After shaking off yesterday’s airport anxiety, I eased into the morning with a colorful platter of tropical fruits. The papaya didn’t quite win me over, but everything else was a burst of flavor that felt like the perfect “welcome to Costa Rica.”
A few messages in the group chat later, I linked up with some of the other early arrivals who had taken an early night after their long travels yesterday. With a shared sense of curiosity (and caffeine), we decided to dive right into the city and join a free walking tour of San José. A couple of taxis from the front desk later, we found ourselves in one of the city’s lively squares, ready to explore.
Teatro Nacional: National Theater of Costa Rica
Our guide kicked things off with a quick overview of Costa Rica’s geography and history before leading us through the heart of the city. We passed ornate museums, grand government buildings, and colorful streets pulsing with energy. One of the highlights was the National Museum of Costa Rica—once a military base before the country famously abolished its army in 1949. Even today, Costa Rica remains one of the few nations in the world without a standing military, a fact that still impresses visitors. The tour wrapped up beneath the shade of the cork trees surrounding the plaza that were planted in the 1930s, a quiet reminder of the country’s long and layered history.
Cork Trees
With some free time afterward, our small group wandered into a nearby market where street musicians filled the air with upbeat rhythms. We watched locals weave through stalls of fruit, crafts, and souvenirs before making our way toward the elegant Gran Hotel, its classic facade standing tall over the bustling plaza.
View from restaurant on 5th floor of Gran Hotel
Back at the hotel, the group chat was lighting up with messages from others just arriving from the airport. Remembering how warmly I’d been welcomed on my last trip to Ecuador, I decided to return the favor and host a small meet-and-greet in my room. Most of the newcomers were too tired to socialize, but a few stopped by for a quick hello, and before long we were off again for a late lunch—joined by my fellow walking-tour explorers.
Later that evening, when even more arrivals wanted to grab dinner, I tagged along for what became my “second dinner” of the day. The restaurant only accepted cash, and the waiter was unusually particular about the condition of our bills. A folded one from a wallet apparently didn’t make the cut. After a few laughs and some negotiation, he finally accepted payment, and we all left amused (and full).
Back at the hotel, I got a message from David, who had finally arrived after a day full of travel mishaps. I invited him up for a few shots of Ecuadorian rum I’d brought along from my last trip and we swapped travel horror stories before venturing out to a nearby sports bar to meet another late arrival. After a few more drinks and some good laughs, we finally called it a night—ready to meet our guide, Andrés, in the morning and officially kick off the adventure ahead.
Travel days rarely go according to plan, but this one took the cake. After a flight cancellation delayed my departure from Quito, I found myself stranded in the airport well past midnight—groggy, frustrated, and desperate for sleep. The wooden benches near the entrance weren’t exactly five-star accommodations, but they’d do. As I laid down, I realized I had locked up the main pockets of my backpack but the bag itself was prime for potential snatching. So I did what any reasonable person would and slid my legs through the backpack straps before dozing off for a quick 2hr snooze. If my bag was getting stolen, then I was too!
I had planned to wake up at 3am, but naturally, my body had other ideas. By the time I got moving, the check-in line was already forming. One hour and several yawns later, I finally made it to the counter, where I learned my checked bag was waiting for me around the corner. Another hour, another line. The attendant eventually confirmed my bag was accounted for and tagged it through to my final destination—San José, Costa Rica. Progress at last!
Once through security, I had five long hours to kill before my next flight to Bogotá. I treated myself to a towering stack of pancakes from TGI Fridays (ironically, on a Thursday). Normally, I fly overnight when everything’s closed, so having actual food options was a rare luxury.
The flight to Bogotá was blissfully uneventful—a welcome calm amid the day’s chaos. By the time we landed just before noon, my hunger had returned in full force. I wandered the busy terminal searching for a restaurant with open seating, eventually spotting a single free chair at a burger joint. I tossed my sweatshirt on it to claim my spot and promptly ordered chicken tenders, fries, and a large Sprite. When the cashier told me my total was 74,000, my heart nearly stopped before I remembered I was paying in Colombian pesos—roughly $18 USD. Crisis averted; I was really not prepared to sell any kidneys that day.
With my hunger satisfied, I boarded my final flight to San José feeling optimistic. The exit row seat promised extra legroom—a small victory—until the kid behind me decided to spend the next two hours enthusiastically kicking my seat. Running on less than three hours of sleep, still buzzing from travel stress and post-trip blues from Ecuador, I could feel my patience thinning. I cranked up my music, closed my eyes, and counted the minutes until landing.
Finally, Costa Rica. I breezed through the airport, eager to escape the chaos, and caught a shared van to Hotel Auténtico. A quick check of the group chat confirmed I was the first to arrive. I grabbed some chicken and pineapple kebabs from the hotel restaurant, devoured them in record time, and collapsed into bed. After a marathon of delays, lines, and layovers, sleep never felt so good.
Awakening to the sound of my alarm, the sunlight peeking through the window coaxed me out of bed. Up and ready, I did a final look around the room to make sure I didn’t forget anything and then hurried on down the hallway to the lobby restaurant to fuel up for the big day out. I wasn’t about to pass up on a third day of all you can eat breakfast, especially before a hike through the Andes!
After breakfast, I headed to the hotel lobby to await my ride out to Cajas National Park. As I waited, I noticed the streets were exceptionally busy for this early in the day. Though soon enough, a car pulled up and out stepped a man who greeted me with a friendly smile and a firm handshake. Thinking to myself “When did hiking get to be so formal?!”, I hopped in the car and off we went! The man introduced himself as Sebastian, born and raised in the good old state of Pennsylvania! He mentioned he doesn’t get a lot of American tourists so it would be a good break from the constant Spanish. I wasn’t going to complain. After some lighthearted conversation and letting him know Pennsylvania hasn’t changed much in the past 20 years, we approached the entrance to Cajas National Park. The 45min drive out was smooth, winding upward through the highland roads. At the visitor center, Sebastian informed me the other guests for the hike had cancelled so I would be getting a personal tour. And with that, we began our trek!
Lake Trek
From the visitor center, we would make our way north towards Lake Toreadora, one of the jewels of Cajas sitting at 13,000ft! For all that I had heard about altitude sickness and hiking around in the thinner air, I didn’t really notice much difference from my usual hikes back home. Perhaps having spent the past few days chilling in Cuenca at 8,000ft was enough to acclimate me. We began our 3mi expedition from the trailhead map posted nearby.
As we approached the lake, the trail turned from a rocky path to a wet marshy traverse. Sebastian was extremely knowledgeable about the entire region, giving tidbits of information on everything from the geography and weather patterns to the local flora and fauna. He pointed out several different plants but most notably the Chuquiragua, Ecuador’s National Flower. At one point we even came across a rock that had been impacted by a meteorite back in 1995!
After circling the lake, we made a quick pit stop at the visitor center before heading back down to Cuenca. At the hotel, Sebastian opened my door, grabbed my bags from the trunk, and gave me a firm hand shake noting I was a wonderful tourist and he would gladly drive me around again should I ever find myself back in Cuenca. As Sebastian drove off my legs immediately turned to jello and nearly buckled from underneath me. Luckily I was able to grab my hefty suitcase to catch my fall. The 3hr hike seemed to have taken more of a toll than I had anticipated. I had enough time to do one final check of my belongings before grabbing a taxi to the airport. My flight wasn’t until 7:42pm, but I’ve always been an early arriver when it comes to airports. Maybe too early this time…
Airport Observations
I rolled up to the Cuenca airport about 5hrs before my flight. Too early even for the baggage check, so I camped myself down in the food court people watching until the hunger kicked in. A double burger and a “real” sprite with cane sugar (the way it was meant to be) hit the spot as I kept an eye on the people meandering about. I didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary. People watching in Ecuador didn’t seem to be as interesting as back home in the States.
The counters opened a few hours later, so I made my way over to check my bag and headed through security. I thought the long day was settling down but not too long after I found a seat at the gate, I heard my name over the loudspeaker and was approached by security. They informed that my bag had been flagged and needed to pull me aside to ask some questions. Two armed security officers walked me out onto the tarmac past a few docked planes and into a small room nestled away from the main building. What kind of trouble was I in?! Had I not been wiped out by the intense hike from earlier, my mind probably would’ve been racing with concern but instead I felt mostly relaxed. They had me open my bag and with my minimal understanding of Spanish I was able to understand there were two objects they needed to inspect. I knew immediately what they were looking for and any lingering concerns I had in my head immediately dissipated. I grabbed the two open liquor bottles and handed them to one of the officers. They put the bottles in a machine a few moments later handed them back motioning for me to repack them and close my bag. They pointed me back to my gate and I walked across the dimly lit tarmac unescorted.
I sat at the gate for another hour before boarding my quick flight from Cuenca to Quito. After the flight, as I stood up from my seat, I noticed at least half the seats were unoccupied. It was so quiet I hadn’t realized how empty the plane was. Back in Quito with time to kill before my connecting flight, I wandered over to Johnny Rockets for round two of burgers (don’t judge me) and a milkshake. Airports are weirdly timeless, and hunger tends to strike again when you least expect it.
Then, chaos struck. Just before midnight, as I was chilling on a bench at the airport entrance awaiting my gate designation, I saw the large red text show up next my flight “Flight Cancelled”. Internally I was freaking out, but my outwards composure remained calm. Just as I was about to go flag down an agent to try and sort out this mess with my limited Spanish comprehension, I received a text from the airline with a notice of a reroute from San Salvador to Bogota. My new arrival time into Costa Rica would be 3:45pm the next day, 8hrs delayed from the initial arrival.
Despite the hiccups, today was unforgettable—from the crisp mountain air of Cajas to the last-minute scramble in Quito. Sometimes the best stories come from the unexpected turns, and this one definitely earned its place in the travel journal!
I rolled out of bed excited for whatever the plan-less day would bring. At the lobby restaurant I treated myself to another breakfast of champions, similar to what I had the day before. These breakfasts were certainly more indulgent than what I would usually get during my main trip. There’s never enough time in the morning to enjoy a proper meal to get the day going before jetting off on another adventure. Today, five fluffy, maple syrup-drenched pancakes, two buttery croissants, a bowl of Frosted Flakes with cold milk, and a glass of freshly pressed blackberry juice was enjoyed without the rush of anticipation. It felt like the kind of meal that straddles the line between comfort and excess — the perfect fuel for a day of wandering.
By mid-morning, I headed out to stretch my legs with a stroll through Cuenca’s old town. I had only caught glimpses on my walk around the city yesterday. Walking down the streets, I gazed at the historic buildings that gave the city a sort of timeless feel. Stopping at a viewpoint along the road as I headed out to lunch, I peered across the historic center catching an equal mix of greenery and urbanization. There was something about it that just put the mind at ease, an almost mesmerizing feeling.
I made may way over to a nearby mall and stopped by the food court for my first truly American meal of the trip – KFC! Crispy chicken was a welcome sight and a good change of pace from everything else I had been eating for the past couple weeks. I scarfed down one chicken breast after another before realizing I had forgotten to get a drink. On the other side of the food court I spotted Tutto Freddo, a local Ecuadorian ice cream chain (and recommended to me by our tour guide back in Banos earlier in the trip). I ended up getting a classic vanilla milkshake to wash down what I would find out later to be too much chicken…
By the time I got back to my hotel, the food coma hit hard. I crashed for a couple hours, which was both a much-needed break and an unavoidable consequence of that carb-heavy breakfast and fried chicken combo. Waking up a little groggy from a mid-day siesta, I strolled back onto the streets, this time with a mission — to pick up a few last-minute pharmacy goods. Interestingly, there seems to be a pharmacy on every corner, making the errand surprisingly easy. The rest of the evening slipped by quietly — scrolling the internet, messaging friends, and sending my cousin a quick happy birthday wish. Dinner was a simple chocolate croissant from the hotel’s bakery — light, flaky, and sweet!
The night ended on a more somber note. I packed my bag early for tomorrow’s afternoon departure — a small, practical ritual that always makes the next day feel less stressful. As I laid down to fall sleep, my mind drifted between the excitement of continued travel and the exhaustion of an already long vacation. While these slow days in Cuenca were a welcome break between two action packed trips fraught with non-stop exhilaration, I would need to find a way to breathe new life into the next couple days before beginning my trip in Costa Rica. With so much on my mind, I am glad I chose Cuenca for my transition, I couldn’t have picked a better place to lay low!
The day started with an early rise and no concrete plans as the soft glow of the morning slipped through the hotel curtains. I made my way down to the lobby restaurant, greeted by the comforting aroma of fresh pastries and syrup. Breakfast was a feast — three buttery croissants, a bowl of Frosted Flakes with a splash of milk, and a towering stack of eight bite-sized pancakes drenched in maple syrup. To wash it all down, I sipped on a glass of sweet pineapple juice, a bright reminder of the tropical surroundings from only a few days earlier. It was a slow, satisfying start to the day, a quiet moment before the scramble of day planning began.
By 9:00 AM, I was back in my room, phone propped up for a FaceTime call with mom and dad. Their familiar faces, a world away, made the hotel room feel a little less distant. We chatted about my adventures so far — the unforgettable experiences of Ecuador and the stunning sights in the Galapagos! And as parents do, they reminded me not to forget little things like staying hydrated and doing my laundry. It was a brief but grounding conversation, a slice of home in the middle of my journey.
Taking their advice to heart, I gathered my laundry and set off in search of a laundromat. After lugging 10lbs of worn clothes for a mile, I happened upon a small laundromat. A few mere quarters was the price, way cheaper than the hotel’s laundry service. The hours passed slowly, the rhythmic hum of washing machines keeping me company as I waited. In the lull, I was able to do some research about Cuenca, the city I chose as my intermediate stay before hopping back into the high energy travel I am accustomed. With the final click of the dryer, I pulled out my warm clothes and dropped them back at the hotel. My next stop: to go buy a hat!
A 2 mile walk through Cuenca’s historic center led me to the Panama Hat Museum, a small but fascinating spot brimming with history and craftsmanship. Ironically, the not-so-aptly named Panama hats are made in Ecuador. I picked out a sleek, light-colored hat for myself and second slightly smaller darker-hued hat as a gift for my little sister — a perfect souvenir. I tried chatting with a few of the workers there about the hat making process as I observed their work firsthand but unfortunately my lack of Spanish knowledge cut the conversation short. Though one of the workers offered to add a strap to my hat free of charge! I retraced my steps another 3.5 kilometers back to the hotel with hat in hand, feeling extremely content about my purchase!
Dinnertime came quickly and hunger led me back out in search of something to eat. I found a small, cozy restaurant where I ordered two juicy hamburgers, simple but satisfying. A quick stop at a convenience store for some snacks completed the meal. Back in my hotel room, I spent the rest of the night sorting through photos and videos, crafting a highlight reel from my Ecuador and Galapagos trip. The colors, the wildlife, the breathtaking scenery — it all stuck vividly in my mind as I posted the moments online. By the time midnight rolled around, I finally crawled into bed and drifted off to sleep with the quiet satisfaction of another full day abroad.
My day started early—much earlier than planned. I woke up at 4:00am, likely due to having the earliest night of the trip yesterday. Knowing I had a long journey ahead, I decided to go back to sleep until just after 7:00am. Once I was up for good, I took my time cleaning up, packing my bags, and making my way to a small store nearby to grab breakfast and replenish my water.
With a couple of fresh pastries in hand, I headed back to the hotel to check out. However, that proved to be a bit more complicated than expected. The receptionist tried to charge me an extra $66 for two additional rooms I hadn’t booked. I explained that I had reserved only one room for one night and had been given just one key. After showing my reservation details, the mistake became clear—the staff member who checked me in had mistakenly entered my booking for three rooms. Thankfully, they corrected the issue, and I was on my way.
By 9:00 a.m., I was in a taxi heading to the bus station when my driver suggested an alternative—taking a van service to Cuenca instead. Intrigued by the recommendation and hoping for a more comfortable ride, I decided to follow his advice. At the bus station instead of booking a bus ticket, I asked for the van. At 10:00 a.m., as I went to board the “van”, I was a bit perplexed seeing it was just a bus. Though it was cheaper than the listed bus service so I settled in for the 4hr ride ahead of me. The trip itself was mostly smooth, winding through Ecuador’s presumed breathtaking landscapes but not visible due to heavy fog. Staring out the window, I couldn’t see much more than 4ft ahead of me! The driver must have done this route many times before because we were cruising quickly through the thick fog. By 2:15 p.m., I arrived at my hotel in Cuenca—Hotel Oro Verde, one of the top-rated five star hotels in the city!
After the past couple weeks of crazy adventures and late night shenanigans, I decided to take things slow while in Cuenca and relax a little before heading off to Costa Rica. I spent the afternoon just chilling on the king size bed in my hotel room. Hunger eventually pulled me outside, and I wandered the nearby streets to see what they had to offer. I stopped by a local spot serving cheese pizza. It was a simple yet satisfying meal, exactly what I needed during the lull in my trip.
Back at the hotel, I continued my low-key evening with a quick dip in the hotel pool. And then embraced the chance to catch up on social media and friends lives before the next leg of my travels would keep me too occupied. As the evening went on, I received my pre-trip notification for Costa Rica and began chatting with a few members of the group who would be joining me on the next adventure.
Before calling it a night, I checked in with both of my sisters, catching up with them as the first half of my vacation came to a close. By 11:00pm, I was ready to sleep once again, hoping to wake up refreshed and ready to plan the next two days in Cuenca before jetting off to Costa Rica. With so much more travel ahead, a little rest and recharge was exactly what I needed.
New Year’s excitement kept me up for longer than I’d expected so I only got 3hrs of sleep. Morning rolled around and I got up just after 6:00am to take in one final sunrise view from the Galapagos before the inevitable farewell. The streets were pretty empty but you could tell a massive celebration took place the night before. As I strolled down to the piers, the animals were nowhere to be seen. I suppose they had their fill too and were taking a chill morning just like the rest of my group.
Back at the hotel, only a few people were up. Sitting out by the hotel patio, we chatted about our trip and shared experiences over the last 2 weeks, similar to the trip recap Esteban gave the day before. Soon a few more members of our group rolled up and the emotions started to flow. I asked Meredith to redress my wound one last time as I shared my continued travel plans for another Contiki trip starting in a few days to Costa Rica. Nigel chimed in telling me I needed to come up with a good backstory for my wrapped hand when I meet up with the next group. Everyone agreed and we all brainstormed as best we could on minimal sleep and rising sadness of the impending departure. Fending off pirates and surviving a shark attack seemed too cliché for made up wound stories but we couldn’t come up with much else so I decided to just stick with the truth which honestly is a pretty good story on its own!
Slow as the morning went, it was already almost 10:00am and we had to catch our flight back to the mainland. It felt surreal knowing that, after days of adventure, today was the day we’d finally leave the majesty of the islands behind. We all boarded the bus and headed to the airport with one last karaoke filled ride! Our time at the airport was brief and the quick flight back to Guayaquil was quite unremarkable. As we touched down and exited the plane, stepping out into the thick, humid air immediately reminded me I wasn’t in the Galapagos anymore. After gathering our bags, we said our goodbyes as we headed to our designated hotels since most of the group wouldn’t be leaving Ecuador until tomorrow.
After checking into my hotel, I called my parents to give them a debrief on my current state—open wounds, sunburns, and overall exhaustion. They offered their usual mix of concern and practical advice, though at that point, all I really wanted was food, rest, and maybe some stronger painkillers. A little while later, I walked a mile down the busy streets of Guayaquil to the Holiday Inn, where the rest of the remaining layovers were gathering for one final meetup. We sat around, chatting once again about our favorite moments from the trip, making plans to stay in touch, and delaying the inevitable goodbyes. It felt strange knowing that soon, we’d all be scattering back to our respective homes.
While sitting with friends, the hunger finally won out and I ordered a massive 600g (almost 1.5lbs) porterhouse steak! As the server brought me my order, my friends stared in awe at the monstrous slab of meat that was placed before me. I don’t think I’ve ever had so much steak at once before. With a heaping side of fries and a classic vanilla milkshake, it truly was a meal worthy of a final goodbye.
After filling up, I needed to grab some medicine before stores closed for the night so I headed out to the nearest pharmacy only a quarter mile walk from the hotel. I told my friends I’d be quick and would be back to say goodbye shortly. According to Google Maps, I could shave off 10min by taking a slight detour and so off I went. Unfortunately, I only realized too late that the detour was a dimly lit alleyway off the main road. Making my way down the dark corridor, I could see the whites of eyes staring out from the shadows. Hobbling along on my wounded leg, I casually snapped a quick video of the experience as several large cockroaches scurried around underfoot. The street lights at the other end of the alley provided a clear checkpoint for getting past all those lurking in the night. Walking with confidence and my gaze straight ahead, I emerged at the next road and over to the pharmacy. After grabbing my supplies, I decided to take the same route back. Armed with various creams, aerosols, and a bandages, I stared back at a few of those ominous figures on my return to the Holiday Inn.
Still hanging around the hotel lobby, I told my friends one final story of my alleyway adventures before inciting a big group hug and taking my leave to head back to my hotel. The mile walk back felt longer this time, my body finally reaching its limit. Once inside, I got to work addressing my battle wounds—antibacterial cream and an ace wrap for my right hand, aloe slathered over my sunburned feet, Tylenol to ease the aches, and half a liter of water to fight off dehydration. I collapsed into bed around 10:00pm for some much needed sleep. As I lay there, feeling pretty terrible, my mind ran through the possibilities: infection, heat exhaustion, dehydration, altitude sickness, food poisoning, post-trip depression, Covid… or maybe just the weight of an incredible adventure coming to an end.
After one of the longest nights sleep I’ve had on this trip so far (approx 7.5hrs), I woke up feeling sore but refreshed. Today we were heading out to the famous Kicker Rock for some deep sea snorkeling!
Prior to departing for our last big adventure activity in the Galapagos, we stopped by the dive shop to grab wetsuits, flippers, snorkels, and masks. We split into 2 groups, one headed straight to Kicker Rock and the other starting on the beach on the northern side of San Cristobal island. My group headed out to Kicker Rock first and hopped aboard the catamaran for a sunny ride through the pristine turquoise waters.
The ride out took longer than expected but we made the most of the perfectly clear skies as we relaxed on the front deck lounging in the sun. It didn’t take too long before the enormous rock came into view off in the distance. And slowly we encroached upon it. Out in the middle of the ocean far from any signs of civilization, I felt the full immersion of life at sea, even if only for a few moments. As we approached Kicker Rock, our guide pointed out the resemblance of a sleeping lion among the rock faces which prompted its Spanish name León Dormido.
Being a common scuba location and with all sorts of animals swimming around, our boat did not weigh anchor. Instead we zipped up our wetsuits, put on flippers, and affixed our snorkel masks to our faces while the captain brought us in as close as he could. And just like that we hopped in! The water was about 68F but we quickly acclimated as we made our way towards the rocky wall covered in beautifully colored coral.
While swimming along the wall, many tropical fish skirted past us as we made our way towards the channel. Below us we saw sea turtles and rays moving about. The animals were spectacular but we were on a bit of a schedule to get over to the carved out channel between the towering rock slabs sticking 480ft up. Deep ocean snorkeling is nothing like in the shallows! Fighting the currents to move ahead took an immense amount of energy. But it was worth it to catch the sight of a sea turtle gliding along directly below me!
As we approached the channel a giant wave came rolling through and we must have been pushed back by a good 20ft before it dissipated into the ocean. More of that would be a frequent occurrence as we swam through the 70ft long channel to the other side of kick Rock. Inside the channel we took a brief pause to experience the waves rolling through as we were displaced 10ft up and down approximately every 30 seconds. In between waves, I ducked just the surface and was astounded to find myself surrounded by literal thousands of fish. I had just joined a school passing through!
At the other end of the channel, we pushed past a final wave out towards the calmer waters. As we waited for our catamaran to come around and pick us up, we saw more animals swimming around us including a few reef sharks not more than a few meters away! Fortunately blacktip reef sharks are mostly docile and not aggressive so I was comfortable watching as they swam right past me.
The catamaran came back around and we hopped on board after a wonderfully successful snorkeling adventure! Heading out to the beach back by San Cristobal island, we shed our wetsuits and gorged ourselves on the provided lunch to refuel. The other group that split off earlier that morning would have their time experiencing Kicker Rock! The ride to the beach didn’t seem to take too long and we hopped on motor rafts to bring us the rest of the way in so our boat didn’t run aground too close to shore.
A family of seals was lounging nearby so we kept a little distance to not disturb them and risk getting attacked. Meredith and I walked up and down the beach collecting cool shells, rocks, and a few dismembered crab legs. We brought our haul back to the group as they finished sunbathing. Meanwhile, Esteban befriended a little gecko buddy who was crawling all over his hat and eventually down his shirt and into the pocket of his shorts. If Mara hadn’t pointed it out, the little guy might have gotten smushed! Fortunately, we were able to get him out and I brought him over to a rock a little ways down the beach where I spotted a yellow bird. As I snapped a picture, I was hoping it was one of the famous Darwin finches but it turns out it was just a common yellow warbler.
The beach was fun but we had to get going so we took the motor rafts back to the catamaran where the crew had a special surprise waiting for us. A new year’s cake, champagne, and chocolate bread! They sang some Spanish songs for us and we all toasted to a beautiful and happy new year as we closed out the day’s adventure returning to San Cristobal island to prepare for our final dinner.
Back in town, we all split for a scrambled last minute souvenir shopping spree. Though everyone ended up at the same souvenir shop anyway. After grabbing some unique gifts to remember our time in the Galapagos, we returned to the hotel where Esteban sat us down for a recap of the trip. I was pleasantly surprised to have made three of the top ten highlights while Meredith redressed my wound. It was the beginning of the bittersweet ending to a nonstop activity-filled 12 days of pure exhilaration!
And then it was off to dinner where we chatted about our favorite activities, discussed our future travel plans and traded social media contacts to stay in touch. During the middle of our meal, Esteban walked over to the bar and started pouring hefty glasses of that sweet Ecuadorian rum for all of us. We toasted to a fantastic trip, amazing new friends, and always remembering the good times! After dinner, we walked down Main Street to a large stage that was set up for a DJ and several performers. Dancing and drinking in the streets with the locals was a joyous time. And we learned about the many effigy’s seen around town. The effigy’s were typically straw dolls meant to symbolize all the pains, problems, and issues a person carried throughout the year. These effigy’s would be tossed into bonfires to burn away the problems of the past and move forward into a better and brighter new year! One little boy made his to resemble the hulk. I wondered what kind of problems that kid encountered over the year…
As the loud music carried on, we prepared to countdown. New Year’s hit and we shared hugs all around. But that wasn’t the end of things! A few of us who were still standing after such a long day that was both physically and emotionally taxing headed out to a local club to dance the night away! What a way to bring in 2022.
Even after all of last nights late night shenanigans, I still managed to wake up at 5:45am for another early morning walk around the town before grabbing breakfast. It wasn’t long before we headed over to another research station to learn more about the tortoises and aquatic life among the islands. With more turtles, lizards and birds everywhere, it almost seemed like we’d seen it all. What else was there to experience during our time in the Galapagos?
Leaving the Research Station, we grabbed our bags from the hotel and headed over to the final ferry ride of the trip. This ferry smelled heavily of gasoline and not a single one of us enjoyed the next 2 hours of nausea. Fortunately, we all kept our composure and made it to San Cristobal with all of our stomach contents intact! I filled up on a hearty T-Bone steak for lunch!
Today’s big activity was a downhill bike ride from the highlands to beach. While I hadn’t ridden a bike in many years, what happened on the ride down was not completely unexpected given my over the top approach as a thrillseeker.
I took to the streets pretty quickly and began to get a feel for the brakes, the handling, and the bike in general as we grouped up to start our downhill descent along the city streets. Zooming down the hill, I felt so free without a care in the world… that is until I made that one fatal mistake! Ok, maybe not fatal, but it definitely wasn’t pretty! About halfway down, I decided to get a little fancy with my riding and started bunny hopping my bike. A few others joined in but soon stopped. Having so much fun enjoying the breeze rushing past, I attempted to jump the curb. My front wheel clipped the side, the bike spun around, and I toppled over. I skinned my right leg and tore my right palm completely open. It all happened in such a blur that no one behind me could even tell what really happened.
As I explained my foolishness to my friends, our tour leader came by and made a quick call to the guy with the truck. He brought over a first aid kit consisting of a few bandaids and some alcohol wipes… I told him to grab my backpack out of the back of the truck. My first aid kit was far superior! My hand and leg were doused in rubbing alcohol. The intense sting was something I had only experienced once before with my blistered feet as I floated in the Dead Sea back in 2016. My wounds were dressed with a few fancy ointments, gauze pads, and covered in bandages. An ace wrap was placed around my hand to minimize external contact. After those who could stomach the sight of my open wounds commented on how well I powered through the sting of the alcohol, I picked up my bike, hopped back on and finished the other half of the ride down to the beach!
At the bottom, many others exchanged words of concern as I reassured them I was fine. Hopped up on adrenaline from the whole endeavor, I hadn’t quite yet felt the pain I knew would plague me for the next several days. Using only one hand I managed to strip down to my swimsuit and put on my snorkel mask. I hopped into the water to go snorkeling but it wasn’t until I was already fully submersed before it clicked with me that this was salt water. My torn up leg and hand immediately began to fill with pain as the water permeated through my bandages into my wounds. But I told myself the saltwater would sterilize the wounds and if I stayed submerged for just a few more minutes, my limbs would numb up and I’d be alright. And so baring the pain is exactly what I did.
While snorkeling, I saw some cool fish, a sea turtle, and many many sea lions. Just before we left the beach, we saw these two baby sea lions playfully lounging in the sand in the glow of the orange sun! The sight was 100% worth sticking around for!
After snorkeling, I asked Meredith to reapply my ace bandage and she happily agreed. I went out to grab pizza and then turned in for an early night. Skirting death definitely has a way of draining you!
Woke up early feeling refreshed but my feet were still bright red and extremely sore, so I decided to go explore the town to take my mind off of the pain. I left for a walk around 6AM and walked past several interesting wall murals on various nearby buildings depicting the local wildlife. As I meandered around, I happened upon a home bakery and grabbed a couple loaves of fresh bread to share with the group later. On my way back to the hotel for breakfast, I noticed several groupings of cacti scattered about various yards.
My breakfast at the hotel consisted of a bread roll, a large chocolate cinnamon roll, and my newly favorited variety of juice: blackberry! I passed around the loaves of bread I bought and everyone filled up. This morning we had another long ferry ride ahead of us, back to Santa Cruz Island.
What started with a calm serene view quickly turned into a mixed signal ferry ride I didn’t know how to feel about. The water was choppy, the sea spray was biting, and most of the group dozed off pretty quickly. I stayed awake for most of the ride but the fore and aft rocking of the boat eventually put me to sleep too. Before dozing off, looking out at the ocean passing behind us felt unusually soothing so I embraced it!
Waking up feeling refreshed, we emerged from the ferry.
At the Charles Darwin Research Station, we learned all about the Galapagos Tortoises. We split into 2 groups; one started with the history and importance of the islands and the other started with the legacy and facts about the Galapagos Tortoise. My group began with learning about the geography of Santa Cruz Island. We made our way through the lava tubes, a cave formation carved out of the hillside by lava flows. On the other side we came across several tortoises hanging around a small watering hole. Our timing was impeccable because we were able to observe a couple mating! Oddly enough, the other half of our group was watching from the other side. It’s almost like the tour leaders planned for it… but is that even possible?
As we continued along, we saw some pink flamingos, colorful crabs, and many, many more iguanas lounging about. Back at the research station, we observed tortoises of various ages (and sizes) go about their daily lives. The little ones had the most energy and we watched as they climbed over one another as they made their way to the other side of the enclosure to get their lunch. Baby tortoises gotta eat to grow up strong enough to become legends. Most of the the older ones were not nearly as active as the young ones and moved around far less, as if their best days were behind them: such is the curse of aging! However, there was one tortoise who was clearly the hero of his own story and was dubbed The Poop Sleeper, as he did precisely that. We caught him climbing over a short wall into an empty recessed area and he proceeded to walk towards the singular plop of brown goop laying in the center of the area. As he approached the brown blob, he slowly lowered himself down until he was laying right on top of it and there he stayed. Truly, The Legend Of The Poop Sleeper!
After watching tortoises for close to an hour, we headed inside the research station to learn about the latest in ecosystem restoration and sustainability! There’s a great big world out there we know frighteningly little about. The Charles Darwin Foundation seeks to overcome that through scientific research and conservation action!
Charles Darwin: The man himself!
We were on our own for lunch so I quickly bought a few souvenirs from the research center store and proceeded to find a place to get a quick bite before heading back to the hotel to get ready for an afternoon at Tortuga Bay.
At the beach, you probably wouldn’t have guessed it but there were more sea lions and iguana’s everywhere! It was like they were multiplying by the minute. Cristian showed us an area of the bay where often times sharks can be found swimming around. Fortunately we were able to spot a few whitetip reef sharks moving around under the water but the glare from the sun on the waters surface prevented any photos from capturing the shadows beneath. Most of the group kept their distance while Melissa stuck her head in to get a better view! After that we stopped by the other side of the beach for an ocean landscape backdrop photoshoot against the cloudy skies!
Once we had our fill of the beach we took the bus back to the hotel to clean up before dinner. As we walked in, I was told my feet resembled those of a pregnant lady being bright red and swollen. I hadn’t given my feet a break at all since I got to Ecuador. According to my fitness tracker, I had been averaging 18k steps a day. That’s a whopping 9mi every day and my big vacation wasn’t even halfway done yet!
For dinner I kept it simple with grilled chicken and fries. And then we went out for bar games and drinks. Between Jenga, Never Have I Ever, and some dice game, the night continued on! I ended up scoring a 3 for 1 deal on tropical cocktails!
Once we finished at the bar, we stumbled back to the hotel for late night shenanigans, juicy gossip, and a disproportionate piggy-back ride?? We squeezed in a lot today, but if you can believe it, the highlight of this Galapagos trip was still ahead of us!
No Regrets: The Only Way To Live 