(no subject)

[inahandbasket]

Hola!
We've made it to Galapagos!! I'm still just amazed to be here. I have to keep picturing a map and reminding myself where I am on it - on the equator in the Galapagos!
We arrived yesterday after a string of transportation types: taxi, airplane, another airplane, bus, ferry, bus. We were greeted by a three foot long land iguana upon our arrival - just hanging out on the sidewalk. The hotel is brand new and nicely laid out, but already having the usual Ecuadorian problems: faulty plumbing, occasional water (sometimes only cold, sometimes only hot, sometimes none), occasional electricity etc.
[boyfriend] is hard at work with his workshop - they started an hour after arriving yesterday and now all the talk is work, work, work. In the meantime, I'm free to explore.
We are on the island of Santa Cruz in the town of Puerto Ayora. It's a nice little town and very safe and comfortable to wander around. Yesterday afternoon I spent walking around and ended up hanging out with a dozen brown pelicans waiting for the fisherman to clean their fish and throw down the leftovers - the pelicans are about 2 1/2 feet tall and group around like [boyfriend's mother's] dogs waiting for dinner - they even wag their butts like dogs! A small boy (maybe 2-3 years old?) was throwing scraps to them and he was only as tall as they were! I was waiting for them to gang up and run him down for the fish. From the roof of the hotel I've seen frigates, blue footed boobies and assorted finches and mockingbirds.
I just returned from the Charles Darwin Research Station where I spent a few hours watching the giant tortoises - although "'watching" makes it sound fairly active - actually I sat around with them and observed them occasionally take a bite of leaf or move a leg or pick up their head to look at a lava lizard or a finch or me. The males are enormous - I could easily climb inside their shells.
Well, I'm off to find some water to cool off - it is HOT on the equator - surprise, surprise. Don't worry (Mom and [friend]) I'm wearing my spf 45 with all the right anti-aging ingredients!
I hope this finds you all well and happy and having at least 1/8 the fun I'm having!
Aloha,
[sister]



sheesh. trying to make us jealous? *sigh*