tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11069602489563657632024-03-13T12:59:38.912-07:00NEC GalapagosEric J. Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337823833460614084noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1106960248956365763.post-48813944972440473412018-01-12T04:52:00.001-08:002018-01-12T04:52:14.818-08:00Day #7 - Darwin Day!<br />
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We began our last day on the island with a relatively late start of 8:30AM. Some of us tried a local coffee shop; sustainably-grown coffee (and chocolate) is a significant crop in the Galapagos and Ecuador in general.We walked through the town of Santa Cruz on our way to the Charles Darwin Research Station:<br />
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We also walked by a very elaborately decorated above-ground cemetery:<br />
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After about 15 minutes, we arrived at the Research Station. Established in 1959 (the 100th anniversary of the publication of The Origin of Species), this facility works to protect the terrestrial and marine biodiversity of the Galapagos archipelago.<br />
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Our guide Marlon led us through the exhibits. Some discussed general information about the biology of the islands. Other exhibits taught us about the restoration efforts of the Research Station to control invasive species and protect the endemic wildlife.</div>
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The Station is best known for its tortoise breeding program. Tortoises are bred and raised in captivity for 3 years in preparation for being returned to the wild. These efforts have been quite successful, with the hope that in another decade or two, the wild tortoise population will reach its full capacity on all of the islands.<br />
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The breeding program affords the opportunity to see very young turtles:<br />
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We were also able to closely observe adults of several species that we had not seen in the wild:</div>
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The station also afforded the opportunity to observe a variety of birds and a land iguana (which we did not see in the wild):</div>
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One of the strangest exhibits had to do with Lonesome George, a tortoise who lived at the Research Station. George was famous as a symbol of conservation and the need to protect endangered species. George was the last surviving Pinta Island tortoise. After he died in 2012, the Station sent his body to the U.S. for examination and preservation. He is now housed in a special room at the Station. Entrance is limited to about a dozen people at a time. You start by spending two minutes in a climate acclimation room, which features a germ-killed UV light. You then enter the display room, where George stands behind plexiglass as the sole item in the room. You exit via another two minute acclimation room. The display reminded me of Lenin's tomb and struck us all as a bit odd.</div>
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As we walked back into town, we were all quite aware that this was our last day on the islands. We were sure to pause for final looks at the unique creatures and culture of the islands:</div>
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We boarded our bus, stopping at a supermarket to stock up on local hot sauce, chocolate, and coffee before our departure. This also afforded the opportunity to look at Santa Cruz bay one last time:</div>
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Santa Cruz was definitely the most developed island we visited, with paved roads, traffic lights, some traffic, and many stores geared toward tourists.</div>
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Our final stop on our journey was to view a forest of scalesia tree. This was particularly gratifying since it was these trees that we all had worked to help replant during our visit to the reforestation center. The forests were filled with trilling birds.</div>
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Some tears were shed as we said goodbye to Marlon, our guide and constant companion during our visit, and waved goodbye to the islands that had shared so much beauty with us:</div>
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We rode the bus to the far end of the island for a short ferry ride to Baltra, our fifth island. We rode another bus to the airport. We took time to repack for our long journey home:</div>
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Our 25 hour journey back to Henniker proceeded in total by bus, ferry, bus, plane, overnight plane, train, plan, and finally the van ride back to school. (Thank you to Mark Mitch for driving us!)</div>
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Thank you all for reading this blog! In the future, we will be posting our travel writing and other reflections, as well as additional photos and videos documenting our journey. </div>
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Everyone had a wonderful and transformative experience. Every student embraced the experience for all it was worth and always conducted themselves with respect and enthusiasm for this unique opportunity. We thank everyone who made this trip possible, especially the New England College Travel Away Program for funding our trip.</div>
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- Eric J. Simon, Ph.D.</div>
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Eric J. Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337823833460614084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1106960248956365763.post-33651064489823341212018-01-10T06:19:00.002-08:002018-01-10T06:19:26.975-08:00Day #6: Tortoises!<br />
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We spent this entire day on Santa Cruz, the 2nd largest but most populated island of the Galapagos. It was a bit shocking when we disembarked the boat to see so many people gathered in the center of town (to watch voleyball matches, a common pastime here). After so many days of seeing so few people, it felt so cosmopolitan! Santa Cruz is more built-up in a tourist-town sort of way - there are even a few traffic lights.<br />
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We began the day with a visit to a forest restoration project. Much of the natural ecosystem of the Galapagos has been displaced by agriculture, and this project aims to help restore some of the local flora. After learning about the operation, we were all put to work pruning young trees, preparing them for eventual transplantation. This facility can grow thousands of trees at once for reintroduction.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzvxal1sLJenlK19sC9DNQ2mmgwZ27XZEUkMfwDlEAgwXlW5UX5Xt4OPlHzgmSWR9bLQIs1jSuj-TL2tbDXQESy7J3C5xQftKjaS6dZfJsAFseeZ6scdpklYryMKIAAbsEmx3DXItjTuQ/s1600/2018-01-09_Galapagos_Day6_P1090330.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzvxal1sLJenlK19sC9DNQ2mmgwZ27XZEUkMfwDlEAgwXlW5UX5Xt4OPlHzgmSWR9bLQIs1jSuj-TL2tbDXQESy7J3C5xQftKjaS6dZfJsAFseeZ6scdpklYryMKIAAbsEmx3DXItjTuQ/s400/2018-01-09_Galapagos_Day6_P1090330.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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It was nice to be able to give back to this beautiful region that has given us so much fulfillment:<br />
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From there, we drove to an area to view Galapagos giant tortoises in the wild. This was a moment that many of us had been anticipating from months! We were not disappointed, being "greeted" by a tortoise in the road as we drove to the site:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1t6NbyKN31Q3L15KNbbZyA8VkVT17FXfdYtIqz1YiULOWjZYIcLSZu9OBapuCN3H737efwDCeCLv8Q53CGxmNccpi-dqlgI-RP-qUukgph0LcwLY7LMpYIO7fjWqDZ3Yyq1GtWeI6uZQ/s1600/2018-01-09_Galapagos_Day6_1K3A9293.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1t6NbyKN31Q3L15KNbbZyA8VkVT17FXfdYtIqz1YiULOWjZYIcLSZu9OBapuCN3H737efwDCeCLv8Q53CGxmNccpi-dqlgI-RP-qUukgph0LcwLY7LMpYIO7fjWqDZ3Yyq1GtWeI6uZQ/s400/2018-01-09_Galapagos_Day6_1K3A9293.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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At this time of year, the tortoises spend their days grazing on abundant grasses in the highlands. We began our tortoise education with a guided walk through the area:<br />
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We explored some large lava tubes that had formed in the area. These are tunnels left behind after molten lava rushes through an area, cooling only around the edges. We had seen several such tubes on other islands, but none that were large enough to walk through:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieYBzQlQK2EE7JBTDcwt0vZEp-vVkCafh4ml-zuMbU3G5XSf5cc83gRqcMXOb1GFtaDbYvhJNZuMm3VrLrK5_6z4ObQIM8XlZq7hY5g_WGJZPWZUO4eq40o1GbIC6GWsSAOjRtNg289HI/s1600/2018-01-09_Galapagos_Day6_1K3A9310.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieYBzQlQK2EE7JBTDcwt0vZEp-vVkCafh4ml-zuMbU3G5XSf5cc83gRqcMXOb1GFtaDbYvhJNZuMm3VrLrK5_6z4ObQIM8XlZq7hY5g_WGJZPWZUO4eq40o1GbIC6GWsSAOjRtNg289HI/s400/2018-01-09_Galapagos_Day6_1K3A9310.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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We were given free reign to explore the wooded fields which were dotted with giant tortoises. They ranged in size from about 2 feet across (measuring the long axis of the shell) to about 4 feet across. Some were shy and would withdraw into their shell as you approached. Others didn't seem to notice or care about our presence at all. Most were eating grass, some were wallowing in mud, and some were slooooowly traversing the landscape.</div>
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For many of us, today was a bucket list item fulfilled. I didn't' expect to see so many tortoises, and nothing quite prepares you for how big and awesome they are.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkiytNv95078nBOZcFsZ4TC5hUWQQ2QkeQZvLIyi-sHfY2vyCqaQGCsU1iQj2uCa526I3FSQFYrxGa-89Ci8x6NHMO9embVdWPr0j0VNhc9FNzRZtPPtK1xGxp9g9eJQHbF-gFMt7f7AU/s1600/2018-01-09_Galapagos_Day6_1K3A9449.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkiytNv95078nBOZcFsZ4TC5hUWQQ2QkeQZvLIyi-sHfY2vyCqaQGCsU1iQj2uCa526I3FSQFYrxGa-89Ci8x6NHMO9embVdWPr0j0VNhc9FNzRZtPPtK1xGxp9g9eJQHbF-gFMt7f7AU/s400/2018-01-09_Galapagos_Day6_1K3A9449.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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We left to highlands and returned to the hotel for a brief rest. We changed into beach gear and headed out on a 3km hike to a famous beach called Tortuga Bay:<br />
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We relaxed in an inlet with calm, warm, shallow water. It felt great to chill for a few hours, enjoying the warmth, sand, water, and of course the ubiquitous wildlife:</div>
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Located along a black lava cliff that bordered the swimming area, we were able to explore a cactus forest. This was a truly unique area featuring cacti up to 30 feet tall, some with cinnamon-brown trunks, and most sporting yellow prickly pear flowers.<br />
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We boarded a boat for a ride back to the main harbor. The rest of the day was spent lazily enjoying the culture of the islands, watching sea lions frolic everywhere, enjoying some local gelato, resting and talking by the pool, reflectin on our day and our journey, eating a nice dinner at a restaurant overlooking the harbor, touring a local artisan craft market, and (as usual) retiring early.</div>
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I was once again struck by the unique beauty of the Galapagos. The landscape is so varied, and so beautiful in absolutely unique ways. It's amazing to consider the tremendous variety that we had witness - and we've only been to four of the islands.<br />
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Tomorrow is our last day on the islands, so look for one final blog entry from the Galapagos! Thanks for reading.<br />
<br />Eric J. Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337823833460614084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1106960248956365763.post-2707031172933681322018-01-09T19:46:00.000-08:002018-01-09T19:46:54.492-08:00Day #5 - January 8th, 2018: Endless forms most beautiful<br />
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Greetings from the Galapagos! I am writing this blog entry from the island of Santa Cruz at the end of day #5. Please allow me to update you about our 5th day of the trip, a day filled with beautiful creatures.<br />
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We began the day with our latest start of the whole trip: 9AM. Most days we've been meeting by 7AM, so everyone was quite glad to have the extra time to sleep in and relax after our somewhat grueling hike of yesterday. Everyone in the group has been so great about embracing the experience and staying focused on our mission. In fact, I think I may need to encourage the students to be a bit more adventurous at night, to take in the local culture while we can.<br />
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Our day began with a bus ride to a nature sanctuary. We walked along a wooden plank walkway while our guide Marlon taught us about the habitat and ecosystem. Here we were able to observe the native flamingos, as well as the usual iguanas (which are much more abundant on all of the islands than any of the realized!):<br />
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We walked across the street to a stunningly beautiful beach. We watched iguanas swim and fight for territory, pelicans dive, and bright red/yellow/orange/black crabs dart along the pitch black lava rocks:<br />
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We all could have stayed at that beach all day! But instead, we drove across the island back to the pier where we first arrived.<br />
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We boarded a small boat to take a tour of the bay and surrounding small islands:<br />
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As we toured the area, we saw several creatures that were on our list of targets for the trip, such as the Galapagos penguin (the only species of penguin that lives north of the equator) and the famous blue-footed boobie:<br />
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The wildlife was pretty amazing, even from the boat. We soon landed on the small island of Tintoreras and were immediately greeted by a sleeping sea lion:<br />
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We followed paths through a truly unique landscape of black lava rock dotted with white lichen backed by green sea and blue skies. I've been a lot of places in the world, but I've never seen anything quite like this!</div>
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We visited sea lion nesting areas, and viewed a channel in which local black-tip reef sharks gather for rest:<br />
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After boarding the boat, we motored out a short way and donned our snorkel gear for our final underwater excursion of the trip.<br />
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We snorkeled for over an hour and were not disappointed by the abundance of fish, sea stars, urchins, lobsters (including a blue one) turtles, and countless other species:<br />
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It was our longest and best snorkel of the trip! After boating back to the island, we quickly showered and changed in the hotel and then walked for a nice local lunch (featuring some wonderful sour orange juice and dessert). We then backed up to bid goodbye to Isabela (which was, I will confess, my favorite island).</div>
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We boarded the speedboat for a 2 hour trip to Santa Cruz:</div>
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We arrived in the late afternoon to the main city in Santa Cruz, which is the 2nd largest and most populated island in the Galapagos. We checked into our hotels and had an hour or so to "stimulate the local economy" (i.e. shop for souvenirs) before enjoying a nice local dinner and, as usual, an early bedtime.</div>
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Thanks for reading! Although minor injuries are accumulating (sunburns, scrapes, blisters) everyone is fine. The group is getting along splendidly. Everyone is busy writing and completing their work. It's a great group!</div>
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Eric J. Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337823833460614084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1106960248956365763.post-39477778291844893562018-01-09T11:26:00.005-08:002018-01-09T11:26:40.539-08:00January 9 2018 - Santa Cruz, Galapagos!<br />
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Greetings from Santa Cruz! The Internet connection is very bad here so I have not been able to update the blog. Please know that everyone is well and happy. I will try to update by Wednesday night (when we are on the mainland). Until then, trust that all is well with everyone. We love the Galapagos!<br />
<br />Eric J. Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337823833460614084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1106960248956365763.post-59588318793479309312018-01-08T05:37:00.002-08:002018-01-08T05:37:39.398-08:00Day #4 - Jan 7th 2018: Volcano hike<br />
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Greetings everyone! I am starting this blog post at 10PM on Sunday January 7th, 2018, the end of our 4th day on the trip. I may or may not get to post it tonight, depending on the Internet situation (which is very sketchy at best!).<br />
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Today was quite a day! Several students woke up early to catch the 6AM sunrise (fun fact: being on the equator, the sun rises and sets here at 6 every day). We gathered for a nice American-style buffet breakfast. By 8AM, we met with our guide Marlon who stepped us through the day. He urged us to pack light, bring a raincoat, and bring at least 3 bottles of water.<br />
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The bus drove us part way up the island's main volcano Sierra Negra. After we parked, we found ourselves in a cloud forest, with a fairly thick and cool fog surrounding us.<br />
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Our guide led us on the hike. We started on a fairly smooth pathway of crushed volcanic rock.<br />
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We hiked for about 2 hours, mostly uphill. We soon rose above the fog. Everyone put away their raincoats as we walked toward the rim of the volcano.<br />
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We stopped to rest and have snacks at a lookout point. The view was impressive. We stood on the edge of the cauldera (a crater made from a collapsed volcano) that is about 9 miles by 11 miles. We could see where the lava had escaped from a fissure and spread across to form the large, black, uneven lava fields:</div>
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This was a truly magnificent site! From there, we continued to hike upward and along the rim until we reached a picnic area. There we stopped for a light lunch (or, really, elevensies). Our guide Marlon explained that we would now enter the vigorous portion of the hike, approximately 2 miles each way across lava fields. Nearly everyone chose to go, with a few folks bowing out due to nagging physical issues.<br />
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The portion of the hike was quite different. We found ourselves in a moonscape of colorful jagged rocks arranged in large mounds, with lava tubes and collapsed basins. The occasional cactus dotted the otherwise barren landscape:<br />
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As we continued along the trail toward the peak, the landscape became increasingly barren. But colors started to emerge: deep purple, crimson, rust orange, and the occasional white and yellow streaks. Gazing around reminded me of a driveway oil slick: mostly black, but with seemingly random swirls of deep color.<br />
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After about 5 miles in total, we reached the peak of the dormant volcano. The 360 panorama offered views of all 6 of the island's volcanoes. The landscape was highly varied in color, texture, and shape.<br />
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Each individual rock seemed to have a story to tell, one of a fiery and recent birth:<br />
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We were only able to admire the view for about 5 minutes before it was time to begin our return journey. We trudged back across the uneven landscape, making each footfall with care to avoid twisting an angle or scraping against a sharp outcropping. We reunited with those who stayed at the rest area and completed out 10 mile hike. Many of us were sore and blistered, but everyone made the finish without complaint. Many offers of help were made: to share water, to carry a pack, to act as a handhold while emptying shoes of sand, to offer words of encouragement. The spirit of NEC and the class really came out during this walk, including that moment when several of our athletes challenged our guide to a sprint up one of the final hills (and took great pride in their victory).<br />
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Upon reaching the bus, we drove part way down the volcano to an organic fruit farm for lunch. We enjoyed the soup (creamy vegetable soup seems to be a mainstay here) and a buffet with salad, yucca fritters, potatoes, smoked chicken, and pasta. Dessert was a selection of fruit from the farm:<br />
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Afterward, we took a few minutes to enjoy the hammocks and admire the scenery before taking the bus back to our hotel. We had 10 minutes to change into snorkel gear. We visited a local lagoon for a "bonus snorkel" where we were able to observe the local marine iguanas swimming in the water, as well as numerous sea lions, fish, rays, etc.<br />
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We returned to our hotel in time to enjoy our final sunset on the island of Isabela:<br />
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We walked into town for dinner. As usual, the meal started with a creamy vegetable soup. And, delightfully, as happened the night before, they provided freshly popped popcorn as a garnish for the soup:<br />
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Is this an Isabela thing? A Galapagos thing? An Ecuador thing? A South American thing? We don't know! But we will keep you informed as the situation develops. Several people mentioned they plan to keep up the tradition upon arriving home. :-)</div>
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And this is what they call a "milkshake" around here:<br />
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After dinner, we split into those people who were very excited to get going on a well-deserved night's sleep and those who were excited to socialize for a while. Since I was a member of the former group, I cannot comment on the latter!<br />
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Thank you for reading. All is well. Aside from sunburns, bruises, and scrapes, everyone is healthy and happy. The trip is going as well as could be hoped and we look forward to our next adventure!<br />
<br />Eric J. Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337823833460614084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1106960248956365763.post-22128452651689137512018-01-07T05:27:00.001-08:002018-01-07T16:57:13.443-08:00Day #3: Three islands in one day<br />
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Greetings from Isabela, the largest island in the Galapagos. I am writing this blog at 7AM on Sunday 1/7 from the restaurant at the Isamare Luxury Hotel in the hopes of describing our past day.<br />
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Original post: Alas, the Internet connection is barely functioning, so I will post just this first paragraph to get word out. Hopefully I can update it more completely with photos later. For now, trust that all is well. Aside from a few sunburns, there are no issues, everyone is happy and healthy and having a great time.<br />
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Update: I believe I am able to get this out now, before dinner on Sunday.<br />
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Our day began on our first island, San Cristobal. After breakfast, we walked to the dock to board a speedboat for travel between the islands. Every time you travel from one island to the next, you need to submit to an agricultural inspection, one of many measures they take to protect the ecosystems on the various islands. We boarded a small water taxi to be shuttled to our larger boat.<br />
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The ride was about 2:45 from San Cristobal.<br />
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We arrived at Floreana, with 120 human inhabitants and considerably more red marine iguanas. These magnificent beasts, the most colorful of all Galapagos iguanas, are found nowhere else the world. We were all immediately transfixed, snapping photos and admiring their scales. One student later told me that she cried upon seeing her first marine iguana.<br />
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Our guide Marlon took on a walk along the seashore, explaining the unique geography, animals, and plants found on the island (many found nowhere else in the world). We hiked across black sand beaches and along paths of crushed volcanic rock.<br />
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The end of our hike was a large volcanic mound from which we could survey the island:<br />
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In the background of the previous photo, you can see our next destination: a blue/green water bay where we could snorkel with a wide variety of fish, sting rays, and most of all turtles:<br />
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After about an hour at this location, we didn't want to leave. The combination of black lava rock, white sand, blue sky, and green ocean was stunningly beautiful. Many of us felt that this was the loveliest spot we had seen on the trip thus far:<br />
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We walked back toward town and enjoyed lunch at a local establishment: soup, rice and beans, fried yucca (similar to fritters), fish, salad and fresh squeezed juice (which seems to be ubiquitous on the islands in a wide variety). It was very tasty and satisfying. As always, there was a different local hot sauce to add. We wrote postcards (to be placed in the famous mail barrel at the mouth of the bay) and enjoyed hammocks.<br />
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After cavorting with the red marine iguanas one last time, we boarded another water taxi that brought us back to our boat.<br />
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We motored about 1:45 (stopping at a small island that serves as a migratory bird nesting ground) to arrive at the island of Isabela, our third island of the day. Isabel is the largest island in the Galapagos chain. It is also the most volcanically active (in fact there was a magnitude 3.8 tremor shortly before we arrived) and is the 3rd largest in terms of population. We were met by a bus that brought is to our hotel. We had time to enjoy the sunset before walking into town for dinner.<br />
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We enjoyed another fine local meal. Most of us were dead tired by the time we returned to the hotel by 9PM. Most of us went immediately to bed, while others talked for an hour or so before turning in.<br />
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That's it for Day #3! Thanks for reading. Remember you can leave a comment below, and you can sign up to receive email notifications of updates up at the top.<br />
<br />Eric J. Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337823833460614084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1106960248956365763.post-92179869233293079212018-01-06T05:17:00.000-08:002018-01-06T05:17:03.844-08:00Day #2 January 5th, 2018 - Arrival and sea lions!<br />
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Greetings from San Cristobal, one of the inhabited Galapagos Islands. I am writing this entry early on the morning of Jan 6th, reflecting back on our first day on the islands.<br />
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We began the day at our hotel outside of Quito. Our travel schedule afforded us only about 4 hours of sleep at the hotel before rising for an Ecuadorian buffet breakfast, featuring foods both familiar and not, and lots of fruit:<br />
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We packed up and headed out to finally reach the islands:<br />
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We drove back to the Quito airport and flew two legs on Latam airlines, landing in San Cristobal, the easternmost inhabited island of the Galapagos:<br />
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After 33 hours of total travel time, the tropical air was warm and inviting. We passed through the rather strict entry process. They were very careful that we did not bring any agricultural products with us. They sprayed the overhead bins just before we landed. Every bag was inspected. It cost $100 just to step foot on the island. It is clear that they are taking great care to protect the ecological value of the islands.<br />
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We soon met up with Marlon, our guide for the rest of our trip. A short bus ride and we arrived at our Miconia hotel, located across the harbor on the main street of the island. Sea lions and bright red crabs could easily be seen from the balcony where we gathered for lunch (grilled tuna, rice, fries, and a local juice that they called "tree tomato").<br />
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After lunch, Marlon led us to the Galapagos Interpretation Center to learn about the flora, fauna, geology, and history of the islands.<br />
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Thus fortified with knowledge, we walked through a dry forest toward Playa Carola, a spot famous for snorkling with sea turtles and for large gatherings of Galapagos Sea Lions.<br />
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We really enjoyed watching the sea lions. The large males would bark loudly to defend their territory (don't get too close to them!). The pups would cry for their mothers and nurse. They were not shy around people at all, so we had to be careful not to accidentally stumble upon one.<br />
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We donned our snorkel gear and took to the water. Nearly half the class had never been snorkeling before, and two of them did not know how to swim. Despite any trepidations, every student entered the water and viewed the reef and fish. Although the visibility was not great (compared to the standards I am used to in Belize and Hawaii) we were treated to seeing several turtles, rays, and most wonderfully a young male sea lion who played with us. He would dive, roll, and blow bubbles. He seemed to respond to what we were doing and imitate us. It was a truly wonderful experience.<br />
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Around 5:30PM, as the sun was sinking low, we walked back to the hotel. We passed sea lions lounging everywhere; this island has the greatest concentration of them of any of the Galapagos islands.<br />
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The sun rises and sets reliable at 6AM/6PM year round, and it was dark by the time we gathered for dinner. We walked through town (which is a small sized tourist town, with lots of playgrounds and souvenir shops). We had a somewhat culturally incongruous northern Italian dinner (which did feature local seafood prominently) that was quite good. After dinner, we wandered through town a bit and all settled in early for bed.<br />
<br />
We all agreed that this was an epic day and well worth the journey! Yay Galapagos!<br />
<br />Eric J. Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337823833460614084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1106960248956365763.post-53241682983860997972018-01-05T05:50:00.001-08:002018-01-05T05:50:14.640-08:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">One
thing I am really looking forward to seeing/doing is:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">EJS:
Taking photos of the unique animals.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">MMC:
Snorkeling for the very first time!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">CRM:
Snorkeling, even though I have a serious fear of natural bodies of water. I love
sea life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">DD:
To walk in Darwin’s foot steps and see endemic plants and animals.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">KCD:
Taking pictures of exotic sceneries and animals. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">BS:
Seeing all of the animals <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">AB:
Seeing marine iguanas!!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">DS:
Seeing how the environment, land, atmosphere, food, and life is different than
in the United States<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">JL:
I most excited about seeing the animals, wildlife and the people. Where people
call home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">KB:
Snorkeling and exploring the islands<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">AA:
I’m very excited to just be there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">BP:
Snorkeling, Snorkeling, Snorkeling<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">One
thing I am really nervous/scared about is:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">EJS:
Keeping all the students safe!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">MMC:
Im nervous about becoming ill but optimistic that this will be an amazing trip either
way<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">CRM:
Snorkeling. There’s a very small chance, but still a chance, of something bad
happening…shark bite, jellyfish or manta ray sting, etc<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">DD: nothing!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">KCD:
Drowning or getting chased by a vicious animal<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">BS:
Drowning because I cannot swim<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">AB:
losing something important<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">DS:
Accidentally culturally insulting someone<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">JL:
Not getting enough sleep, I need to put “handle with care” on my forehead. And
I still can’t swim so…..<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">KB:
Getting sick<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">AA:
Getting sick as well<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Seeing sharks and not being able to swim faster than me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Eric J. Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337823833460614084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1106960248956365763.post-18785816203405040302018-01-05T03:48:00.003-08:002018-01-05T03:48:55.226-08:00Day #1: Travel day<br />
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Greetings from Ecuador! I m writing this post at 6:30AM (Eastern time, same as Quito time) on Friday Jan 5th, 2018, after a long travel day.<br />
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The bomb cyclone that walloped New Hampshire and the rest of the Northeast canceled our original 1:30PM flight (on Thursday 1/4) from Boston to Atlanta. Luckily, with advance notice, I was able to rebook us on a 6:55AM flight from Manchester NH to Detroit. After deicing, we were one of the last flights to leave Manchester that day, ahead of the worst of the storm.<br />
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Our new routing added 7 hours to our trip, traveling through Detroit on our way to Atlanta, and then connecting to our original flight to Quito.<br />
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After about 20 hours of travel time so far, we landed in Quito! We proceeded through immigration and customs (both easy and quick) and met Javier, our guide:<br />
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Javier led us on a 25 minute bus ride to Rincon de Puembo hotel.<br />
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We arrived at around 1AM, split into our rooms, and collapsed for a well-deserved night's sleep!<br />
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But alas, it was shorter than we would have liked. We were up for a 6:30AM breakfast at the hotel, which was quite lovely (from the little we could see!). The breakfast was quite satisfying and offered the first opportunity to dip our toes into the wonders of south American cuisine:<br />
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Thus fortified, we are ready for the final leg of our journal: the flights to the Galapagos!<br />
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Thanks for reading. Always assume that no news is good news. The Internet connectivity on the islands is quite spotty, so never assume that silence is a problem. Any comments that you leave will be read to the group.<br />
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Adios!Eric J. Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13337823833460614084noreply@blogger.com0