The Galapagos Islands - 4th to 11th Feb 2018
It's hard to write a diary on a boat which is rocking on the ocean... queasiness might get the better of me, but I'll give it a go... After an early flight and great inefficiencies in Quito airport (getting our Galapagos permits) we arrived in San Cristobel, in the Galapagos Islands, around 10am. Meeting our guide, Franklin, and fellow shipmates, we headed straight to the marina and our boat, the Eden. A little long in the tooth, she had seen better days but was spacious and for 9 guests and 6 crew, home for the next week. Franklin wasted no time in giving us our tour and safety briefing and the boat got underway while Walter, our chef, served up a delicious lunch. Within an hour or so we moored up for our first island walk. The boat's tender took us to the shore - which was littered with sea lions! Not minding us at all, Franklin had to shoo them off the concrete jetty. Literally dozens of them: males, females and loads of cubs. Huge red and bright blue c...