Back to the US

Thursday morning we had to be at the Quito airport by 7:30am for our 10:15am flight.  We were down in the Hostal lobby waiting for a cab by 7.  It was quite the experience fitting all of our luggage into the cab.  We ended up having to sit in the back with my big bag and the girls' two smaller checked bags.  Unlike the domestic flights terminal, the international terminal was excessively over priced for food.  But we needed to eat so I spent $11 on a panini and coffee.  OUCH!  The good news: we didn't have to pay an exit fee!

When we arrived to our gate we had to go through another security station in order to comply with TSA guidelines regarding flights into the USA.  We weren't allowed to bring any liquids into the waiting area unless they were under 3 ounces.  After sitting at our gate for a couple minutes, we heard our names called.   I went up to see what it was about and was told that we had been randomly chosen by the police for a narcotics screen.  So we were escorted plane-side to have our bags gone through and sniffed by drug dogs. We all passed with flying colors.

Our flight to Miami was pretty uneventful, however they did run out of customs forms and told us we would need to get them once we landed.  When we landed and walked to the passport verification area, we tried to get customs forms and were told we could get them with our luggage.  Luckily, a TSA officer asked us if we had them before we made it up to the counter and informed us we needed them to get through passport control.  So he went with Jen to the same person that had told us differently and got us the forms we needed.  We filled them out in line and only had to wait about 25 minutes before we had made it through.  Next step: pick up our luggage and head to customs.

Jen got both of her bags almost immediately after the baggage carousel started to move.  Mine appeared about 15 minutes later, and Rachel was one of the last people on the flight to get hers (we were freaking out a bit that her bag didn't make it from Quito because the baggage carousel had stopped a couple times and it looked like all the bags from our flight had made it out).  Customs was the easiest part.  All I was asked was if I had any fruits or vegetables.

Next we had to re-check our bags and head to a security checkpoint to continue on to LaGuardia.  Re-checking the bags was easy - we just dropped them off at a screening point.  Heading to a security point took a bit more time.  We ended up having to walk outside to a different terminal to catch our next flight.  The security lines were CRAZY!  We waited about 30 minutes to get through security and fortunately we had enough time, once we were through, to get a bite to eat before our flight.  Our flight to LaGuardia was 10 minutes late, but our luggage was waiting for us at the baggage carousel and we were curbside waiting for Jen's dad within 10 minutes.  When we made it to Jen's house, her dad had made baked ziti and meatballs for us.  SO GOOD TO HAVE SOME COMFORT FOOD!  I was in bed by 11pm.  Tomorrow is the long drive back to Buffalo.

Back to Quito

This morning we had to leave for the airport at 7:30am.  From the house we had to take a taxi to the ferry station, take a ferry to Baltra Island and then wait for a bus to the airport.  When we arrived at the airport we checked in and they told us that we didn't need to get in line for security until 9:30am.  So we had an empanada and coffee for breakfast while we waited.  The airport was no more than a glorified barn.  Security consisted of someone rifling through your carry on and a metal detector.  SO SKETCHY! The flight back was great.  We were in an exit row!

When we arrived in Quito, we had to take a taxi to our hostal.  The first guy saw that we looked American and he tried charging us $8.  What a rip off!  So, we found another guy to take us for $6 which was what we had paid the week before.  When we got back to the hostal we repacked our luggage to make sure our bags were under 50 pounds.  After we were all packed, we strolled the streets of Quito.  I bought an Ecuadorian cookbook.  For dinner we had a delicious seafood meal and watched the Brazil vs. Ecuador game.  We lost 2 to 4.  Jen and I wanted to go out afterwards but it wasn't the same with just the two of us, so we settled for a hamburger from the hotdog doble stand and went to bed early.  We have to leave for the airport tomorrow at 7am.  Back to the states!

Lava Tunnels and the Beach

Today is our last full day in the Galapagos.  We woke up, ate breakfast and headed out to the lava tunnels near Puerto Ayora.  Tunel de Amor is on private property near Bellavista so we had to pay $3.25 to get in. The tunnel itself was lit by lights so we didn't need flashlights.  It was pretty sweet, but not what I was expecting.

After the tunnel we took a taxi back to Puerto Ayora and had our last almuerzo.  After lunch, we went back to the house and took a short nap.  After we woke up we headed to Tortuga Bay.  The sun wasn't out, but it wasn't raining so we stayed at the beach for a couple hours.  After the beach we showered and headed out on the town to do some shopping.  Everything was way more expensive than we were used to.  

The dinner we had was delicious!  I had a coconut fish chowder, a delicious salad with fried calamari, and a hamburger that was WAY TOO SALTY.  After dinner we came back to the house, had a Cuba Libre and then went out to a dance club.  It was a good time.  I'm sad we are leaving tomorrow, but such is life.

Floreana Island

Monday we headed to Floreana Island. Someone was supposed to meet us at our house at seven thirty, which ended up translating into 7:45am Ecuadorian time. We walked to the dock and got on a boat. The boat ride was about 2 hours. The water was ridiculously choppy. I have never been on a boat ride as crazy as this one. About 25 minutes into it, the girl across from us blew chunks all over herself, and instead of moving to the back, to get sick over the edge she just sat there and made a mess all over herself and the boat. The smell was horrific, but it was good practice for mouth breathing - a very handy skill to employ as a physician. About ten minutes after her bout of vomiting, her father started dry heaving. It was a mess. Anyway, we were all fine. When we arrived at the island we went snorkeling. IT WAS AMAZING! We were swimming with tropical fish, sea turtles, and sea lions. The turtles were the best part! The water was cold, but our wetsuits made it bearable. After snorkeling, we took a sketchy gravel road to a trailhead. The twenty minute ride was bumpy and slow, but the hike as pretty cool. We saw some giant tortoises, a fresh water spring (very rare in the islands), and some caves that were thought to have been used by pirates. After the short hike, we headed back to the pier for lunch. The lunch was good, but not overly filling. After lunch, we went back to the boat and went looking for masked boobies and penguins. We found both! It was pretty sweet. The ride back was much less eventful. No vomiting. :-)

Upon our arrival in Puerto Ayora, we went to the grocery store and bought supplies for dinner. After finding everything we needed, we returned home, made cocktails, turned on some Spanish hip hop and cooked pasta with veggies. It was delicious! After dinner, Jen and I went out to see if anything was happening on the bar scene. IT WAS DEAD. So we got some ice cream and came home to watch the Incredibles with Rachel. Tomorrow we are heading back to the beach and checking out some lava caves!

Isla Santa Cruz

Sunday we woke up and went to our tour guide's office to check out our snorkeling equipment for our trip to Floreana Island tomorrow. It was closed. So I called Wendy and we gave her our flipper size so they could bring them on the trip tomorrow. After that, we headed to Tortuga Bay; a white sand beach thought to be one of the most beautiful beaches on the islands. It was about a 40 minute walk from our house. BEAUTIFUL! We had a blast! The water was a bit chilly, but with the sun out we didn't care.

After the beach, we went to the grocery store to buy stuff for dinner. It was closed. So we went out to dinner at a restaurant with delicious food! The only drawback is they wouldn't sell us drinks because it was a Sunday. But my three cheese pasta and shrimp salad was AMAZING! After dinner we got ice cream and walked around the city near the bayfront. Eventually we made it back home and watched Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. After, we went to bed since we needed to be up and ready by 7:30am. Really looking forward to our day trip tomorrow.

Off to the Galapagos!

Saturday morning we left for the airport around 7:15 am. We had to go thru a special screening procedure for the galapagos, where they looked through our bags for seeds, plants, etc. That could destroy an ecosystem. Our flight was Quito to Guayaquil and then Guayaquil to Baltra Island. We flew AeroGal, and the experience was great! When we landed on the island we had to have our luggage searched again and then we paid our $100 fee to enter the islands. We met our guide who took care of all the transportation arrangements to get to Puerto Ayora (a bus to the ferry to a taxi that drives 40 minutes to Puerto Ayora). Once in Puerto Ayora, we met Paola, who showed us around the house. IT IS BEAUTIFUL! Around 3:30pm we headed to Darwin's Station. Here we learned a bit about invasive species and we got to see a galapagos tortoise farm. It was really interesting. After that we decided to have dinner. We ate some delicious seafood at a bar/restaurant on the main street. My spicy garlic shrimp was to die for. After dinner we got ice cream... I tried nutella and coconut flavors. SO GOOD! After that we headed to the grocery store to buy stuff for cocktails and breakfast the following day.

That night we watched Moulin Rouge and then went to bed early. A good first day.

Quito

We left for Quito around four thirty, and what is normally a three to three and a half hour drive took us about four, four and a half hours. We didn't know exactly where we were once we hit the city limits of Quito. We stopped a half dozen times for directions and eventually met up with Celso, who showed us the way.

Once we got to our hostal and checked in, we went out to get some food. Celso told him to meet up at a bar around eleven. By the time we finished dinner andstarted heading to meet Celso, it was eleven. When we arrived, Celso was not there. We waited outside for twenty minutes or so then decided to go in and take a look. He ended up strolling in around midnight, we had a drink, danced a little and then Scott and I headed back to the hostal. On our way, we stopped to get a hotdog doble (two hotdogs in one bun). It was nowhere as good as I remembered it the last time. But anyways, we made it back to the hostal, watched some TV and hit the sack around one thirty. I was up again at three to say goodbye to James, Scott, and Ben who had early flights. As our Bienestar adventure is coming to an end, I realized how much I am going to miss the Illinois crew. Everyone was a blast and we always seemed to find something to be laughing about. We'll definitely need a reunion soon!

Jen, Rachel and I head to the Galapagos tomorrow. We will have a blast!