Checked a big one off the bucket list with a trip to Ecuador and a cruise of the Outer Loop of the Galapagos Islands with my dive buddy, Cecilia. Flying into Ecuador late in the evening we were taken to our hotel to rest, and prepare for a day of touring the next day. Quito was a busy, bustling city and a hub of activity on the weekend. We toured some magnificent churches with exquisite wood carvings covered in gold leaf, and beautiful stained glass windows, pure works of art! We toured a old convent with only monks in residence and the Presidential Palace with the guards standing watch. Colorful street vendors on every corner were busy selling their wares.....flowers, colorful scarves, and paintings. Lunch was served at a restaurant located in an old theater, very grand and beautiful.
We also visited a park on the equator and stood with one foot and one side of the equator and the other on the other side of the equator. I even balanced an egg on a nail, which is suppose to be difficult to do there.....got a certificate for my accomplishment. Dinner that evening was at a local restaurant that was reserved for our tour group. After a busy day we turned in early!
The next day we were up early for our flight from Quito to Baltra on our a Celebrity charter flight, where we then boarded a bus to the marina to catch a zodiac to our ship....Celebrity Xpedition! Our cabin (410) was ready and our luggage was delivered shortly after we had lunch. We toured the ship, were issued snorkel gear and a wet suit, and mingled with the other guest. We later had a meeting to go over the schedule for the week....boy we were going to be busy.
It was an intense week of hiking, snorkeling, and zodiac expeditions around the islands! It was very hot, but really never had an issue with bugs! Sunscreen was constantly applied as the sun is brutal on the equator! It did rain on one excursion when we were looking for the giant tortoise. Our schedule consisted of getting up around 6 am, breakfast at 7 am, and the first excursion at 8:30 am, then back to the ship for a buffet lunch, a brief break.....and then out for another excursion, then back to the boat to clean up, have a drink before dinner, a meeting to explain the next day's activities and a chance to sign up...then dinner and usually bed! Usually there was a activity after dinner, but we usually crashed!
Our first hike was down a beach with sea lions lounging every few feet. Being a beach gal I figured somewhere on the beach the sand was firm and easy to walk on....Nope, not this beach, it was a killer hiking a mile up and a mile back in the deep sand....we nicknamed it....The Death March! We hiked on lava fields, over lava rocks, and climbed over some lava boulders! Our zodiac landings were either dry or wet...getting out in the water and walking to shore! They did prepare us with briefings every day on the surface, shoes we should wear, clothes, sunscreen, and our water bottles.....we drank gallons of water to avoid dehydration! After every excursion we were greeted on the ship with a cold towel, a fresh fruit juice drink, fresh fruits, and pastries........boy we looked forward to that! The snorkeling was great, playing with sea lions, giant turtles, penguins, octopus, marine iguanas, and cormorants....birds that no longer fly, but swim under the water! We only saw one shark all week! The sea lions were amazing....almost childlike in that would approach us.....then dart off as if to say follow me. No fear of us.....just really inquisitive!
One day we found a small cove. with crystal clear water full of sea lions floating on their backs, fins resting on their chest....just relaxing....I could have stayed there all day!
The Galapagos Islands are rugged, rocky, volcanic islands dotted with cactus and creatures! The islands are about 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador.....it was very hot, but the water was very cool because of the currents! Its isolated terrain shelters a diversity of plants and animals....found nowhere else in the world.
I'm glad I did the trip and after all the hiking, I wished I had done it 15 years ago! It is physically pretty intense...as you don't want to miss anything! We had a few older couples that couldn't handle it and missed out on some excursions. We had one case of heat stroke and several that fell on the lava and busted their knees! But we all survived!
We had two days back in Quito, Ecuador before we headed home to tour and explore! We visited a local market and then a gallery of local Ecuadorian art. Our last day we went up into the Andes (12,000 ft) to a volcanic Geo-thermal spa...Termas Papallacta is a Hot Springs Spa and Resort located in a magical High Andes landscape.....a perfect ending to a great trip....soaking in the hot water, surrounded by mountains and in the clouds.....resting our weary bodies! The spa is where I officially became a Ecuadorian Chocolate Bon Bon.....after I had a chocolate massage and wrap!
Well, Galapagos was truly amazing.....and I loved Ecuador! Celebrity did a great job running the whole trip from the moment we landed in Ecuador, until we boarded our flight home! The Celebrity Xpedition is a smaller ship, we had 98 passengers on board from all over the world! Most passengers were in the 55/65 age range...a few older!
All in all....it was the trip of a lifetime!
The Galapagos Album photos can be seen at the link below!
https://goo.gl/photos/N6q4wK7StodfB7s76
Yesterday I had the opportunity to volunteer with an event in Port Aransas, Texas called Life Goes On. This non profit organization was founded by Jesse Billauer, a surfer that was paralyzed after a surfing accident. He created Life Rolls On because everyone living with paralysis deserves the feeling of freedom that surfing brings! Jesse said he was told he would have no quality of life after becoming a quadriplegic...boy did he prove them wrong.
I had my doubts when I arrived about 5:45 am and was the only person there. But, soon other folks arrived and some of the organizers arrived. Just after sunrise trucks rolled in with equipment and things began to take shape. Volunteers began to set up, others began registration, while the four water teams had a safety meeting, and the hospitality team started icing down lots of water and ordering pizza for lunch. I had volunteered to take photos....so I grabbed my camera and headed to the water once the surfing began.
I felt privileged to have been part of this event and loved taking photos....or trying to in the surf. Volunteering with Life Rolls On gave me far more than I was able to give them! A great group of folks!
