Day 1 London
My friend & I had been dreaming of Galapagos Islands for one of the greatest wildlife spectacles. One day we left home, boarded plane bound for Quito, Ecuador from London Heathrow Airport.
Day 2 Quito, Ecuador
The following morning we arrived Quito, capital city of Ecuador, an ancient Incan city from London via Bogota. The altitude of the city is 2850 meter. In spite of a long tiresome journey we both went out to explore old city on foot in the afternoon. We visited few nearby places to have a feel of the city and took some pictures. We returned to hotel in the evening.
Day 3 Quito, Ecuador
On day 3, immediately after breakfast we went out to explore the old city. Quito is a UNESCO World Heritage site, an oldest city in South America. Quito preserves much of its colonial atmosphere. We toured around with Quito City Explorer, a tourist bus.
In the afternoon we went out to watch the equator line which is not very far from Quito city. There are lots of activities available to enjoy in this area. e.g. one can stand on either side of the equator i.e. one leg in southern hemisphere and the other leg in northern hemisphere. We took lots of pictures but unfortunately lost those all. How we lost you can find the answers if you continue to read this post.
Day 4 Quito, Ecuador
On day 4, through a local tour operator we organised a visit to the north region of the city, a very well known large outdoor market Otavalo and Cotacachi. Transportation, driver & an English speaking guide were provided. The drive to get to Otavalo was a beautiful drive. We returned in the evening after spending well over eight hours with this tour.
A few words on Otavalo market. The market is advertised as a Saturday market, but it is back to operating every day, Saturdays are busiest. It features some of the finest woven products in the region; traditional Indian and Ecuadorian crafts and clothing; items such as alpaca blankets, alpaca scarves, alpaca jumpers and souvenir t-shirts. The prices were amazing too, and they were willing to negotiate. We found some great deals for gifts for our family here e.g. ponchos, sweaters, wall hangings and handwoven cloth.
Day 5 San Cristobal, Galapagos Archipelago
On day 5 our real journey i.e. Galapagos wildlife began. We flew from Quito to San Cristobal Island and immediately transferred to the expedition ship. This Island hosts frigate birds, Galapagos sea lions, Galapagos tortoise, blue & red footed boobies and marine iguanas.
Day 6 Santa Fe Island, Galapagos Archipelago
After cruising whole night we arrived in the island in the morning. After breakfast our resident guide took us out to see various flora & fauna. This island hosts the Galápagos prickly pear cactus, the Barrington land iguana and sea lions.
Day 7, Galapagos Archipelago
Today we explored one of the Galapagos Islands with zodiac.
Day 8, Genovesa Island-Galapagos Archipelago
On day eight, fourth day of the cruise, we arrived at Genovesa Island, also known as Bird Island, a beautiful and serene place known for its abundance of frigate birds and the opportunity to see red and Nazca boobies. Despite the peaceful surroundings, the journey to the island had been unpleasant due to rough seas and the rocking of the ship.
Early in the evening, during the daily briefing, we were warned about the rough conditions and advised to secure our belongings in preparation for a potentially tumultuous night. As we finished our dinner, we noticed that all the tables, chairs, and cutleries on the deck had been secured in anticipation of the rough seas.
Despite these precautions, the rocking of the ship became more intense as the evening progressed. Despite feeling uneasy, I tried to get a good night’s rest, not realizing the true danger that lay ahead. Little did I know that this would be a night I would never forget.
Day 9, Galapagos Archipelago
Fifth day of cruising in Pacific Ocean was a night of terror and uncertainty. As I lay in bed, trying to rest after a long day of exploring, a sudden siren blared through the ship, jolting me awake. I frantically grabbed my friend, urging him to put on his life jacket and grab his passport as we stumbled through the darkness, the ship rocking beneath us. With our hearts racing, we left the safety of our cabin and faced the unknown danger that lay ahead. It was a harrowing experience that I will never forget.
As I gripped the railing outside my cabin, the metal was slick beneath my fingers and the air was thick with the smell of diesel. My heart raced as I feared that the ship was on fire.
We made our way to the designated meeting point, where we found a crowd of fellow expeditioners already gathered. It was then that the full extent of the crisis became clear: the ship was sinking, and a rescue boat had been lowered to take us to safety.
But my friend was in shock, couldn’t persuade him to board the rescue boat. As I waited for him, the boat became full and began to pull away from the sinking ship. Desperate and fearing for my friend’s safety, I was forced to wait for the next rescue boat.
But disaster struck again as the ship’s electricity went out, and the rescue boat couldn’t be lowered. After what seemed like an eternity, the second boat was finally released, but by that point, the ship was tilting at a sharp angle, and the only way to reach the rescue boat was to jump into the Pacific Ocean and swim for it.
I knew I couldn’t wait any longer, and I jumped into the cold water. I swam as hard as I could, and with the help of the rescue crew, my friend eventually made it to the boat as well.
But our ordeal was far from over. As we huddled together in the rescue boat, we watched in horror as the ship tilted further and crashed into the ocean with a loud bang. Debris from the wreck floated all around us as another large rescue boat emerged from the depths of the sinking ship.
We were transferred to the inflatable boat, shivering and soaked as we tried to keep warm in the cold, windy Pacific Ocean. We waited for what seemed like an eternity as the emergency distress signal was sent out, praying for rescue.
Finally, a ship responded to our call for help, and as dawn broke, we were greeted with warm blankets and hot drinks as we were transferred to the Celebrity ship, where fellow passengers waited to welcome us with open arms. It was a night that I will never forget, a testament to the strength and resilience of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable adversity.
Day 10, Santa Cruz, Galapagos Archipelago
We spent three full days in Santa Cruz. The first day was spent in communicating with families, buying essential items and planning return home. On the second day we visited The Charles Darwin Research Station and spent some time watching an unusual fish market in Puerto Ayora. We had so much fun in the fish market just watching the interaction of the animals with the locals particularly the fish mongers. Sea lions wait to get scraps and have to fight off pelicans. Every now and then frigate birds will fly down and steal a filet from the table. Baby sea lions can be found just lounging in the pier while their mothers may be gone to the ocean for a week or two to get other food.
Day 11, Santa Cruz-Tortuga Bay & Las Grietas, Galapagos Archipelago
In the morning we arrived in the white-sand beach of Tortuga Bay from Puerto Ayora. It gets its name from the black sea turtles that lay their eggs here. Other species to be seen include white-tip sharks and marine iguanas and the salt lagoon behind the mangroves is often frequented by flamingos. The site is excellent for bird watching.
In the afternoon I went to Las Grietas accompanied by naturalist guide. It was super fun. I jumped into water and had a relaxing swim in calm water. The water felt very refreshing and it was so pretty, crystal blue water. I wasn’t able to snorkel as my snorkel gear went down with the ship. The naturalist guide explained how Las Grietas was formed.
Day 12, Santa Cruz, Galapagos Archipelago
Our last day in Galapagos Islands. We left Santa Cruz Island, arrived Baltra Island for onward flight to Quito. The tour operator arranged a get together dinner party before returning back home. At the same time we also celebrated birthday of one our fellow expeditioners. The whole tour, to put it mildly was an eventful, lifetime experience which I doubt anyone of us will be able to forget. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that I was reborn and now I do claim to have two birthdays.
