-existent motion.
I took some anti-diarrhea pills yesterday, so my fingers are crossed for fewer emergency bathroom trips.
I managed to sleep, but had some very strange dreams.

Day 60: Plans (01/26/10)

I got up around 9:30 and organized my things (dirty laundry, etc.) and got ready for my day.
I made it downstairs for breakfast around 10:15.
I've been sitting here writing since. The younger guy that works here must be listening to some type of American love song compilation.
He was listening to "Total Eclipse of the Heart," followed by " Unbreak My Heart." I was stoked until "My Heart Will Go On" came on. I'm beyond over the "Titanic" movie and that song.
I'm gonna head to the internet shop to try calling my mom in a bit.
I got a hold of her right when she was considering getting out of bed. We talked for a while. Penny's doing well, and dad and Katie are up skiing today.
After talking to her, I went online.
Staying in Ecuador is getting harder, but to be fair it does seem to come in waves.
There are things that I'd still like to see. I think there are really 3 that come to mind: 1.Loja/Vilcabamba 2.Baños (the one up north, not the one right next to Cuenca) 3.the amazon.
Hopefully I'll feel more normal tomorrow and be able to start planning a trip to Loja/Vilcabamba.
I'd like to leave some room for flexibility, but I'd also really like to plan most of the things out to some extent.
I'd like to at least maybe figure out where I want to stay in Baños and Loja, and figure out the day trips I'm interested in. Maybe also look into Amazon possibilities. It seems like the Amazon trips are better to plan once you're actually in Baños or whatever you're going to use as your base.
If any or all of these mini trips get planned in enough time for me to really enjoy them I will be thrilled.
It sounds like Vilcabamba is pretty hard not to enjoy and Loja is attached to another one of the National parks.
I went back to the hotel for a while, but now I'm finishing up dinner. Dinner was alright, I had a Shawarma. I'm going to pee, pay, check email, then call Gabe.
After talking to Gabe for a while, I headed back to the hotel and went to bed.

Days 54- 56

Day 54: Isla Floreana (01/20/10)

Today we're headed to Punta Cormorant, Devil's Crown (for snorkeling) and Post Office Bay.
We started our day with breakfast at 7 again and by 8 we were in the pangas (boat taxis) headed to Punta Cormorant.
After walking only a short ways we came to a lagoon with Pink Flamingos. I got a few pictures of them standing around and searching for shrimp, but didn't get any of them flying. They look very awkward flying. Their head/neck is as long as their legs. Their wings are either the same length as their head to toe length, or perhaps a little shorter.
One of them started flying the same way I do in my dreams (running until I take off, but in my dreams I don't have wings and the flamingo was flapping his/hers).
We continued past the lagoon to a beach on the other side of the island. It was another white sand beach. This one is where Green Turtles lay their eggs and where stingrays come to breath. This beach has continually oxygenated water (because of the never-ending small waves breaking constantly) which the stingrays enjoy.
We got to see several turtles and stingrays (as well as crabs). After wading with the stingrays a while we headed back up the trail and around to another part of the lagoon.
In this part there were around 20 Flamingos just hanging out pretty close.
Next we headed back to the beach we'd landed on earlier and took a closer look at the green sand (green because it was made up of your normal clear, black and brown parts as well as olivine crystals, which are green).
We headed back to the boat to get ready to snorkel next.
We snorkeled at "Devil's Crown" and along the side of Floreana.
While we were snorkeling around Devil's Crown I saw more sea lions, a shark and several fish and aquatic flora. The tide carried us around most of Devil's Crown, but when we went inside the curve of it, we had to do a bit of actual swimming to get to where we wanted to be.
We snorkeled along the edge of the island Floreana where the water was deep. I saw a bigger ray (than the ones we'd seen earlier) and schools of fish and lots of sea stars along the bottom. A few people saw a hammer head shark, but I couldn't find it to save my life (I was right near it too!).
When we finished snorkeling we returned to the boat for lunch and a break before our afternoon activities.
This afternoon we'll be hiking and going in a lava tube! I'm really wishing I'd brought a flashlight (but oh well).
At the lagoon today we also saw black mangroves that sweat out the salt, from the lagoon, through their leaves giving the leaves some sparkle.
After snorkeling I took a shower before out afternoon trek.
In the afternoon we headed to another part of Floreana(Post Office Bay). When we arrived we left our snorkel gear on the beach and walked a short distance to the "Post Office."
We dropped off post cards, for others to deliver to us at a later date, and rifled through the post cards there to see if there were a few we could deliver for others.
I only wrote one to be delivered and found two that I'm willing to deliver.
One is for some part of SW Portland I've never heard of and the other is for Corvallis. There were I think 3 others for Oregon, but not close enough to deliver myself.
After that we hiked a bit to get to the lava tube.
We took a very steep ladder to another steep ladder to a rope to another steep ladder to the ground level.
After about 5 feet of rocky ground water began to cover the ground. Only a few inches deep to begin with, then several feet deep, until (after going through a small tunnel-y area you came to a "room" that was deep enough to swim in (about chest/neck height). I had considered stopping one we hit the water, but decided to go up to my knees. After getting to knee depth, I decided the water wasn't so bad and continued until near wait height. It was spectacular! The highlight of my trip so far. Once I got in there (where the deeper water was) I was bummed that I had brought my bag (because I could've actually gone swimming if I hadn't). My shorts got soaked, but I'm so glad I kept going.
When we left the lava tube we headed back to the bay and snorkeled and swam a while. There were lots of Green Pacific Turtles eating and swimming around.
When we finished we all hopped in one panga and headed back to the boat. I rinsed off quickly, lotioned (the sun is seriously drying my skin out) and got ready for our "briefing" for tomorrow's activities.
Tomorrow we're headed to Isla Isabela for a bit of hiking, snorkeling and hanging out.
There's a chance of rain tomorrow so all of us have out fingers crossed for clear skies.
The water is colder and murkier near Isabela, so snorkeling might not be that exciting, but there is a chance that we'll see white tipped reef sharks.
After the briefing was dinner (the cake at the end was the best part). After dinner I grabbed my camera to show Barbara and Lon pictures from New Years (we'd talked about it at dinner) and joined them on the second story deck.
When they headed to bed I talked to Michelle, Betina and Warren for a bit, then they were ready to say goodnight too (I hadn't realized how tired I was until I came down to write).
Now it's bed time for me.

Day 55: Isla Isabela (01/21/10)

This morning I went to breakfast in my pajamas plus a pair of jeans. I had been sleeping pretty heavily before my alarm went off.
The first thing we did today was walk around a small island just off of the Isabela shore. There were lots of iguanas and lizards, a few penguins and turtles and one white tipped reef shark. The penguins were tiny (a little shorter than the blue footed boobies). The iguanas were a bit larger and then colorful than the ones on the previous islands. I only got to see the fins of the shark as it turned a corner.
When we finished our walk around the island we came back to the boat briefly to get ready to snorkel.
The snorkeling was ok, but a lot of it was very shallow (I kept thinking I was about to drag my body on the coral and rocks). There were mostly just fish, but there were also a few playful sea lions.
After snorkeling we returned to the boat for lunch. At 2:30 we're headed to the main part of Isabela for some walking and a visit to a tortoise center where they have tortoises of many different ages and sizes. Later, in the day we're free to explore the town of Vilamil (I think) and nearby beach as we please.
Vilamil is small, but nice. The beach is beautiful and there aren't many people. When we finish at the Galapagos National Park Tortoise reserve (or whatever it's actually called), we head to town. In town we have almost 2 hours to kill.
First I went with the Swedes to a bar for a beer, then we walked around a bit (looking for a haircut for Uké (I don't know how to spell that)) and headed to the beach for a bit. The Swedish men went back to the boat early but the rest of us swam a while with the Italians. At 5:30 we headed back to the boat.
We ate dinner a little earlier than usual. After dinner we packed and had a drink and talked a while. The time to Santa Cruz was supposed to be a bit a longer and bumpier, so they started driving faster earlier (than usual).
My stomach wasn't sitting well, but once I was asleep I was out for the night.

Day 56: Santa Cruz and Hotel España (01/22/10)

This morning we started early to breakfast and then the Charles Darwin Research Center.
Breakfast was at 6 and we left about 7 for land.
The Charles Darwin Station is home to "George" the last surviving Giant Tortoise from the island of Pinta. The station is trying to breed giant tortoises and some iguanas too to restore numbers in the wild.
After we finish at the station I head to Tortuga Bay with the two remaining couples (all of the other passengers are leaving the boat today) I hadn't planned on going with them to the bay, so I was unprepared (no swim suit or towel or sandals). I decided to just hike up my passport pouch and go in the water up to my shorts. The water felt nice. I got to talk to Michelle for a while.
She's some type of consultant and Gawain is some kind of special effects guy, but they both quit their jobs to travel a while.
She said that they'd be in Ecuador a while and then were headed to the US. They'll fly into Atlanta and then probably drive cross country in a rental to California.
Walking back to the trail head I got some blisters and also got a cactus needle stuck in my foot. Not as bad as it sounds and totally my fault (I was walking barefooted). I pulled the cactus bit out and put my shoes back on.
We had taken a taxi to the beach, but there were none to be found for coming back, so we walked.
We got back a little early so we made a quick stop at the grocery store and I found another ATM that would take my Chase card.
The pangas came to get us at 12 and we headed to the boat for lunch.
I was supposed to grab my bag and pay for my trip and then head to the Hotel España, but the guide wasn't back yet from the airport with the new passengers. I wound up eating lunch, paying the captain, and heading to the island when they were going to get the new passengers.
I found Hotel España without any trouble. The room was plain, but air-conditioned.
I tried to nap, but was unsuccessful. I pried myself out of the air-conditioning to head to an internet place around the corner and then dinner.
Dinner was ok. I was a little worried I'd have trouble getting money the next day (I spent my last $15 on dinner).
After dinner I watched a movie and went to sleep.

Days 51-53

Day 51: One Day 'Til Galapagos (01/17/10)

This morning I really didn't feel like getting up. I pried myself out of bed and in to the shower. I got my laundry together and got dressed for breakfast. It was just about 10 already so I asked for only egg, bread, and hot water.
I ate everything and was just about done with my tea when Santiago showed up. I guess it was good that he was late again so I had time to eat.
We headed to the internet shop and went online, but his friend wasn't on. So we called from a booth. His friend got my passport info from me so he could book my hotel stay. After they talked a while we went back online and he sent Jorge Luis (his friend) an email with my email address so he can send me instructions and details for when I land at San Cristobal airport.
We left the internet shop and headed over to the church across the street to see the festivities (they were having another parade).
I guess they dress all the children up and decorate horses and cars and reenact some kind of baby Jesus scene.
They do this every weekend from late November/December until Carneval. All of the children were dressed in fancy traditional costumes.
The church across the road from my hotel doesn't look particularly spectacular from the outside. Plain white walls (etc.), but the inside is beautiful and ornate. There are carvings and sculptures and lots of colors. Really very beautiful and a lot larger than I expected.
After the church we walked down towards the Tomebamba. Santiago's mom called and wanted him to call back, so he walked me up the river a bit and then back to my hotel.
He said to give him a call when I get back into town and take care.
Back at the hotel I asked if I could start laundry and the owner said yes. Then we talked briefly about my trip.
I need to ask about leaving a few things here for the week and about getting a room again when I get back.
I'm drinking some tea and writing now, but in a short while I'm going to call my mom.
It's nearly 2, but the computer place is packed and I'm hungry. Pretty much nothing is open today so I ended up at "Cafe Austria" again.
I think I'll probably just call my mom instead of trying to Skype. On the way here I passed a place that advertised 5 cents a minute for calls to the US, so I'll head there instead of the usual place.
I need to remember to go to the ATM today.
Talked to my mom for a bit. She was busy making stuff for a work potluck and had some other things to do, so we didn't talk for too long.
Part of the reason I have been pretty set on heading straight to Central America with Gabe is that I afraid my mom would be on me about finding a job right away etc. But after talking to her I'm no longer worried about it. It surprised me a bit that she didn't expect me to really be looking until April, but I guess she realizes how hard it is to find work right now. The only thing on the agenda for right when I get home: taxes. Not a big deal, because I really want to get mine done as soon as I get back anyway.
For dinner I headed to Rayipampa (I think that's the name). It was the place that I had tried to go for lunch with the huge line, a few days back. My teacher had recommended the lunch, so I figured the dinner probably wouldn't be half bad either.
I had a mushroom and chicken crepe and a margarita. Both were good, but the crepe was SO rich and very filling.
After eating I headed back to the place I had called my mom from, to call Gabe. He didn't answer so I told his voicemail I'd try later.
I went to the internet shop by my hotel and checked email. Jorge Luis sent me an email, but all it said was to take the bus to the Central Park stop and walk 3 blocks, or take a taxi ($1). The hotel is called "Hotel España" and the room is $30 with AC or $25 with a fan.
I wrote the info down and hoped that that was all the info I actually needed.
I talked to Katie on IM briefly.
I called Gabe and got to talk to him for a while, which was nice. I had questions that I forgot to ask, but I remembered to invite him to Cirque Du Soleil when I get back.
When we got off the phone, I headed back to the hotel and packed.
I wrote a note asking if I could leave a small bag behind, and if I could reserve a room for when I get back.
Then I went to bed. I was a bit anxious about traveling the next day, and about figuring out my week.

Day 52: En Route To The Galapagos (01/18/10)

Just before bed last night I had asked the hotel owner to call me a cab for the morning. I watched him call and he said everything was worked out for my 6:45 cab.
I woke up early and got dressed and packed up my last few items.
No one else was up. At 6:30 I headed downstairs with my things. A short bit later a woman came downstairs. There was a honk outside and I thought maybe it was my cab. The front door was locked and this other woman seemed just as antsy as I was. She told me to wake up the hotel owner, so I did.
He came out and unlocked the door. He double checked my cab and I gave him the note. I realized that the woman was antsy because the honking was her ride somewhere.
He said it was fine and I payed him for the last 20 nights.
My cab came and I was off. When I got to the airport (about 5 minutes later) there wasn't anyone working the check in counter, so I waited in line. After getting checked in I found my way to the departure waiting area. This airport is tiny, but nice (there are only 3 departure gates).
I was feeling pretty antsy because I didn't see any of the people I had waited in line with. As I had walked into the room a guy from (I think) TAME (my airline) had rushed outside with a woman. I began to worry a bit, thinking maybe I had missed my boarding call (which was silly because I still had 30 minutes before my plane was supposed to leave).
I made myself sit still and wait. The room began filling up and a bit later they started boarding.
When I got to Guayaquil they announced that people heading to the Galapagos should talk to a flight attendant while exiting, so I did. She pointed me to another airline employee. He started walking briskly and motioned for me to follow. I followed, but when I handed him my ticket to look at, he stopped. They hadn't checked me in for my next leg yet, so I had to go to check-in (and the plane was supposed to be leaving a bit early).
The line for check-in was long. After checking in I had a while to wait still so I got some food. Basically just a grilled cheese ( for $4.50, holy cow).
My flight ended up leaving at the original time.
When we got to the Galapagos I had to wait in another line. This one was short, but took a long time. I had to pay for a tourist card ($10) and fill out a paper explaining the nature of my visit (migration form basically) and pay $100 to enter the park. Then they emptied my bags and put everything back in.
When I got through, I hit the bathroom and then tried to find a bus or taxi. When I asked a cop where the bus stop was all he said was "taxi" and pointed to one. So I asked the driver if he knew where my hotel was and he smiled and said "yeah, but it's on a different island." I had flown to San Cristobal, but my hotel was on Santa Cruz (a couple hours away by boat). Shit. So I looked for a phone and saw a payphone looking thing that said Porta all over it. The number for Jorge Luis was a porta number so I went to check it out. The only problem was that it required some type of Porta phone card. I started to panic a bit. A guy had asked if I was part of his volunteer group coming in and I had said no. I decided to go ask him about it. He said that my hotel was on Santa Cruz and that the boats were done for the day, so he'd help me find a hotel for a night and tell me how to catch a boat the next day.
A short bit later another guy standing nearby asked if I'd like to take the last room on the boat he was the guide for. At first I thought "no way" but after talking to him a bit (and seeing the other passengers) it didn't sound so sketchy.
He said for $1,000 everything for all 5 days would be included and it would drop me at Santa Cruz on Friday. I would have a day to do whatever and a day to get back to San Cristobal. I agreed and joined them. I thanked the volunteer guy for his offer to help me, and then headed out.
The boat is very nice. When we first boarded we took our shoes off and went inside for a meeting. We talked about the plan for the day, the meal plans, and who belonged in which room. Then we unloaded all of our things and met back up for lunch.
After lunch we were going snorkeling (near Isla Lobos) and then for a short hike.
Snorkeling was awesome. I was afraid to do it at first, but I'm glad I didn't chicken out. The first sea lion that swam by me scared the crap out of me and swimming close to the rocks scared me too. After a bit I got over it though. The sand on the bottom was just little bits of sea shells. There were fish that looked clearish with electric reflections and a sword shaped nose (the fish were not very big though, 4-8 inches and skinny) that swam in schools close to the surface.
There were darkish fish with yellow mouths and lots of other brightly colored smaller fish. There was the raddest sea slug I've ever seen. It was wild camo-y print with electric spots along it's body that I think were blue (I can't remember though).
After playing with young sea lions for a bit we headed back to change and get ready for our hike.
Our hike ended up being more of a walk. We climbed over some rocks for a bit and saw a baby sea lion (2 months old) nursing. There were a lot of other sea lions and lots of lizards too. We saw an adolescent blue footed boobie (that didn't have it's blue feet yet and couldn't fly yet), and a couple young frigate birds and some yellow warblers.
We ended by walking through a section of beach scattered with sea lions and pups.
After the walk we had some relaxation time and then at 6 had a "meet the crew" cocktail.
I sat and talked to a couple from Switzerland. They were young and are both geographers. Betina and Warren. They had been here for a few weeks on a bike vacation and after the cruise are headed home.
I sat and talked with them during dinner (I had sat with an older couple from Minneapolis at lunch).
After dinner there were going to be some boat taxis to town for shopping, internet etc.
I bought some post cards and emailed my family and Gabe. When we headed back to the boat I hungout with some of the crew and had a couple beers. The guide got his computer and showed me some pictures of the islands. After a short while it became apparent that he had the wrong idea about me. He asked if he could kiss me. I said no, thanked him for the beer and went to bed. Ugh. Breakfast is at 7 tomorrow, so bed was a good idea anyway.

Day 53: Isla Española (01/19/10)

Today we went to Gardener Bay and Punta Suarez.
We had breakfast at 7 and left the boat for our first beach and snorkel at 8.
The beach had very light colored sand that was made of sea shell bits. The first hour we walked the beach. There were tons of sea lions and lizards. There were also some turtles, hawks and other birds.
I got a video of one type of bird fishing. It flew close to the surface of the water, then flew much higher, and then dove into the water and popped back up shortly.
After walking a while, we snorkeled from the beach to a large formation of rocks. I saw a few rays and lots of fish. There were a pair that I remember specifically. The one swimming in front was silvery and fairly plain, but the one following was bright neon electric blue. Spectacular.
I did not, however, manage to see the sharks that supposedly inhabited the rock formation. I'm not terribly bummed about it though. I almost pee myself each time I get passed by a sea lion, so I can only imagine my reaction to being even relatively close to sharks.
After that we headed back to the boat to get ready for more snorkeling around a small island.
This time we were mostly looking for sea stars, coral, anemones, etc.
It was nice, but my muscles were crampy and I was pretty cold.
Shortly after getting back in the taxi boat the last few members of our group joined us and we headed back to the boat.
When we got back I got ready for lunch and ate. After lunch I talked for a while with the Australian/UK couple and the Swiss woman, then headed to the second floor to digest.
I wound up attempting to nap and found myself dozing in and out. It was a bit chilly so I headed to my room to nap for real. The only problem was that I really didn't feel like getting back up. I forced myself to get up.
On the taxi boat I got to talk to the Swedish people a bit. On the boat there are 3 older Swedish from the same town (Inger, Shel, Susann, Mari-anne, Claes and Uke. I'm guessing on all the spellings), they're hilarious, there's a young surfing couple (Michelle from Australia and Gawain from the UK), an older Italian couple(Angela and Stefano), a young Swiss couple (Betina and Warren), and an older couple from Minneapolis (Barbara and Lon).
So far I like everyone pretty well. The Swedish couples are great. They're all very funny.
We went on a hike at Punta Suarez that was very hot and fairly long. We saw lots of iguanas, smaller lizards, sea lions, blue footed boobies, Nasca boobies (and their babies), doves with bright circles around their eyes, a couple types of finches, waved albatrosses, re-billed tropicbirds, hawks, and lots of crabs.
We got to see the cliffs on Española which were nice (but probably much more dramatic years ago). Also a blow hole.
After the walk I was about to faint from being so hot and thirsty by the time we got back (I brought water with me, but not enough).
I drank a lot of water and ate lots of snacks. I sat in the common room couch area and talked to the Swedes for a long while.
More people filtered in and we talked about a lot of different topics until it was time for our group talk about the formation of the Galapagos and our plans for tomorrow.
After the meeting was dinner and I sat and talked with the Italians. I think that the husband doesn't speak English, but the wife does quite well (also Portuguese, apparently).
After dinner I got my notebook and postcards and started writing. One of the Swedes offered me a drink and I accepted this time (they had asked earlier, but I was on a re-hydration mission).
When I finished my writing I headed to bed.

Day 50

Day 50: Phone Tag (01/16/10)

I woke up with just enough time for breakfast before Santiago is supposed to be here. One of the English guys is eating breakfast and I sit and talk with him for a while. He's been in South America for a few months now and has a few more to go.
He's headed for Peru tonight. He wanted to stay a bit longer, but there are strikes predicted on that bus route in a few days so he's leaving early. He said someone he knew had gotten stuck on a bus for nearly 3 days because of a strike and he didn't want to risk it.
He got up to start his day and I ate my breakfast slowly. Santiago was half an hour late. When I was finished eating I wrote a note, and gave it to the hotel staff, asking them to let him know I was at the book store around the corner.
I went to the store and read a little bit about the islands. I went to write the names of 4 or 5 islands I think I might enjoy and the woman at the desk got very snappy with me (she hadn't said one word to me before this point). I don't care for this woman. She snipped at me about how the book is for sale, not free yadda yadda.... I interrupted her rant and said that I knew and was hoping to trade it for the Peru guidebook I had bought with a friend a week earlier. That calmed her down a bit, but she was still short with me. I had hoped for an even trade since the Ecuador book was 3 or 4 years old and the Peru book was brand new (and I hadn't even used it), but she only gave me $5 credit.
I think I won't go back there if I can help it. Her husband seems nice, but I really don't care for her.
After I went online to check email etc. Gabe had written a short but sweet email. I wrote back to what he'd written and then told him about my near panic attack the day before.
I hadn't felt that shitty and anxious in years (since Virginia). I didn't have a full blown attack, but I was dang close. I went home and cried for a long time and then slept. I woke up feeling relieved though, which is what I had hoped for.
When I got back to the hotel Santiago had called and asked me to call him back. So, I did, but there was no answer. I went back to the hotel and wrote a note saying that I was headed to the internet shop and the Tía. That I had tried calling and that I wrote him an email. AND that I would come back to the hotel around 5:30 (I thought it was already 4:30, but I guess it was only 3:30).
I went to the internet shop for a bit and wrote him an email including the islands I wanted to visit, as well as how much I preferred to pay for hotels and my flight info. Afterwards, I headed to Tía and bought some yogurt, tea, and a candy bar (I really wanted junk food, but I stopped myself from buying anything else).
When I got back to the hotel it was only 4:35. I layed in bed and watched TV and read. After a while, I figured he wasn't going to call the hotel again, so I tried for a nap.
Around 7:15, I made myself go eat then tried calling again.
He answered this time, we agreed to meet at 10 am at my hotel. I ate a sandwich at the "Club" place again.
After that I called Natallie and talked to her for almost an hour.
I replied to Steph's email from a few days ago. I cut it a little short because it was getting late and I was the only one still in the shop.
I've been listening to a lot of music on YouTube since my iPod stopped working (not just frozen this time).
When I left the internet shop I came back to the hotel and watched some TV ("Ghost" then "Euro Trip") and then hit the hay.

Days 47-49

Day 47: Hump Day (Wednesday) (01/13/10)

Today I woke up an hour and a half before class, and got up an hour before class.
Breakfast was huge again. I'm going to get fat eating all these large meals and not exercising.
In my first class today I learned (or started learning) many new verbs and how to talk about the future a little. We ended up talking a lot about sex ed, which was a little random (but probably started with our conversation about national problems, teen pregnancy, as well as talking about my mom's work).
When class ended I walked to "Moliendo Cafe" for lunch. Today I tried "arepa mixta" which is basically tortilla covered by a pile of veggies, beans, chicken and beef.
I also had some Colombian (because this is a Colombian cafe) drink that was a little similar to cold chai, but with different spices accented. They also have almuerzos, so the next time I go I'll probably get that.
I finished eating and headed to the hotel for a second, then decided to go online for a bit.
I wrote to Santiago, my mom and Annette, then headed to my conversation class.
We covered A TON of vocab, I won't be able to remember all of it for a long time, but hopefully I'll get it (poco a poco).
After class I headed back to the hotel and did some writing. This morning when I got up I wondered why my waist band is so tight. I'm bloated.
I've been drinking two cups of green tea each morning, lots of water through out, yogurt most days and I haven't had regular BMs (TMI, I know. Sorry). I don't want to stop taking my iron, but I know that has a little bit to do with it. Ugh.
I think I'll head to Tía and maybe buy some yogurt and granola for dinner.
I told Gabe I would try to email today and that I would ask about sending a package here, but I haven't asked and I'm not sure what to write.
Maybe I'll update my blog some to help me come up with ideas. I need to remember to write down Jamie's address and Brooke's phone number.
I wish I remembered where the closer Tía was. The one by the market is kinda far.
After Tía I walked back to the hotel and ate my yogurt. I also bought some more jasmine tea. The tea box is ridiculous. There's a half naked airbrushed chick on one side and a half naked photoshopped dude on the other (both Asian, of course, since it's Oriental brand tea). Hopefully, it doesn't taste like crap.
Watched a little TV, now I'm headed to the internet shop to email Gabe and update my blog.
I wound up emailing Gabe and Steph and some others, but didn't update the blog at all. When I left, I headed to the hotel and watched a little TV then went to bed.

Day 48: Galapagos Planning (01/14/10)

I was exhausted this morning. I finally managed to pry myself out of bed with the promise of a hot shower. Unfortunately, I got in the shower only to be disappointed by lukewarm water. I decided to get out and wait 'til the afternoon to try for hot water.
Today at breakfast there was jugo again and my new tea (no matter how ridiculous the packaging) tasted alright. Instead of the normal rolls there were croissant-like things. I forced myself to only eat one even though I wanted both.
In class this morning we worked mostly on GUSTAR-to like and a little on progresivo (things ending in the equivalent of -ing in English). My homework is to reply to an internet personal ad of sorts. It's just some girl's ad for an international pen pal, but even still, it'll be weird to write back (personal ad style).
I walked to a restaurant next to the cathedral for lunch, but there was a long line out the door, so I came back to the Colombian place (this time for the almuerzo).
The soup and jugo were both good, but the meat in the entree was a little plain (still good though).
After eating I headed to the internet shop. Kendyl and Annette both wrote to me.
I left to go to the bathroom, but I think I might head back to call Santiago. Or maybe I'll take a nap... If I nap I have to call right when I get out of class. I think that's what I'll do.
Tomorrow I want to try to remember to ask Esperanza (my grammar teacher) about Baños (not the one up north, but the one close to here). Taking a soak in the hot springs sounds really nice.
I need to ask Eugenio (my conversation teacher) today if he knows about receiving packages here.
I need to call USAA about my credit card and I need to email my doctor about an appointment when I get back.
I forgot to ask Eugenio, and I didn't call USAA. BUT I did meet up with Santiago and have reserved a hotel room for the Galapagos for this next week!
Tomorrow he's going to help me buy my plane tickets after my first class.
After we found my hotel room, we went to dinner. At dinner we both ate burritos and talked for a while.
I headed back to the internet shop and did some blogging. Then went back to the room and got ready for bed.

Day 49: Last Day of Class (01/15/10)

Last night I decided I would try to get up a little earlier today (since sleeping in doesn't seem to be doing any good).
I hit snooze a couple times, but got up around 8:30.
The shower water still wasn't particularly hot (by the end of the shower it was cold), but at least it started out relatively warm.
I took my time getting ready and still had 45 minutes for breakfast.
At breakfast there were two guys from England (I think). I didn't talk to them, but if I run into them later today I will. Even if I am leaving for the Galapagos on Monday, it'd be nice to meet someone on this trip. Maybe they'll be in Cuenca when I get back or maybe they'll be headed somewhere I'd like to go too.
There is some kind of staff meeting at the Spanish school today, so we'll be starting a bit late.
This staff meeting turned out to be a baby shower.
The last day of class went pretty well I think. Today we talked about people's obsessions with things. The first iPod (apparently that was huge in Ecuador), Hannah Montana, concert/sports tickets, etc.
At the end I was supposed to fill out evaluations for Esperanza, but I only understood some of the questions so I waited until later to fill out the rest.
After class I met with Santiago and we found tickets for my flights to/from the Galapagos (with help from the hotel owner). I only had $100 on me though, so we set up a time to meet later to pay the rest (after my second class). Santiago and I ate at a place near his work and then parted ways.
After my class I filled out the evaluations and then headed to the back to get more cash.
Santiago was supposed too meet me at my hotel at 6 to head to the travel agency to pay the rest. I was supposed to pay by 6:30. The agency called my hotel at 6:25 , and Santiago was still not here, so I went on my own.
The tickets including a special travelers tax ($10) were $520.75 and I need to bring at least $100 with me. The Galapagos entry fee (which must be payed in cash) is $100. I will also need some cash to get to my hotel from the airport.
Guidebooks recommend bringing your own water because it's much more expensive on the islands, but I don't think I'll have the room in my bag. It's about 25 cents for a bottle of water here and about $1 there, which does add up. But when I'm already spending $40 a night and $500 for tickets, $100 for entry, and who knows how much for boats and tours, a couple dollars a day for water doesn't seem like much.
Now I just have to figure out which islands I want to go to and which nights I'll need to stay on other islands (and where I'll stay).
After buying the tickets I meet up with Santiago and talk to his friend about accommodations. When he leaves I stay and look online for info about the specific islands. I really much prefer looking for this kind of info in books.
We're supposed to meet at 10 tomorrow to discuss it, but maybe he won't mind a quick stop at the book store first?
After being online for a while (I updated my blog a bit) I head back to the hotel for bed.