San Cristobal

We are finally in Galapagos, but the trip here was definitely not without it’s moments. We’re fairly happy to see the flight to Quito is only about 2/3 full, as we’ve become the people who take up all the overhead bin space with their giant luggage, that clearly won’t fit in the carry-on sizer at the gate, but can still be jammed in if you apply enough force. As penance however, we find ourselves seated behind two sturdy young girls, at least one of whom has intestinal distress. Sam is sound asleep, and sitting in the aisle, I find I can lean our far enough to catch a fresher air current, but wedged in the middle, my mild-mannered travel companion is nearly vibrating with anger as she is repeatedly peppered with air biscuits.

There is a palpable sense of relief as the wheels come down and we line up for approach, but it’s not meant to be, as just short of the runway, the nose comes up and the pilot guns the engines. I’ve been through an aborted landing once before, so at least have an idea what is going on, but it’s a fresh experience for Angela, who has a classic WTF look on her face (Sam just snores right on through it). There is some talk about rerouting the flight due to weather, but after a few minutes circling, things clear enough for us to give it another go (successfully this time).

With only six hours between flights (now five and a half), we made the decision long ago that by the time we cleared immigration, it wouldn’t make sense to find a shuttle to an airport, check in, and then sleep for only 2 or 3 hours before coming back to check in. In retrospect, that may have been a mistake, as it turns out the only thing Mom finds more unpleasant than a home stay is an airport stay. Although she somehow manages to procure the one bench in the entire airport without fixed armrests, the all metal seats don’t provide much more comfort than the square of floor Sam and I have staked out. A few hours later, as check in rolls around, we have a very sad looking road warrior on our hands.

The final legs into San Cristobal go much more smoothly (not that my comatose wife would have noticed anyway), at we touch down just after 10:30 in the morning. We take a bit of time to get through the screening process (there is a whole long list of things you can’t bring onto the islands) and pay the entry fee (it is $100 per person now to get in, kind of like a day at Disneyland) before heading off to our hotel. There are no name brands here to speak of, so we’ve our trust in the hands of Tripadvisor and booked one of the higher rated B&Bs. It’s a beautiful location to just look out at the boats or stretch out on the grass by the pool.

Seriously though, it is quite nice, and most importantly comes with wi-fi and hot water (not necessarily in the order, depending on who you are asking).

It has been almost 20 years since I visited the Galapagos, but it is still one of the trips I remember most vividly, so I am excited to be here again and to share the experience with family. My posse is a little tired, but awake enough that I get them out the door and off towards town. When we get to the boardwalk, the first thing you notice are the sea lions, who flop down for an afternoon snooze pretty much wherever they like. They are wild animals, so we start snapping pictures, amazed that we can get within 30 feet (click), then 20 feet (click, click), then 10 feet (click). By the time you are standing right next to them, and they slowly open their eyes to see what is blocking their sun, you know you are some place magical.

We keep walking along the water, which eventually takes us to a small beach with even more sea lions, including pups.

Further on, is the Interpretation Center, that has some displays about the islands, how they were formed, the history of various settlements on them, and what is being done now to preserve them (since I was here last, both the population and the number of visitors have tripled, both of which are taking a toll). We also see our first Galapagos Tortoise (named Pepe).

Working our way back to town, we find a few food carts have set up next to the beach, and stop to sample some fresh empanadas (amazing), and a few other local treats. Combined with the long trip and sleepless night, the food pushes us over the edge, and even though it is only 5 in the afternoon, we stumble back to the hotel and fall asleep for the night (except Sam, who we find out later stays up quite a bit longer playing games on the iPad – bad Sam!).