It's Time to Head Home

Though I may be returning home, Galapagos has taught me to be always moving forward.  

What does that mean?

A final Reflection:

Exploring Islote Tintoreras

After visiting the Tortoise Breeding Center, I took another boat to Islote Tintoreras. This is an area of volcanic rock along the shore that is home to lots of wildlife both above and below the water. 

This is the video you’ll definitely want to watch to the end. 

Hike Up to Sierra Negra Volcano

It was too quickly time to say goodbye to Floriana Island and head northwest via speed boat to Isabela Island.  The shape of this island kind of resembles a seahorse.  It’s also the largest island in the Galapagos archipelago.  The island also has six active volcanos.  I hiked up to the rim of the Sierra Negra Volcano.  When reached the summit I was looking down at the largest basaltic caldera in the Galapagos.  It was another good workout that I recorded on My Garmin:  Click here

Full Day of Snorkeling and Hiking on Floriana Island

This morning I walked along the black-sand beach to Loberia, where I did some snorkeling. 

After my dive downward, I headed up to the highlands of Floreana were I hiked through a labyrinth of trails and spotted many tortoise.

A Hike and Swim on Santa Cruz Island

Today I went to Las Grietas for a swim.  I walked through a cactus forest on my way.  The cactus forest is a great place to spot lava lizards and the famous Darwin finch.  The local swimming hole sits between to volcanic cliffs.  The water comes from a river on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other.

Later in the day I took a boat to Floreana Island.  This island is famous for some of it's first inhabitants.  John Treherne wrote a book called The Galapagos Affair that tells the story of these German transplants on this remote island.

Video of school:

Heading to the Islands

This morning I headed back to the Quito airport to fly to the Galápagos Islands. These islands are located about 620 miles off the Pacific coast of South America. They are now a National Park that covers nearly 3100 square miles.  This archipelago is comprised of 13 major islands with lots of islets served as a living laboratory for Charles Darwin.

Once my plane landed, I didn’t even need to leave the airport before I spotted one of the island’s famous iguanas. 

   

After checking into the hotel I explored Charles Darwin Research Center. It was initiated in 1964 and works to preserve the Galapagos ecosystem and provides a study location for international scientists.  On my way back to my hotel a sea lion joined me on a park bench. 

Quito

Well, I finally arrived in Quito. Traveling in the midst of a global pandemic is challenging. Before you can get on a plane you need to show documentation of a negative Covid test within the last 72 hours. It usually takes at least 24 hours to get your results. That leaves a small window in which you need to make sure you have enough time to get your results before your flight but not yet expired. Plus, I will need to show another valid test tomorrow when I fly to the islands. But right now I’m heading out to see more of Quito.