Galapagos: the budget is blown

As the plane circled the islands we peered out the windows, keen for a glimpse of 'The Enchanted Isles'.  They looked very brown and volcanic, with steep cliffs and the odd white sand cove.  

The temperature was 28C as we straggled across the tarmac into the open sided terminal.  A bus-boat-bus ride later we made it into the largest town on the islands, Puerto Ayora.  After sorting out somewhere to stay we grabbed some lunch then set off to Tortuga Bay.  Supposedly a half hour walk it felt extremely long in the intense heat and humidity. But it was worth it to get a beautiful white sand beach with rollers crashing in.  We had to walk up the beach to find the sheltered swimming spot, whereupon I lost Ben to the lure of photographing marine iguanas and crabs and a reluctant heron.

Lava lizards were plentiful



The walk back was mercifully cooler at 6pm and for dinner we splurged on lobster - delicious! 

The next day we strolled around the town and came across the fish market.  The resident sealion was a great hit with the tourists.

We caught a short water taxi across the harbour and walked to Las Grietas. This is an amazing canyon-like swimming hole, over ten meters deep with a white sand bottom.  We both tested jumping off the rocks and staring at the big fish swimming round.  It´s still a mystery to us where the water comes from as it was so fresh and clear, but there didn´t seem to be any way of it coming in.

The cactus on the islands have a rather unusual adaptation in the form of a very tough tree-like trunk. This has evolved to prevent the giant tortoises from eating the juicy leaves.

On the way back from town we had to stop for another swim at a little bay, before catching the water taxi back again.  Dinner was ceviche and encocado fish, eaten on the street tables in the warm evening air.

Puerto Ayora comes alive in the evenings with everyone out to enjoy the cooler air.  The wharf buzzed with locals and tourists alike, craning their necks to see the sharks and rays around the wharf.  It would seem like a normal seaside town except for the sealions, marine iguanas, pelicans, boobies, frigate birds, sharks and rays.