Wednesday 23rd December

On the 23rd we had the schools Christmas party. All the kids were dressed up as nativity characters or in traditional Ecuadorian costume. Mary, Joseph, an angel and the three kings sat on the back of a decorated truck, and all the other kids and parents walked at its side as we drove round the streets near the school. After that we had a mass and then the children sang and did a traditional dance they had learn´t. Next some of the parents did a dance, something that would never happen in Engand! All the parents had bought along dishes of food so had a big buffet meal after.

Thank you

A big thank you to my mum and dad, grandparents and Pat for their donations to the orfanage. Went out yesterday with one of the workers and bought lots of stuff which will be really useful, alot of which the nuns who run the place refuse to buy as not considered essential (including baby wipes), so alot of stuff was old or just using unhygenic methods. If anyone else wants donate it will be great, let me know!

Galapagos Part 4
In the afternoon we went to the Charles Darwin reseach centre, where they have hundreds of baby tortoises looking after them before they are old enough when they release them back into the wild.
They also have Lonely George, who is the last of his species of tortoises as scientists took the last of the tortoises off his island but left him as he was too young. anyway now hes an old man and there is a $10000 reward if anyone can find him a partener who was maybe taken to a zoo in another country or something. He does have 2 girlfriends living with him and they are hoping he will breed with them as although not exactly the same they are the closests in genetics. Theres another tortoise called Diego as he was living in a zoo in San Diego, but when they started trying to repopulate his island and there were hardly any left, they found him and bought him back to help to the breeding program.
On Saturday caught a taxi-boat round the headland to another little beach which we had all to our selves!
In the afternoon we had our bay tour. We got on a boat with about 12 Americas and 2 guys from Puerto Rico. We went to a rocky islet where there were sea lions on the rocks, where we were given snorkles. Was so lovely could see really colourful fish, and a couple of times the sea lions swam right amoungst us and was in a foot of it. Its amazing how graceful they are underwater.
Then we went for a walk and could see a white fin shark in a pool of water. Then went for what the guide told the American was a "strenous hike" but i think thats just as they were a bit old, anyway we managed to do it in flip flops and really wasnt that long, and at the end was a lovely pool of water that you could swim in.
Sunday we went to a beach called the Galapatero on the other side of the island. There was a lake behind the beach which had a flamingo in. Lots of Pelicans kept diving into the sea around me to catch fish.

Galapagos part 3

We walked round to a smaller bay where we went snorkling, and there were lots of fish the colour of sand so had to stay really still so you could see them, then swam to a rocky bit where the fish were all colourful and pretty. Got out and went for a walk where we saw a turtle in the water, although we could only see its shadow under the water. Swam again with snorkles and there was a shoal of fish that was so tame you could swim right amoungst them, about 200 fish.

Galapagos part 2

After the lava tunnels, we went to Los Gemelos (the twins) which are two large craters created by compressed volcanic gases in chambers exploding. When you shouted you could hear it echoing all round.
Since 1990s when they changed the law no one can move to the Galapagos, unless they are working on a science project or something, or marry someone who already lives there. The people who live there though (20,000) are mainly from different parts of Ecuador. In the 70s (i think) there was big fires in Loja (another part of Ecuador) so the goverment gave some land in the Galapagos to the people of Loja, so there is one village just of people from Loja.
After Los Gemelos, although the tour had officially finished our guide took us to a school performace, as we were really near there and his girlfriend was the dance teacher for the performance. He told us it was one of the posh schools on the island, and pointed out the mayor and ex governor of the Galapagos in the audience. The performance was of Dr Seuss The Lorax, read partly in English partly in Spanish, and was very cute. After we got yogurt and chocolate bread, all made on the island and then went back for dinner in Puerto Ayora.
Friday started with a tour of Tortuga Bay. With a 30 minuit walk in the heat to start, it was amazing when we arrived at the white sand beach with turquoise sand and marine iguanas lying on the sand. It was incredible to see them as they are so different to anything ive ever seen in the wild, and lying on this perfect beach! Icouldnt believe how empty the beach was eitehr considering its meant to be peak season, there were only one family there.

Galapagos

Arrived on Baltra Island thursday morning, after a 2 hour flight from Guayaquil. Was so hot were instantly hit by the heat. Baltra island is the small island above Santa Cruz where we stayed, it used to be a US military base but now just has the airport. It is really dry and arid and there isn´t much there apart from cactuses. We were met at the airport by a cheerful guide called Ceci who took the three of us in the bus to catch the ferry across the canal to Santa Cruz. We then drove straight through the centre of the island, literally as the road is a strait line as far as the horizon, going through the highlands then back down the other side to the coastal town of Puerto Ayora. On arrival we had to pay to enter the national park of galapagos, which unfortunately for foreigners is $100 ( only $6 for Ecuadorians) and our volunteer cards didnt get us the discount like it does in mainland national parks. I was suprised that there were only a few people on our flight who were foreigners, the majority were Ecuadorians. Driving the half an hour to the other side of the island is incredible, in such a short space the dessert like landscape ( about 34 C) changes to lush ferns (about 23 C). In the low lands the trees are odd white things with no leaves called Palo Santo, and looks quite uninhabitable. We arrove in Puerto Ayora (population 10,000- the largest town on Galapagos) went to our hotel and went to lunch at El Chocolate where we ate every day as part of our package. The food was amazing, really fresh fish. After lunch we met our guide Eduado and set off into the highlands with Ceci driving. For a cheap tour it was really good having our own guide and driver! First we went to an underground lava tunnel. They were created when the island was still volcanic, and the outer layer of lava cools quicker and the middle is still liquid and the lava flows through the middle, creating a tunnel. Inside the tunnel is damp, but the stalagtites are still small apparently because the tunnels are still- geologically speaking- young. Our guide said he used to go in them when he was little before lights were put in as he knew the owner, it must be amazing to grow up somewhere so cool. The tunnels were discovered when farmers kept losing their cows, as they would fall in and not be able to get out. Out the other end we saw 2 little owls nesting who live in the tunnel normally. Driving through the highlands you see loads of giant tortoises just in peoples farms and fields- although i think 97 % of the Galapagos is National Park there are people living there and farms. Unfortunaltly the people who came to Galapagos first from Spain ate the giant tortoises and used them for fuel so the population went from 900, 000 to just 3000, although that number has risen again to 9000. They are doing lots to protect them now and the Charles Darwin Research centre collects the eggs and makes sure more of them survive to adulthood. We went to one "farm" where tourists pay a couple of dollars and can walk around amoungst the tortoises, although not allowed to touch them. From the road we saw some ferral goats who are introduced to the island not native, and are really bad news for the tortoises as eat the same food as them. On one other island they have exterminated all the goats and the tortoise population is doing really well, and doesnt need help with the breeding anymore. Another problem is cats, as they eat the eggs of birds and tortoises, and apparently if theres a cat in the road they are meant to run it over! Poor cats!