26/1/23
Today I got up early voluntarily because I wanted to go to Concha de Perla, a mangrove bay, to snorkel solo. Alberto (the bar owner) said that early was better to beat the crowds. Pia was also interested so we walked down together. I borrowed a snorkel from the hostel and checked that the mask was sealed well before we left, since I had had an issue with this before. When we arrived, we were the only souls there. I prepped my snorkel and mask only to find that the mask strap didn’t tighten. I knew my dad would’ve been able to fix it somehow so I persevered and managed to wrestle it on in its overly tight form. Sadly, once it was on and I tested it, I realised that there was no seal on the nose as my nose was too big – the mask was only suitable for those with a cute button nose. Frustrated, I went to the nearest hotel to hire a snorkel. Luckily it was easy and close and then I was finally ready to snorkel.
I snorkelled along one side of the bay, skirting close to the harbour only to wander across a turtle swimming along. It was amazing, just me and the turtle. At times, the current became pretty strong and it was hard to stay close to the turtle and not be pulled out into the harbour. It was some consolation that the turtle also looked as if it was struggling to make gains. Eventually, I decided to leave the turtle to get back to safer waters. Another guy had joined us in the waters and I snorkelled past him to discover that he too had found another turtle, a smaller one, probably a female. Next I bumped into Pia and we decided to get out and warm up out of the cool morning waters before going back for round two.
We warmed up in the sun and I got chatting to a guy from Ecuador, the one who had also seen a turtle. I asked him if carnival was good in Ecuador and he suggested a place called Guaranda where you can see many traditional forms of celebration, between Quito and Cuenca. He was also from Quito. We chatted awhile before I headed back into snorkel. I have the phone a rest and just went alone along the other side of the bay, into a smaller more sheltered area. Inside, there were plenty of different fish, some very shallow parts where I had to very carefully float through and at one point a very playful sealion coming at full speed towards me. I quickly swam away but they did plenty of twists and turns in front of me, they were playing. Sealions are called the dogs of the ocean here, always wanting to play! After the excitement, I headed back and walked back to the hostel with Pia. I showered quickly and was soon painting again, though this time it was craft painting with Fiorella. I made a large photo booth frame out of cardboard and then we decorated it together. I was pretty chuffed with how it turned out to be honest!
I went for lunch and then returned to do my usual white wall painting in the afternoon. Today I was catching up my hours! After painting, I went for dinner with Pia and an American guy, Joe, who was also in our room. We got the usual menu for $8 and then went in search of something sweet (of course because I’d brought it up and then everyone wanted something!). We settled on churros, kindly bought by Joe, who wanted to be a film maker and was in the process of making his first film with his brother. Afterwards, we strolled back and chilled in the room. I blogged a little as I was super far behind!
27/1/23
I had booked onto the Tintoreras tour for today. I had weighed up my options and had decided that I wanted more than anything to see penguins. So I picked the best tour for that! I had a lazy morning with granola and coffee in bed before heading to my tour. It was me, a Spanish speaking couple who had a separate guide and ten Danish people, all travelling together – how cute! I learnt plenty (lots more than on my volcano tour) and we saw penguins swimming from the boat, loads of sharks in a narrow rock pool style area as well as a turtle. Apparently most sharks can’t breathe when they are still in the water, but white tip sharks can, by wiggling there gills very slightly as they chill. Other sharks have to swim to allow gaseous exchange to happen, but they can sleep while they swim. Who knew?!
We walked to a different part of the island and saw sea lion pups that were less than a month old – they had their fluffy coats still and were adorable! We also we shown the difference between the sea iguanas – the small ones weren’t babies but female. After all the learning, we watched a penguin coast around the small bay before we got the boat to the snorkelling area. It was soooo cute! I loved it!
The snorkelling was good! Saw lots of fish and maybe three turtles, two of them together! We also saw two penguins swimming at the speed of light more or less past us! We tried to get closer to them for a better look but they disappeared in seconds! Amazing though! We also saw plenty of coral and starfish too, some of which were bright red! Afterwards, we got the boat back to Isabela and dried off in the sun, with a snack. 😋
After my tour, I had had a quick lunch of pasta and was pleased to discover that the ATM was FINALLY working – only five and a half days later!! Then it was time to work, my final day Alberto had told me I only needed to work six out of seven days which was a nice surprise. I painted and had some watermelon midway. Mmm.. After work, I went for empanadas with Pia, a free woman. Then we went to see what was going on in town because apparently there was a fiesta starting at 20.30 for one of the election candidates. Bizarrely, each candidate puts on music, often live, does a raffle and provides food for the public, all in a bid to win votes! Some kids did a rehearsed dance too, which was cute. After the raffle, came a speech and we wandered off, coming back in time for the dancing. Then we headed back to the dorm.
28/1/23
Saturday. Beautiful chilled Saturday with no plans. Glorious. I tried to lie in but instead got up at 8am and had coffee in bed and then headed out for a pancake breakfast. I blogged and chilled and got chatting first to the waiter and then to a young guy, Axer, eating his breakfast. He was studying in Quito, but was back for the holidays and worked as a fisherman sometimes. He also used to be a surf teacher on a different island and invited me to surf. I warned him that I was rubbish but he wasn’t bothered. We went to get boards – he got mine free because he was friends with the owner of the rental place and then we went first to get my swimmers and ditch my phone, and then to get his. He lived with his parents in a quieter part of town, away from the main tourist strip. When we arrived, he said he was hungry and invited me for lunch. His parents were chilling together in the same hammock in the shade of the trees, whiling away their Saturday, drinking fresh lemonade, which was yummy, but not as yummy as my Auntie Sue’s! I tucked into veg soup (Ecuadorians love soup so much), with beans and white corn in it and then had some rice with tuna. Then we headed for the beach.
He gave me a quick surf refresh on the sand and then we headed in. Sadly, I was rubbish (I blame the waves and the fact its not a beginners beach), but I did manage to stand up a few times, before we gave up and went to eat pineapple on the beach, freshly prepared onto of the surfboard! Various other local surfers came to introduce themselves, chat and share the pineapple. After awhile in the sun, we headed back as I had Fiorella’s birthday to attend (she was turning 26),and I needed to get ready! Axer told me he had a daughter in the Netherlands whom he had never met because of visa trouble. He said that the mother’s parents hated him, but that his parents were aware but were not bothered, because its pretty normal in Ecuador. So the Latin Lover thing is true I guess!! We said a quick ciao and I rushed to get ready.
I was turned around in ten minutes and of course rocked up with wet hair to find only one other person arrived before me. Latin time, perfect! I didn’t feel so bad for being a bit late! We had drinks and fresh choux pastry with a chocolate cream filling (bloody glorious) and then we started the card games. The first one was in Spanish but luckily for me half the group was pretty bilingual so once I had understood the question, I could answer in English and they could translate. We paused the games when the tapas board arrived with jugs of tinto de verano. Mmm! The tapas was pinchos – bread which you could top with either creamy mushrooms and leek (maybe), sausages with caramelised onions (my favourite) or chicken with green peppers. After we smashed the food, which was delicious, we played a game similar to cards against humanity, which thankfully for me was in English. A couple of people used Google translate to pick cards but otherwise we were good to go! The tinto was drunk and then we sang Happy Birthday and ate cake.
Awhile later, the bar filled up with other people and the music was turned up. We bought a bottle of rum and enjoyed it together. We danced in a circle but I danced with some other people as well when the salsa came on. Of course, there was also a lot a reggaeton which people seemed to dance like meringue! Later on, I went with one of Fiorella’s friends to try and see the plankton in Concha de Perla. I wanted to see them light up and apparently it was the best place. We first went by the main beach where you could see the a little. Then we took the motorbike to Concha de Perla. I told Fiorella’s friend (we didn’t do names because there were like ten new people for me to remember all at once!) about my volcano hike and the bad guide and he said he knew the bad guide and he was notorious for being terrible but he owned the main tour company which did the volcano trip so he was always there and they couldn’t get rid of him! Interesting!!
At Concha de Perla, it was pitch black, but luckily, our friend had a diving torch. We made it to the end of the track before turning it off once we were at the waters edge. There was some plankton shining in the water, but less than I had seen in Mompiche and loads less than Cambodia – somehow nowhere compared to that place on Koh Tong Samloen. ♥️ After realising that the planktons glean was limited, we headed back to the final song of the night. I danced a final salsa before heading to bed around 3am – wildly late for me!
29/1/23
Today I didn’t rush to get up, but I did have to check out around 09.30. I showered and packed and was pleased I didnt feel hungover after so many drinks were passed round the dance floor the night before! I had a granola breakfast before going to get my snorkelling tour photos. Then I read my book in a hammock with an iced coffee on the beach front. Afterwards, I went to see the flamingos and then went to eat the remainders of my pasta for lunch. Then I went to chill in the hammock in Bar de Beto until I needed to leave for my boat back to Santa Cruz, where I was flying out of a few days later. While I was chilling in the hammock, Fiorella invited me to eat more lunch, which I did. We ate the remaining pincho toppings with rice and salad overlooking the ocean. Afterwards, I said my byes to Fiorella and her family and walked the sunny road to the ‘ferry’.
Typically, when I arrived on the dock with my ticket, after having my bag only searched minimally, I found that my ticket wasn’t registered anywhere. I passed from pillar to post for a good fifteen minutes before someone gave in and added me to a ferry’s guest list. We got a taxi boat to the ferry and then set off. I was prepared for the rough crossing this time, having taken an anti-sickness tablet in advance and I managed to bag a seat at the back of the boat so I could see out. What a winner. The wind was strong and I felt gloriously alive (while holding my hat tightly ony head)!! I had made it back to Santa Cruz!
I got dinner on the $5 Street, which was sadly only average and then got the local bus to meet my couch surfing host Dr Carlos, which was a little out of town. He greeted me at his surgery and showed me in. We walked through the surgery to some tired rooms at the back, one which was allocated to me. It was big enough, but needed a good scrub! Carlos went to get me sheets and gave me a key for the main door, and then I made the bed and decided I needed to start cleaning the bathroom a little if I was going to stay there! Carlos said he was going out but he would be back. When he returned, he showed me to a different room, with still damp but freshly cleaned floors. The room was massive with a strange machine for tipping people upside down at one side but the bathroom was also spotless. Perfect! Carlos showed me the kitchen and then left me to it. He was going home and would be back at 7am for work! I showered and painted my nails and chatted to Clare on the phone and then slept. Everything turned out well in the end!
wanderingwelshie2 travels 