Trip Report - Antarctica, Galapagos, South Pacific and more

[Anna32]

My husband and I are currently on a three months sabbatical, traveling mainly in the Southern Hemisphere. Our rough itinerary is as follows:

 

Antarctica on the Silver Cloud

Galapagos on the Golondrina (catamaran)

South Pacific and New Zealand on the Europa (Hapag-Lloyd Cruises)

 

Plus some land-based interludes.

 

For the Antarctic part of our journey, I posted a live trip report here: 

I have been asked to continue my trip reporting, and have found this little nook of Cruise Critic to do so. We are currently still in Santiago de Chile, and headed towards Ecuador with a quick stopover in Lima tomorrow.

[Anna32]

Day 16, Santiago de Chile and getting organized (January 17th)

 

After watching an absolutely stunning sunset over Santiago de Chile, we slept very well. Today, we decided to skip breakfast and reduce the number of meals to our normal twice daily. At least for now. The only need we normally have in the mornings is coffee, and that got taken care of by our in-suite Nespresso machine. Holger decided to make use of the huge bathtub, and I had a few work appointments coming up.

 

After finishing work work, I still had to do some travel work. Our Ecuadorian health declarations needed to be filled out. Also, I was trying to register us for the TCT (Tarjeta de Control de Tránsito), for entry into the Galapagos. However, I only found the online form in Spanish. Since I wanted to avoid filling in incorrect information, I contacted our travel agent. She reassured me that we could get the TCT at Guayaquil airport, for 20 USD per person. Cash. Okay, next challenge. Where do I get US cash? I was pretty sure that we would be able to change some at the airport. Still, this left me a bit restless. Fortunately, our local megamall also offers money changing services. So off we went, in search of lunch and dollars. And we were successful on both quests.

 

The afternoon was spent reading and chilling in our wonderful suite. We also checked out the video and pictures on the USB stick we received from Silversea. Very few, but very nice pics, which I will happily share here.

 

We had dinner reservations at Matsuri again. This is the Japanese-Peruvian fusion restaurant in the Mandarin Oriental. Soooo delicious again! This time we had sushi, ceviche, clams and for our main courses, Peruvian specials with duck and shrimp. The restaurant has a lovely vibe, too. You sit out on the terrace overlooking the MO pool and lounge area. A resident DJane is spinning her discs - last time it was eighties tunes, today she was in the mood for soul. Very relaxing.

 

Turndown service has brought us some chocolates, and we are almost ready for bed again.

[Anna32]

These are the pictures by Cindy Asselbergs that we all got on a USB stick from Silversea as a parting gift.

 

[Anna32]

Day 17, Travel to Lima and visiting a new country (January 18th)

 

Our wonderful time in Chile and Antarctica is coming to an end. Tonight, we will first fly to Lima (Peru), and overnight there in an airport hotel. Flying from Chile to Ecuador is surprisingly complex. You either have to fly through Peru, Colombia or Panama. The connection I chose will give us a reasonable layover time so we can leave Lima airport and get some sleep, before we continue to Quito and then Guayaquil very early tomorrow morning. Plus, Peru is a new country for both of us. I know, it doesn’t really count and we will have to return to see the sights, but at least we‘ll get out of the airport.

 

Speaking of airport: Silversea had enquired about our onward travel plans, and has kindly taken care of our airport transfer today. We are to be in the lobby at 2:30pm for our pick up. Looking after us until the very last minute. Or they want to make really really sure that we finally leave and not try to sneak on one of their ships again, who knows. The icing on the cake is that the hotel gave us a late check-out for our super suite, which we find super sweet of them! So the plan is to lounge here until the very last minute, before we depart for new adventures.

 

And that‘s what we did. After checking out at 1:30pm, I let the Silversea desk know that we were ready for our transfer (which was scheduled for an hour later). Five minutes after that, one of their agents came to us asking if we wanted to wait or go earlier? No time like the present! She called a cab for us, the driver received a transfer voucher from Silversea, and off we went. Extremely smooth service again, and a fantastic last impression from Silversea!

 

At the airport, we found the Latam Premium Check-in, and again a very friendly agent. He checked our bags all the way to Guayaquil- apparently we don‘t have to collect them in either Lima or Quito. We packed accordingly, as we had hoped this would be the case. Passport control and security check had some lines that moved quickly, and we were through 20 minutes later. The Latam lounge was close by - and we were spoiled again. A beautiful, modern and spacious lounge, with a lovely buffet area and a full-sized bar including a professional mixologist! After a quick snack and a Ginger Ale Zero, I asked him for a Pisco Sour. Peruvian or Chilean? Ha, I know the right answer! And his PPS was the best I have ever tasted!

 

At boarding, we were pleased to see that the aircraft had a „proper“ business class. As Europeans, we are very used to shorthaul business just being economy with a blocked middle seat. Which is better than being squished in any day. But this was really nice. We are truly spoiled on this trip so far! Flight time was given as 3 hours and 10 minutes, and we were on time.

 

Update (and spoiler alert): we‘re not. A warning light had gone on in the cockpit, and we had to return to the gate. We sat there. An hour passed. Nothing much happened. Then, a longish communication from the Captain in Spanish. Thanks to my five-year love affair with Duolingo, I got the gist. Aircraft broken, please disembark. We were directly send to a neighbouring gate, so hopefully there will only be an aircraft change and a couple hours‘ delay. We‘ll see. 

 

Hey, we boarded again with about 2.5 hours delay. And ended up arriving in Lima with +3 hours. Service was a bit hectic, but the crew tried to make the best out of the situation. Since Lima is an airport that operates 24/7, many passengers had connecting flights. We met two ladies from our Antarctica cruise who had a (now) very tight connection. One of them, a lawyer, has to be in Miami by tomorrow in order to file a claim within a deadline. That would have me nerve-wracked, for sure!

 

Immigration took about 30 minutes, and now we have a Peruvian stamp in our passports. Coming out of the airport, we were surrounded by what seemed like at least one hundred taxi drivers, all trying to tell us we had to definitely take a cab to the Holiday Inn, it was not safe to walk. Er, no, gracias! We could see the hotel, but it was a bit of a treck through a security checkpoint and across a large road with no traffic lights to get there. But we made it. Only to find out that the hotel offered a shuttle service every 15 minutes, which none of the taxi drivers cared to mention. Bad for business I guess. We will be making use of this service for our return trip in - wait, what? - 3.5 hours.

 

Quick shower and then it was snooze time. Good night!

[Anna32]

Day 18, Travel to Guayaquil and visiting another new country (January 19th)

 

When the alarm went off at 3am, I said to myself „It‘s 5am in Chile, it‘s 9am back home, be strong, you can do this!“ After brushing our teeth and finding the clothes we had set out last night, we were off. Five minutes later, we sat in the airport shuttle and got zipped to the terminal. I had one or two scary moments on the way over, with the dynamic driving of the shuttle round some corners in the dark. But we made it in one piece. Before being able to enter the terminal, our passports and boarding passes were checked. Security control went quickly - computers out, liquids in. We‘re trying to go with the flow of what everyone else is doing, since it’s different in every country. Quick stop at passport control, and we were almost at the gate.

 

All over the airport in Lima, people were sleeping on the floors and benches. It had the flair of a large community of homeless people, to be honest, and felt a bit disconcerting to walk amongst the sleepers. As I mentioned, Lima Airport operates 24/7, so everyone with a few hours‘ layover seems to lay over wherever. Would be good to offer some sort of sleeping cubicles or something…

 

Boarding was on time, and I was asleep almost before my backside hit the seat. Byebye Peru! On landing in Quito two hours later, we could see some of the steep mountainside around the city. It was very cloudy, however, so the spectacular views we had heard about were not visible today. We were informed that we had to clear Ecuadorian immigration and customs here in Quito before our domestic flight to Guayaquil. Good that we had enough time to do this! Our worries were unfounded, though. There was no line at immigration, and as soon as we reached the luggage belt, my Bumblebee was one of the first suitcases out, followed immediately by Holger‘s. The reunion was brief, as we rechecked both bags five minutes later. Security scanned our hand luggage, with computers and liquids in them. A breeze! We were airside with plenty of time to spare, completely stress-free.

 

Boarding to Guayaquil was on time. We were surprised that the airline personnel talked to every passenger at the gate. Only to realize that our flight would continue on to San Cristobal, and most passengers traveled to the Galapagos. Their TCTs were checked and staff ensured they were compliant with the National Park regulations.

 

The jump to Guayaquil was a short one. The airport is very compact. On the domestic side there are only two luggage belts, and Bumblebee and his blue friend came out shortly after we arrived there. We took all of our stuff and went up to the departure hall to get our TCTs. There was no queue. All we needed were our passports, flight confirmation to the Galapagos, and twenty dollars each. Tomorrow morning there will be an additional luggage scan for the Galapagos before we check in. The National Park fee of 100 USD each will be paid once we arrive there. So we should be good to go.

 

Different airport, same hotel chain. We found the Holiday Inn right outside the airport. This time, we didn‘t have to risk life and limb to get there. Since we were too early for check-in, we had a lovely lunch in their restaurant. Caesar’s Salad with chicken, and a wonderful salad of grilled pulpo with avocado. As a side, we ordered fried plantains. Basically pieces of fried sweet banana. Holger said for him they were like dessert.

 

At 1:30 our room was ready. And so were we. For a good long nap. The short night and the humidity had gotten to us. We were both out like a light for a couple of hours. No ambition to see the sights of Guayaquil. Maybe when we return from Baltra - we will have another overnight here before continuing to the US.

 

We decided to check out the airport gastro for dinner. Mainly because I wanted to see if I could get more dollar cash from the ATM there. Interestingly USD were the only option that the machine offered to me. So I now have enough cash - or efectivo, as the Spanish say - to get us through the Galapagos. And then we decided to try local fine dinning. The Golden M called us with its’ siren song. Which happens about twice a year, max. I had a surprisingly good triple cheeseburger, and a caramel sundae. Very happy, we walked back to the hotel. On the way, we admired some colourful - and very noisy - birds, and less noisy flowers. We are in the tropics, no doubt. And beyond excited about our Galapagos adventure coming up. Good night!

 

P.S. it is very likely that we will have no internet for the next week or so. You will get all the updates once we return to the mainland.

[beaujolais]

Good to see that your journey is continuing without any mishaps

Just one question, did you see anything of the problems in Lima ?

I do hope that you manage a few reports from The Galapagos but if not look forward to the reports on your return

Keep safe you two

Edited January 20, 2023 by beaujolais
edit

[Anna32]

57 minutes ago, beaujolais said:

Good to see that your journey is continuing without any mishaps

Just one question, did you see anything of the problems in Lima ?

I do hope that you manage a few reports from The Galapagos but if not look forward to the reports on your return

Keep safe you two

There was lots of police and military around the airport, but fortunately we didn’t see any of the riots. 
 

Thank you, I do hope for some connection but don‘t want people to worry if there isn‘t.

[Prometheus1]

Looking forward to continuing to follow your adventures Anna32!

[Anna32]

Day 19, Travel to Baltra/Galapagos and boarding the Golondrina (January 20th)

 

You know us quite well by now, so you will probably not be surprised that we were asleep shortly after 9pm last night. So no wonder that I was wide awake at 5am. We took advantage of the last high-speed internet for a week, and slowly got ready. Then we rolled our luggage over to the terminal. There was quite a queue at the TCT counter, and I was glad that we already had ours. Bags were screened and marked, and then we were ready for check-in. Unfortunately, the Latam check-in machine was not. And who are Celine and Alain? They showed up under our reservation number along with us. As this was the one flight on this entire journey that I had not booked myself (other than the Silversea charter to and from Puerto Williams), we decided to seek assistance. Fortunately, the agent at the Latam desk was able to help us, and our bags were sent off.

 

The domestic part of Guayaquil airport is very modern and compact. It is the main hub for all flights to the Galapagos, and has a very „international“ feel. The coffee bar even accepts Euro cash - at an exchange rate of 1:1 to USD. Boarding was on time, with the plane being around 2/3 full. Flight time was given as 1h42m. Off we go, Gromit!

 

Before we knew it, we landed in Baltra. After walking to the terminal, we had to queue for immigration into the National Park. Mainly get our TCTs stamped, and pay our $100 entrance fee. Then our hand luggage was scanned again. And the checked luggage was also screened once more. Finally, we were through. At the exit, our guide for the week, Jorge, was waiting for us. We also met Celine and Alain. And nine other passengers. Two more will join us this afternoon, so we will be 15 altogether for the week.

 

All of us plus our luggage were loaded onto one of the public buses, which took all of five minutes to get us to the dock. On the way there, we already saw several iguanas, a pelican and - right on the dock - a couple of sea lions. One of them seemed to think he owned the place, and was none too pleased by our invasion. Jorge warned us to steer clear of them, as they tend to bite.

 

After 20 minutes, the Golondrina tenders arrived to shuttle us to the ship. The rubber boats are called „pangas“ in the Galapagos, so that‘s what I‘ll call them here. We were asked to don life vests, and off we went. The Golondrina (or the „budget ship“, as one of our fellow travelers called her) was the smallest and probably oldest ship in port. Jorge told us proudly that in two weeks‘ time she will go to Guayaquil for some much needed maintenance. A beauty she is not, but a sturdy compact ship, with a crew that resembles a bunch of salty pirates. Aarrrrrh!

 

Our cabin is tiny. There is no other way to describe it. Two bunk beds. Some drawers. A small bathroom. We decided to store our suitcases in the shower (surprisingly, they both fit) and unpacked the necessities. Then Jorge rang the bell for lunch. Some fried fish, salad, rice and watermelon for dessert. Simple, fresh and yummy. After lunch we got our wetsuits and snorkel gear for rent, and then it was time for our safety briefing. We all brought our life vests from the cabin and put them on. And then Jorge told us some stories about ships burning and a rescue helicopter. Ooooookay.

 

Our first panga landing was a wet one, at a beautiful beach. First we did a walk, with Jorge explaining about the wildlife. We had already seen several sea turtles in the water, and now we saw their nests on the beach. Big troughs were dug in the sand, and the turtle trails looked almost as if a tractor had driven across the beach. We saw red crabs, iguanas, frigate birds, pelicans and flamingos, among others. There were sea lions again, too. 

 

After a pretty sweaty walk along the beach, it felt very good to go for a refreshing swim. We skipped the wetsuits and snorkel gear, and just took a dip. The water was just right, but the sun was intense. If we don‘t use the wetsuits, we need to wear shirts when snorkeling, otherwise our backs will be lobster-coloured.

 

Back on board, we got some tea, snacks and downtime. We tried to get halfway organized in our tiny cabin, but preferred to sit out on deck and enjoy the views. There were more turtles in the water, and apparently also sharks. Frigate birds sat between the Golondrina‘s masts, jostling for the best space. Shortly after 6pm, Jorge did the daily briefing. He draws beautiful maps on a whiteboard, with the schedule for the next day. He also has a somewhat weird fondness to imitate animals that are mating. To each their own, I guess.

 

Dinner was in the form of a little buffet, with salads, vegetables and a meat casserole. All freshly prepared and delicious. It is surprising what the cook can do with very little space and some fresh ingredients. After a nice chat with a British couple, we retired to our bunks.

[Anna32]

Day 20, Genovesa, Galapagos (January 21st)

 

We got all hot and sweaty last night. Not what you think, but our tiny cabin turned into a bit of a steam room. Holger left the cabin twice to sleep outside for a bit. The second time, his comfy spot was taken by one of the crew, so he found another place. Only to have it rain on him. Some nights, you can‘t win.

 

At breakfast, we exchanged experiences with the other passengers. Some were freezing in their bunks. Some were seasick. Everyone looked a little bit worse for wear. But we are all feeling this is a great adventure, with wonderful stories to tell. So no complaints, we are so fortunate to be here!

 

Jorge took me aside and told me he thinks I won’t be able to do this morning’s landing on Genovesa. The landing site has some really big steps, and he doesn’t want me to get hurt. Instead, I am to go on the panga, and as soon as the others have landed, the Captain himself will take me on a little panga cruise, so I can see the wildlife. And that‘s what we did. Seeing the landing site, some of my fellow cruisers were considering staying in the panga with me. But they all braved the steep and slippery rocks, helping each other along. I waived to them, and then we were off.

 

The Captain took me very close to the steep cliffs, and pointed out all the wildlife. There were sea lions, both on the rocks and hunting in the water. Lots of petrels, with the chicks almost grown, but still begging their parents for food. I saw red-footed boobies, and frigate birds. A pelican was catching a fish right next to our panga. Wildlife is so abundant here, an absolute paradise!

 

Back on the Golondrina, I sat on the upper deck, and simply let the world go by. Sea lions and turtles swam by, birds were circling the boat. It was very peaceful and I completely relaxed.

 

Our ship, the Golondrina (swallow) was originally gifted to the Charles Darwin Station, for the scientists to use, and was named the Beagle III then. It was completely refurbished for tourist use, with cabins added and more ballast put on the keel, as she was becoming a bit top heavy. She has a sister ship, the Faragata (frigate bird), and both ships do their itineraries in sync. We also seem to have a few other boats following in our wake, namely the Tip Top III, which is full of German tourists.

 

By the way, I am so very glad I had my hair cut in Antarctica. The salt water and sunscreen make a sticky mess, and with my longer hair I am pretty sure some of the frigate birds would have had a fight about this wonderful nesting site. Now, I can just put my cap on and not worry about anything. Styling and conditioner will have to wait until we‘re back on the mainland. That seems to be the unspoken agreement by all ladies on board.

 

Returning from the hike, Holger showed me his pictures. Some brilliant bird shots, also from the elusive short-eared owls. Apart from those, I have been able to see every species from the boat, even some bonitos swimming by. Next up was snorkeling from the panga in the deep water. Nope, not me. Sorry if I sound chicken, but the thought of snorkeling in deep water with potentially hammerhead and other sharks below me just gives me the creeps. Lynne, from the UK, stayed back with me. Everyone else went - and returned semi-happy about 40 minutes later. The water was very murky with poor visibility. No hammerheads, but a few white-tipped reef sharks had been spotted. Apparently not very exciting, though. 

 

After the long morning, everyone seemed quite tired. The ship got very quiet right after lunch, until the bell rang at 2:30. Beach time! We took the pangas over to the beach, which was already frequented by a number of sea lions. With babies! So cute, I could have just stayed there and watched them all afternoon. But we saw plenty more sea lions, petrels, boobies and gulls AND their babies on our little walk. The fluffy booby chicks looked like exploded cotton wool heaps. One had lost almost all its fluff, with just a little mohawk remaining on its head. 

 

Finally it was swimming and snorkeling time. Jorge gave us half an hour. I needed to be careful not to stumble across the sea lions on the beach - I am quite the mole without my glasses. The water was warmish, but still refreshing. The sun has been intense all day. Visibility was again very poor. Some people who swam out quite a long way along the rocks spotted sharks, but said they almost couldn’t see them. Jorge promised us clearer water for tomorrow. Oh, and he made us touch a cactus for seven years of good luck. It was quite soft, and he explained that it didn’t have to develop a defense mechanism on this island, as nothing was making a meal of it. I also saw my first Darwin finch. Small, black and hopping around.

 

This evening, we had the captains welcome reception. Each of us got a cocktail of rum, milk and tree tomatoes. It tasted creamy and slightly like bananas. Captain Augustin welcomed us to the Golondrina, and we all introduced ourselves. He had put on his uniform and was the picture of a proud captain. 

 

After a beautiful sunset and dinner, we called it a night.

[Anna32]

Day 21, Bartolome Island and Sullivan Bay, Santiago (January 22nd)

 

I woke up to someone saying „Did you see the huge shark circling the ship?“. I was out of the cabin and at the stern of the Golondrina in under 30 seconds. And had my first Jaws moment of the day. Several big Galapagos sharks were circling the ship, which was anchored off Bartolome Island. This is a small island with a volcanic peak of 120 metres. More than 300 steps lead up there, which I had no ambition of climbing. Kindly, Captain Augustin offered me another panga cruise this morning. And Holger smartly decided to tag along.

 

First, we shuttled everyone over to where the steps started. On the way, we stopped in a tiny cove. And there was our first Galapagos penguin. Whoop whoop! It was just sitting there, minding its business, unfazed by the two pangas circling it. After we dropped everyone off, Captain Augustin took us back for Holger to take more pictures. And then, we got a private cruise for over one hour, from one little beach to the next cove. We saw so much wildlife, it was simply incredible. Boobies, herons, oystercatchers, starfish, seargeant major fishes, manta rays, sea lions, and more. On one beach, we saw three female turtles, who were just returning from their hard night job of laying their eggs. Their trails in the sand were still visible, and they were soaking up the sun before returning back into the ocean.

 

The Captain was very happy, telling us excitedly how fortunate we were to see this. Turning back from the turtle beach, we saw a couple of them in the water, securing the future of turtle generations right next to our panga. The longer we looked, the more couples we saw. We just drifted in our panga through the turtle orgy. Absolutely amazing. We could see our group on the peak of the crater - they had made it. 

 

Back on the ship, it was snorkeling from the panga time again. Today‘s agenda is very full, until 3pm, where we will start moving the ship towards a quiet anchorage for the night. Apparently they want to give those who struggle with the ship‘s movement a good night‘s rest.

 

The two Belgian girls missed the panga to go snorkeling. It was very entertaining to watch the crew on board waiving and whistling madly, trying to get one of the pangas to return. They were persistent, and after 10 minutes one finally came back. They were only about 250 metres away, but with the sharks in the water they wouldn’t let the girls swim over by themselves. One of them is vegan - would that make the shark a vegan if he ate her? Apologies, couldn’t resist that one…

 

By now, more small boats had appeared in the bay. They are day trip boats from Puerto Ayora, and only come a little later in the day. That was the reason for our early start this morning, to give us some time alone here. Apparently in the Galapagos access to different areas is much less regulated than in Antarctica. Some spots can get really crowded, like the beach we were snorkeling from yesterday. And with nests and babies everywhere, you have to be very careful where you step.

 

I was greatly entertained by a bunch of little blowfish circling the ship. They didn’t seem to mind the sharks at all, apparently hoping for some scraps from the kitchen. Of course it is strictly forbidden to feed animals in Galapagos - but who can blame the chef if a little something drops from the kitchen sink? It felt like the Golondrina was the major attraction in the bay, anyway. A bunch of frigate birds (and one adventurous booby) were sitting between our masts, enjoying the high view and jostling for the best space.

 

After lunch, the plan called for a walk on an old lava flow, and then snorkeling from a beach with plenty of horseflies waiting for your blood sacrifice (or so Jorge said). There was no wind, and the sun was burning down, so hot lava walk plus horsefly beach didn’t sound too appealing. We decided to spend the afternoon watching wildlife from the ship. Are we imagining things, or do those sharks keep getting bigger? Even Captain Augustin pointed out one of them, an especially large specimen. Better not drop off the boat and end as a shark snack! Jorge has already told the group several times not to just jump off the ship into the water. Well, I think today made it pretty clear why!

 

After everyone had returned from snorkeling, we cast off for the three-hour crossing to our next destination. Sitting in the stern of the ship, I first saw a small pod of dolphins, and then a manta ray flapping his flipper (or whatever they‘re called). It was very relaxing to simply gaze out to sea.

 

After two days, we have settled in nicely. The pace is set by the activities, meal times, and times when the ship is moving. The meals are delicious. Lots of fresh ingredients, mostly served buffet style. The cook in his tiny kitchen cubicle can even accommodate two vegetarians and one vegan among us. The dishes are a bit eclectic sometimes, but that makes it even more special. Tonight, we had a serving of spaghetti meatballs with a healthy portion of Brussels sprouts.

 

Jorge wanted to show us a David Attenborough documentary. However, somehow the remote control was lost in the last cleaning operation, so it was not to be. We told him not to stress, but he still does. He, the Captain and the whole crew really go out of their way to give us the best possible experience. 

 

As a good night beverage, I tried the Oregano tea that everyone else was shunning. I quite liked the taste, herbal with a hint of pizza.

[Anna32]

Day 22, South Plaza Island and Santa Fe Island (January 23rd)

 

Oh, it‘s Monday again! This starts the fourth week of my sabbatical. Apart from terribly missing the cats, it seems I am truly a world away from my daily life. I woke up around 4am from the call of nature. To cool off, I left the cabin to sit for a while at the stern of the ship. The stars above where beautiful and looked really close. Even without my glasses, I could see the Milky Way. After a couple of minutes, first Holger and then Captain Augustin joined me. He told me that we were moored next to one of the small container ships that are the lifeline of the Galápagos Islands. There are four of them, and one arrives every five days or so to deliver provisions for all the locals. The journey to and from Guayaquil by sea takes three days each. Only perishable goods like fresh fruit come via airplane, the rest via container ship.

 

We went to take another snooze, as the Golondrina had a short, 90 minute crossing to make to get to South Plaza Island. This has several colonies of sea lions, many land iguanas and also a few elusive sea iguanas. The iguanas come in different hues. Most are darkish-black, but some are lighter. There is some interbreeding between land and sea, and those hybrids are striped and sterile.

 

As the walk was an uneven one again, and we have lots on the agenda for this afternoon, I opted to stay on board. I could see, hear and smell the sea lions from the Golondrina. But Captain Augustin had other ideas. Once everyone else was ashore, I heard him call me „Amiga, amiga!“ I was to come down and take a panga tour with him. How could I resist such a charming order? He took me once around South Plaza Island, and I could see all the wildlife, plus our group hiking ashore. I even saw one of the rare marine iguanas, basking in the sunshine on a rock close to the water. We also went over to see the shore of North Plaza Island, which is closed off for tourists. It‘s hard to describe how serenely beautiful these islands are. Most are barren, but so abundant with wildlife. A large school of parrot fish and one or two smaller sharks were circling the ship. The fish were grazing on the algae growing on the ship. I could just sit here forever and watch the comings and goings, especially when I have some alone time on the ship. Even though I‘m never alone, one of the friendly crew is always nearby.

 

The gang returned about an hour after me. They had had a good walk, with lots of sea lions and iguanas. Shortly after they returned, the engine went on and we were on our way to Santa Fe Island. On the way there we saw plenty of turtles, feeding on the jellyfish in the water. Their glistening shells were very visible, and some were really close to the ship.

 

We arrived at Santa Fe right around lunch time. Jorge told us the Captain would like to move our schedule forward somewhat. Instead of making the crossing to San Cristobal during the night, he will do it in the early evening. The forecast is for calm seas, and that way we can have another peaceful night at anchor. Fine for us!

 

After lunch, it was snorkeling from the panga again. I went with the panga drivers, and was the designated shark spotter. Well, the way the group was splitting up my advice would be: always swim a little faster than the slowest person. But even from the panga I could see all the sea lions, turtles and manta rays swimming around in the lagoon. Absolutely beautiful! However, the sun was burning down quite a bit, and after about 45 minutes I sincerely wished I could either just jump into the water or return to the ship. It took another 15 minutes for everyone to get back into the pangas. By that time, I had developed a solid headache from the sun. I had planned on doing the afternoon walk, but had to skip it. Definitely no more sun for me today. Shade and plenty of water were on the agenda. Holger stayed with me and kept me company.

 

We lifted anchor shortly after 5pm, and the ship was moving quite significantly. Jorge had to put all his balance into creating his daily briefing whiteboard. And promptly forgot to give us the breakfast time. Oh horror, we cannot miss a meal! Shortly after the briefing, the dinner bell rang. Today it was cauliflower, green beans, chicken and rice, plus a salad of red cabbage. Dessert was a sweetened egg-white cream with a canned peach. As always, fresh and delicious - I took seconds of the beans, they were especially good.

 

We finished the evening stargazing. The moon was lying on its belly, and you could see a slight ring of light around it. The night sky looks very different to the northern hemisphere, and we can hardly recognize a constellation.

[Anna32]

Day 23, San Cristobal and Isla Lobos (January 24th)

 

Since we fell asleep at 9pm last night, it was no wonder that we woke up at around 3am for the first time. We went outside our cabin for a little bit of stargazing. While we were at anchor, some sea lions had decided our panga platform would make an excellent bed. We could hear them softly snoring just a few steps below us. The ocean was sparkling almost as much as the starlight sky - there was bioluminescence in the water. It was simply magical!

 

We both fell asleep again, and woke up with the rest of the ship at shortly after 6am. The crew was busy preparing breakfast, and getting the pangas ready. Or should I say panga, singular? The outboard engine of the second one is broken, and needs a proper mechanic and replacement parts. Since all of us are going to have a panga tour this morning, our sister ship the Faragata will support us with one of theirs. But only after they have accommodated their own passengers. All in all, we were about 30 minutes behind schedule. Which was fine with us, as long as this wouldn’t cut into our free beach time.

 

First, we were taken along some impressive rocks. Jimmy, the head panga driver, took us into a cave called the Cathedral. Very impressive! Then, we were taken through a tunnel in the rocks. You could see the waves squeezing through behind us and then lifting us like a rubber ducky. We squealed a little bit, at least the females. Then, it was beach time. We had a little over an hour for a nice beach walk and a swim or snorkel. I went in immediately as I was warm. All on my own I went into the shallow water. Suddenly, I heard the distinctive „Oyy“ of a sea lion. Five metres from me, a baby sea lion with its mom went into the water, together with a juvenile. The teenager swam directly up to me to check me out. Then, it just paddled around me for about 10 minutes, sometimes coming really close and seeming very relaxed. What an absolutely beautiful moment - possibly my favourite so far on this trip!

 

After my nice refreshing swim, I took a little walk along the beach, while Holger continued snorkeling. In a secluded area in the dunes, I found a sea lion mother with a baby that was maybe a couple of hours old. She looked quite tired, while the baby was trying to get her to turn so it could feed. Sooooo very cute! I also ran into a couple of iguanas minding their business, and more sea lions. The Fragata deserted us, so we were stuck with Jimmy and one panga. We were in the first boat over, and waved the others goodbye, who were still in the water. They returned while I was in the shower, so didn’t have to wait long at all.

 

Shortly after anchor up, the Golondrina circled Kicker Rock, an imposing monolith standing on its own near San Cristobal. Lots of birds circled the rock, and were nesting there. Smaller boats had taken tourists there to snorkel and dive, but Jorge said we where not allowed to do it from the bigger boats. Then we started the transfer to Isla Lobos, and had lunch. The water was very calm close to shore, so the ship wasn‘t rocking too much as we ate.

 

Maybe this is a good time to talk about our mystery juices. You read that right. At least for two of our three meals a day, Hero, the waiter and barman, serves us fresh juices. The ingredients remain in the dark, and we are always wildly guessing what they are. Today‘s could have contained banana. Or pineapple. Maybe also pear. Only Hero knows.

 

After lunch, the whole ship fell asleep for an hour or so. Then, the gang went off snorkeling from the one remaining panga again. I could watch them swimming along a rocky island, with sea lions playing and swimming all around. Everyone was very happy with this encounter, though Holger said the big males shouting their deep Oyy Oyy underwater was quite impressive.

 

We both skipped the walk. Me, because Jorge said there were big boulders and it was uneven, Holger just because. I was enjoying a nice cup of pizza tea and just soaking up the atmosphere. The sky has been a little more overcast than yesterday, and it was a relief not to be in the hot sun all day. It is still plenty warm, but with a nice breeze it‘s very bearable.

 

After dinner, we had a big event coming up. A night on the town! We were moored in Puerto Baquerizo, the capital of the Galapagos, where we were dropping off the Belgian girls. The Captain granted all of us shore leave for a couple of hours. It was pitch dark when we set out in the panga. Hopefully Jimmy can find the dock in the dark! But he seems to have a homing beacon, and as always we were safe with him. On the pier we already encountered a couple of sea lions. The whole town was taken over by them, they were literally everywhere along the malecon (the promenade). We mainly wandered around watching them, and got an ice cream on the way in one of the many souvenir shops. It was still very warm and humid. On the ship, normally we have at least a little refreshing breeze.

 

Shortly after 9pm Jimmy picked us up again. A bit sad, but we are so much not party people that we were already waiting for him to come, since it was already past our bedtime. It still took a while until the anchor was lifted, as some of the crew was still ashore.

[Anna32]

Day 24, Española (January 25th)

 

My night was not good. For whatever reason I could not sleep. And when I did, I dreamed about work. Booh. So I took a little longer than usual to get ready for the day.

 

Jorge told Chris and me that we would only be able to do the first part of the walk this morning. Captain Augustin would stay with us and look after us, getting us back on board after a hour or so. At Punta Suarez, there is a small lighthouse on the rocks, and a plaque for some tourists that had an accident there, apparently. Most of all, though, there are many many marine iguanas. The males are really colourful, with a greenish back and red body. And big. They have small territories, which they will defend by vigorously shaking their heads at no one in particular. They are only territorial during mating season, which we are right in the middle of.

 

Also, there were again plenty of sea lions around. We saw one female who was starting to give birth. She was apparently having the first contractions and trying to find a comfortable position. We left her in peace. On a little beach there was a kindergarten of sea lion babies, playing in the shallow water between the rocks. Here, Chris and I stayed with the Captain, while the others continued their walk. Holger said later that this was for the best, as they had to balance over big round rocks that weren’t stable. Not sad to have missed those! But I am very very grateful that everyone, and especially Captain Augustin, is always going above and beyond to give Chris and me a great time, and let us enjoy as much as possible of the beautiful Galapagos nature and wildlife.

 

The official walk went by a blowhole, and also the so-called Albatross highway. This is where the Albatross start their flight, needing a bit of a stretch of land to get up to the required speed. However, Albatross are only on Española between April and December. They are all gone now. And apparently Jorge kept going on and on about them. He has a tendency to talk about things that are not there or that we can‘t do. Like a beautiful snorkeling spot that tourists can no longer use for conservation reasons. Holger gets really annoyed by this, and I guess it sometimes shows, as some of the other passengers joke about it („Holger would have hated it!“). On some level, we are all irritated by it.

 

Chris and I had plenty of time to soak up the atmosphere on the beach. The Captain brought us a little hermit crab in a seashell. At first it was sitting still. Then, its little eyes on stalks came out to scout the territory. And next, it was off under the next rock as fast as it could, almost running over an iguana. And the iguana got chased under the same rock by a sea lion a minute later. I just sat there and watched and watched. Like a David Attenborough documentary come to life, with me sitting in the middle of it. 

 

Jimmy was supposed to pick us up at 9:30am, but had apparently forgotten about it or fallen asleep. The Captain mumbled something about „el gordo“ and „hopeless“. Chris and I didn’t really mind the wait, although the sun was intense. Back on board I very much enjoyed an ice cold Coke, kindly brought to me by Hero.

 

The Golondrina made the short 45 minute transit over to Gardner Bay, where we will be spending the afternoon. After lunch, a couple of the boys jumped off the ship and snorkeled at the nearby rock. Jorge got quite agitated, and shouted for them to return. We thought he had seen a shark or something, and got a little worried. But Jorge only had his liability in mind. Snorkeling off the bigger ships is apparently not permitted. You have to do it from the panga. Which they did. At exactly the same rock, 20 minutes later. Oh well, sometimes logic is overrated. 

 

After the snorkeling gang returned, we were brought to a beautiful beach with fine white sand and turquoise water. Perfect spot in paradise. There were only two downs: thousands of flies pestering us. And loads of passengers from other ships crowding us only five minutes after our arrival. My expectation if the Galapagos was that there would be more crowd control and not everyone would go to the same places at the same times. But both this morning and this afternoon we had loads of company.

 

At our daily briefing, Jorge told us we would get a 5:30am wake up call for a 6am departure. Oh joy. After dinner, everyone pretty much immediately called it a night and tried to get some rest.

[beaujolais]

Great reporting and great reading Anna

[Anna32]

Day 25, Floreana and Puerto Ayora (January 26th)

 

I was awake before the 5:30am wake up call. Sitting out on the back deck, I was contemplating another tough night with not enough sleep. At some point, it got into my head that the top bunk was unstable, and Holger would come crashing down on top of me. But that was just the tip of the iceberg if my insomnia. Anyway, it was time to get ready for another wonderful day.

 

After a brief coffee and a couple of cookies, we headed ashore on Floreana. The idea was to hike to a beach where turtles were laying eggs at night, hoping to catch them in the early morning before they returned to see. Jorge was nervous, because the Fragata group headed out 15 minutes before us. He rushed us across the island (I was less than happy in my flip flops), only to find an empty beach. Not quite true, the Fragata group was still there. Heading back, we found a small lagoon with plenty of flamingos, also just waking up in the early morning. And we saw some turtle heads sticking out of the water around the island.

 

Next up was snorkeling in an old caldera. Since Jorge said there were strong currents, Chris, Lynne and I decided to stay behind. Our wonderful Captain kindly took the Golondrina for a circle around the caldera to give us a tour while the others snorkeled. He kept coming by, telling us to take plenty of pictures.

 

Once everyone is back on board, we will make our way to Puerto Ayora. We will visit the Charles Darwin Station, and finally see some of the famous Galapagos Land Tortoises. After that, we have some free time in the town. I am hoping to find a café with some nice cold drinks, maybe cake and some wifi. 

 

And that‘s what we did. Having to go out in the noontime heat was no one‘s idea of a great time, but we braved it. In the Charles Darwin Station, we followed the „Path of the Tortoise“, explaining about the conservation efforts not only towards the tortoises, but also endemic birds and iguanas, as well as getting rid of invasive species. And then we saw the tortoises in their enclosures. From tiny newborn babies to fully grown males. They only grow into adulthood at 20 - 25 years of age. And from age 3, they are „rat-proof“, so rats can‘t eat them any more. Until then, they are protected under meshed-wire screens.

 

We also saw the remains of Lonesome George, the famous last tortoise from one of the islands (Floreana? Not sure…). He was taxidermied in the USA and now resides in a wonderfully air-conditioned building. I could have paid him an extended visit just for that reason. Whew, it was hot hot hot outside.

 

We grabbed a drink at the station‘s cafeteria. Sodas were out, as the ship from Guayaquil had only arrived yesterday and unloading was still in process. Then we tackled the long hot way back to town. We found a heladeria, and stopped for a snow cone. So refreshing! It was really too hot for any more sightseeing, so we sat in a restaurant close to the dock and enjoyed some cold drinks. With half an hour to spare, we went down to the dock. Jorge was already there, and in short order first Lucinda and Bob and then our five Englishmen and -women appeared. Jorge got the hint and contacted the Golondrina for an earlier pick-up. With cell reception, communication is a lot easier!

 

Back on board, we all relaxed before we had to face the reality of packing our suitcases. Soon the bell rang for dinner. First, the Captain made a final toast to us and the crew. Hero had mixed a Caipirinha for each of us, which was very tasty. Arriba, abajo, al centro, al dentro! is the toast used around here. Up, down, to the middle, to the teeth. It makes sense when you see it done…

 

Jorge told us there would be another early wake-up call and a final walk on North Seymour Island before our departure. Holger and I opted for a morning shower and no walk. The main attraction were more frigate birds. Those were also sitting in droves on the Golondrina, so we felt we wouldn’t miss out. After a last chat with the group on the top deck, we said our final good night.

[Anna32]

 

Day 26, Baltra and flight to Guayaquil (January 27th)

 

I woke up when it was still dark, because the Golondrina had stopped her engines. Three minutes until the official wake-up call! Bumping my head for the last time on the upper bunk, I made my way to the lounge for a cup of coffee and some cookies, which I took to the upper deck. Holger appeared a short time later, and we watched the crew getting ready for the morning‘s excursion. Once everyone had boarded the panga, we hopped under the shower and then enjoyed the morning atmosphere on the upper deck.

 

The others returned about an hour later, and breakfast was ready. They told the story of the Fragata‘s guide, who apparently got so drunk in Puerto Ayora last night that he missed the ship sailing, and had to follow with a water taxi. He was now lying in his bunk, terribly hungover, and couldn’t lead this morning‘s excursion. Jorge had to lead both groups. He took it in stride, and said this was not the first time that this had happened. Captain Augustin is moving over to the Fragata today for the next four weeks, and has apparently begged Jorge to join him. He is staying on the Golondrina, though. 

 

Soon it was time for our final trip ashore. Jimmy was first shuttling all of our luggage over, then it was our turn. Byebye Golondrina! We won‘t miss the ship, to be honest. But we will miss the wonderful crew, our lovely group of passengers, and most of all the stunning Galapagos nature and wildlife. For the passengers, Amanda has organized a WhatsApp group, so we will keep in touch, virtually follow each other‘s onward travels, and share the best of our pictures. Most of us have been journaling, too, which will help to keep the memories alive.

 

Apart from the huge iguana we encountered when walking to the aircraft, our flight from Baltra to Guayaquil was on time and uneventful. We collected our luggage and, since it was not time to check into our hotel yet, decided to have lunch in the airport. The Golden M was again our culinary outlet of choice. The best part was probably the very large diet coke - for some reason, diet sodas are really hard to find on the Galapagos. A minor issue, for sure, but little things can still be important.

 

Our room was ready shortly after 3pm. For the next few hours, we just chilled and enjoyed the internet. I had some issues filling in the health forms for our flight to the US tomorrow. Since I had seen a PC and printer in the hotel lobby, I went downstairs, and was able to complete and print the documents. Three cheers for airport hotels and their facilities!

 

We grabbed a bite for dinner and then went to bed very early, as our wake-up call tomorrow will be at 4am.

[Anna32]

Day 27, Flight to Miami via Panama (January 28th)

 

Do you know the very famous children’s book „Oh wie schön it Panama“? (How beautiful is Panama) You probably do if you‘re German. It is by the author Janosch, and describes the adventures of two friends, the little bear and the little tiger. Bear and tiger find an old crate that was used to ship bananas. It still smells slightly like bananas, and on the crate is the word „Panama“. The friends imagine that this far away and exotic place called Panama must be wonderful, because everything smells like banana. They set out to search for Panama and have a magical journey together, exploring their friendship. I loved this book as a child, and today, for the very first time, I will see Panama!

 

Okay, realistically we will have a 90 minute layover in Panama City before our onward flight to Miami. But this little bear and tiger are also on a magical journey to faraway and exotic places, so I was feeling very happy this morning.

 

The approach into Panama City was very impressive. We could see all the skyscrapers (probably all with many many postboxes), a cruise ship docked in port, and the Bridge of the Americas at the exit of the Panama Canal. Quite a sight to see!

 

At the airport, we went directly to our gate. Our boarding passes showed the dreaded „SSSS“ on them. Which means we had been selected for a special additional security screening. They always claim this is completely random. However, I have had this every time I have booked an open-legged flight into the US. With modern technology it should be possible to track that we will be flying to Tahiti next Thursday. Or just ask us.

 

My hand luggage went through, but Holger‘s was searched, re-screened and searched again. Finally, they pulled out his manicure set, confiscating the scissors, file and even the clipper. Seriously??? These have flown around the world several times. And the security personnel did not speak English, so no use to make that point to them. Oh America, you can sleep sound tonight, no danger will come to you from Holger‘s nail clippers. Muy loco, este mundo…

 

Our flight to Miami was mostly spent dozing. Every once in a while I gazed out of the window and spotted an island or small reef in the Caribbean Sea. The service on Copa Airlines was very attentive and personal. Arrival in Miami was on time, and the immigration queue was the shortest I have ever seen here. We were surprised that our passports weren’t stamped, but learned later that most US airports have discontinued this since September 2022. so July last year will have been our last stamp. Who knew! Instead, we have a digital document called an I-94. This lists all of your entries and exits into / out of the USA since 2013. Checking mine brought lovely memories of trips by air, sea and land. A great digital record!

 

Grabbing our luggage, we hopped into a taxi to our Ft. Lauderdale hotel. Our flight to Burbank tomorrow morning starts from here, plus I could use some bonus points to score this night. Our room was ready, and we settled in nicely. All around our hotel were several food outlets. Our choice today was Panda Express, in the category „American Chinese“. The food was very eatable, if a bit westernized. Plus, I got a huge unsweetened ice tea to go, which lasted me the rest of the day. The fortune cookie told me that my doubts will disappear soon. Relieved to hear this!

 

The rest of the day was very uneventful. Shower, internet, bed. Good night!

[Anna32]

Day 28, Flight to Burbank, CA (January 29th)

 

I woke up exactly three minutes before my alarm went off. Perfect timing! We got ready and went down to catch the airport shuttle to FLL - Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport. What a name! We have only been to Fort Lauderdale once before, taking a cruise in 2017, however have never flown from here. American Airlines are in Terminal 3. We had checked in online, and could use the self-service machines to tag our luggage. Apparently I was looking confused, because a very friendly agent came over and helped me with the whole process. Then we dropped off the suitcases and were through security in no time. Liquids and electronics stay in the bag in the US, but shoes have to come off. No problem for me - ever since I ran a blister in Puerto Baquerizo in my damp sneakers I have been wearing flip flops.

 

Our flight to Dallas Fort Worth was on time. We were impressed with American‘s inflight entertainment. You can stream a whole bunch of movies, tv and music on your own device from their server. We mostly preferred a good snooze, though, as it was still very early. Before we knew it, we were landing. Our layover was only 90 minutes, so we went directly to our next gate. The connecting flight to Burbank was shown on time, and five minutes later an airplane arrived. Excellent!

 

There are three stages of me getting slightly drunk:

1. very happy and talkative
2. requiring snacks
3. in urgent need of a nap

The Bloody Mary that the flight attendant fixed me triggered all stages in the correct order. Holger patiently tolerated my happy phase. Fortunately, the charcuterie plate and brownie I got soon after took care of stage two, and the remaining flight time of 90 minutes was enough for stage three. I woke up when we landed in Burbank.

 

In short order we had our luggage and our rental car, and the ten minute drive to our friends‘ house was a breeze. It is so wonderful to be able to travel like this again, and visit people near and far. Now we have four days to catch up with Susan and Charles, do our laundry and get organized.

 

For dinner, Widget came over and cooked for us. He is a regular at the White household, and the master chef around. We got pineapple fried rice, pork, steak Diane and brussel sprouts. For dessert it was bananas foster. Very yummy! After that, we were all very ready for bed.

[Anna32]

Day 29, Glendale and Shopping (January 30th)

 

After a wonderful sleep, I got up early to get some work done. After about four hours of that, and my third mug of coffee, the rest of the household was up, too. It was raining, and cold, which no one back in Germany wanted to believe when I told them. But … but … you‘re in California! Yep, but it‘s winter here, too!

 

Holger and I decided to get some shopping assignments done. For one, he needs a new suitcase. His blue one got terminally damaged on the way to the Galapagos. And we need some bits and pieces, like a new hairbrush (mine fell into the Pacific Ocean), and two lateral flow tests for self-testing before we go on the ship in Tahiti. We headed to Glendale Galleria, a nearby mall.

 

We went through a couple of stores like Macy‘s and J.C.Penny‘s. No suitcases really jumped out at us, but we both got two pairs of shorts, and I also found a nice top to go with them. At Target, I got the hairbrush, and also some clips. Then we were hungry for lunch. When in California, you simply HAVE to go to In-N-Out Burger. All they do are burgers and fries, and they are sooooo good! We both got a double-double combo, Holger classic with onions, and me animal style. Fortunately they are only in the western USA, so it always feels very special for us to go there.

 

On the way back to the car, we found the Travel Store, specializing in luggage. The sales guy had a great instinct - when we came in, he grabbed one of the hard shell suitcases and jumped on it, to demonstrate how flexible and durable it is. Holger was sold then and there. The final negotiations took a while, but we left very happy with a new yellow suitcase plus a mid-sized duffel bag.

 

The afternoon was spent doing laundry and chatting with our friends. It feels so good to just visit and hang out. We discussed dinner plans, and agreed on Mexican. The Mexican restaurants over here are just more authentic than back home I have to say. Our friends took us to one of their favourite places. I got a giant blended margarita, corn cakes and a shrimp dish for my entree. So. Very. Good. Back home, we watched some Mark Rober YouTube videos (squirrels and glitterbombs), and an episode of the Red Green Show. Very entertaining! At around 9pm I was struggling to stay awake, so it was bedtime again.

[Port Power]

Anna, you have such a way with words!  I have really enjoyed your commentary surrounding all your visits and sightseeing. Thank you so much.

[Anna32]

Day 31, The Huntington (February 1st)

 

Oh my gosh, it‘s February already! One third of our sabbatical is over. What a wild ride so far!

 

Today, our friend Charles takes us to the Huntington. The estate belonged to a very very wealthy railroad tycoon, who was instrumental in shaping Los Angeles the way it is today. He build the electric tram lines servicing the city, and allowing people to move more into the country. 

 

We first visited the house (as in palace, château) and library. Mr. Huntington was a collector of books (as in Gutenberg bible), while Mrs. Huntington was more partial to European antiques (as in Louis XIV carpets). Then, we went into the gardens. For us, this was the main event. Themed gardens with portals connecting them. Beautiful, crafted vistas everywhere. The rose garden was not in bloom, but we got an idea of the vast variety of hybrids there. 

 

We spent a long time in the Japanese and Chinese Gardens. Apart from the stunning garden architecture, my highlight was the large collection of bonsai and penjing (basically Chinese bonsai). Charles told us that some of those mini trees are over 1.000 years old. Stunning!

 

We greatly enjoyed the Zen atmosphere of the Huntington. Even though we were able to see only about 20% of the grounds, this is a great reason to come back!

 

Oh, one funny thing happened. Holger‘s backpack got checked, and the yellow fellow got pulled out. „What do you want with the duck, Sir?“ In a stern voice, the guard told us that no props were allowed in the gardens. Mr. Duck took offense to being classified as a prop! That‘s why he secretly had to take a picture in front of one of the statues. Rebellious duck!

 

In the middle of the Chinese Garden, we had lunch at the Jade Café. Delicious Chinese food, plus I had a lychee lemonade with flavored jelly bits in it, and a straw with which to suck them. My inner child was happy.

 

We slowly left the gardens, thanking Henry and Arabella Huntington for their donation to the people of California. If in these parts, we will definitely come back and explore more!

 

Back at home, we relaxed and stated packing again. I sat for a while next to Snowball on the couch. He was snoozing, and showing his fluffy belly. I had to keep reminding myself that this was a trap and I really needed all my fingers. Later on, he headbutted me in a friendly way, and I got to pet his silky tail. Can‘t ask for more with this little fur demon! He is such a character, and he just got his own Facebook group!

 

Dinner was at the Black Cow Café in Montrose. „All American“ is probably the best category for the menu. I had a chicken noodle soup and a chicken salad, very yummy. Holger had French onion soup and a chicken fried steak. We also met friends of Charles and Susan, Scott and Pat. A very nice final evening. I can‘t believe how fast our four days here have flown by. A million thanks to Susan and Charles for hosting us! It really is wonderful to have such friends on the other side of the world, and am already looking forward to seeing them in Iceland this September!

[Anna32]

Day 30, White Sky Ranch Rest Day (January 31st)

 

Another early morning, coffee and a couple hours‘ work. After that, I decided I finally had to get organized and book our accommodations for the six nights in French Polynesia. We‘re flying in two days, but for some reason I have been stressing about this decision. So many choices! I ended up booking a resort on Moorea, but compromised on the room category. I had been wanting one of the overwater bungalows, but the price gap was just too steep. Now we have a garden bungalow with a private plunge pool, which will be absolutely amazing and a little more affordable.

 

That done, we headed out for lunch and some additional shopping. We wanted to get snorkel gear. However, from the two stores we visited, one didn’t carry any, and one had a very limited selection. We couldn’t make up our minds and left. For lunch, I wanted Cheesecake Factory. No joy! We got lost in the mall tryptophan locate the first one, so decided to drive to Pasadena for another one. Which had no parking (or just public parking for $10 a day). Nope. We drove on, and ended up in a mix of restaurant and tiki bar. They did Taco Tuesday, which was very good. Holger had a chicken pot pie that he really enjoyed.

 

Back home, I had to take a nap. For some reason I have been incredibly tired for the last two days. I believe it‘s mental as much as physical. So many things to process from this trip so far. Some downtime was very necessary today. We are very very grateful that Charles and Susan are hosting us! Waking up, we hung out, chatted and had fun with Snowball, their big black cat. He will tempt you with rolling on his back and showing his soft fluffy tummy. It‘s a trap! I am quite fond of all my fingers, so just watch longingly from afar.

 

For dinner we had lasagna, salad, ice cream and - don’t ask - egg nogg. Then, another episode of the Red Green Show and many giggles. Good night!

[Anna32]

Day 32, Travel to Tahiti (February 2nd)

 

We set the alarm to 5am, and got ready to leave. Susan and Charles were up to see us off, and Snowball positioned himself in the middle of the floor, realizing something strange was afoot, with everyone being up so early. He gave us a final friendly headbutt. We are honoured to learn that we seem to be in the minority of people that Snowball accepts in his house. We will be following his adventures on Facebook, and hope to be allowed to visit again in the future. The four days here have been wonderful, and just what we needed after our intense adventures in the Galapagos.

 

Drive time to LAX was given as 46 minutes. With a few minor delays, filling up the rental car, returning it and taking the shuttle bus to Terminal 3, it was more like 90 minutes. Still plenty of time! Again, when trying to check in online, we had been told to see an agent. Oh no, will we get SSSS again? Not to worry, the very friendly agent we did find only wanted to know about our onward travel plans. I showed her our cruise confirmation, and she was getting dreamy eyes. The words „Tahiti“ or „Bora Bora“ seem to have this effect on people - us included.

 

We entered the Delta lounge in Terminal 3. A very large space, but already quite busy. We found two seats and went to acquire breakfast. There were several buffets plus a live cooking station. To accompany my cappuccino, I got a Bloody Mary from the bar. Because I am still on vacation! 

 

When it was time, we made our way to the gate. The terminal is compact, so we didn‘t have far to go. Boarding started almost immediately, we had timed it just right. The crowd was a different mix to the usual air commuters. Tahiti is obviously a vacation destination. The number of straw hats and Hawaii shirts alone would have been enough to decorate a major tiki bar.

 

Soon after takeoff, the service started. Our lunch began with a doubtful, somewhat slimy rice soup, labeled as „island style“. Eeeew, I sincerely hope this won‘t be the standard to expect on Tahiti! Accompanying the soup was a mystery salad. This was more edible, along with a roll. As my main, I had selected barbecue chicken with a pineapple salsa. Chicken and salsa were okay. I left the dry rice that came with it. For dessert, I had two very large scoops of vanilla ice cream, topped by some cherries and chocolate sauce. Portion sizes are definitely dimensioned for hungry people.

 

After taking a nap, the flight map showed us about three hours out of Papeete. The overall flight time will be nine hours, and we are gaining another two hours from Pacific Standard Time. That means for the next week or so we will be 11 hours earlier than Germany. Heading further west on the MS Europa, we will then cross the international date line, skipping an entire day. This will set us 12 hours ahead of Germany. I hope we won‘t get too confused by it.

 

At immigration, there was a separate queue for European passports. We were the only users, so wait time was zero. No stamps again, sadly. With our suitcases, we first searched an ATM and then a taxi. Within 15 minutes we were checking in at the Te Moana resort, where we will spend our first night.

 

We did a little exploring on the beautifully landscaped grounds, and caught the last bit of sunset over the island of Moorea. Then we headed to the restaurant to get some dinner. I had a salad with sesame-crusted raw tuna, and Holger a trilogy of poison cru (raw fish), the local specialty. Absolutely delicious! While seated in the outdoor restaurant, we watched a thunderstorm over Moorea. The air is very humid and warm, quite a difference to crisp and clear LA. Good night!

[Anna32]

Day 33, Tahiti to Moorea (February 3rd)

 

Is there anything better than to wake up to a tropical, fragrant breeze and super delicious French pastries? This is pretty much my definition of paradise! Our breakfast was accompanied by a family of chickens roaming the terrace for hand outs. Did I feel slightly guilty eating my omelette? Maybe a little bit. No, not really…

 

I took a walk to the small little motus adjacent to the hotel pool. When I had just found a deck chair, it started raining. Okay, bar stool and sun umbrella are also doable. I phoned my brother to learn how the cats are doing (fine), and enjoyed the general ambiance, even in the rain.

 

We enjoyed our room until the checkout time of 11am. Our shuttle to the ferry dock arrived in the form of a spacious van with a very friendly and chatty female driver. She pointed out the sights of Tahiti, and at the dock promptly ensured that we and our luggage would catch the already waiting ferry. Our rolling suitcases were stored for pickup on Moorea, and we found the climatized seating area inside the ferry. The crossing only takes around 25 minutes, and in our case was very uneventful. 

 

Getting off the ferry, we spotted our luggage and shortly after a taxi. We reached the Manava Beach Resort at around 12:30, and were prepared to wait for our room. Not necessary! Lily, the very friendly trainee, showed us around the resort (briefly flirting with one of the lifeguards), and then guided us to our room. Very nice! A spacious bedroom and bathroom, decorated with Hibiscus flowers. The plunge pool on our terrace looked very inviting, and after a brief orientation period we jumped right in. Bliss! A couple of Minah birds watched and commented on our splashing around. We asked Mr Duck to sort them out, but he claimed not to speak Minah. Useless bird!

 

We found the resort restaurant for some lunch. I had to try the Tahitian pizza (pineapple, ham and black olives). Normally I am team no pineapple on pizza, but it seems to be a Polynesian must-do. The pizza contained so much cheese that the pineapple was not very dominant, to say the least. Our every bite was watched by a bunch of birds: chicken, Minahs and red-vented bul buls were jostling for the best spots to grab a crumb from our table. It was quite entertaining to see them get all excited about our meal.

 

After a little nap we did a thing. I had researched our trip home, and today was the day to book our flights. We wanted that done before we board the cruise ship next week. New Zealand entry requirements ask for proof of a homebound flight. Done. Feels a bit strange, to be honest.

 

Dinner at the restaurant was lovely. Holger had a filet steak and I had Asian noodles with marinated beef. We both had two scoops of sorbet each. It is dark, so it must be bedtime soon, right?