Bogota

We really wanted to spend more time in Ecuador but with ONLY 3 WEEKS LEFT (where did the time go?!) we decided to head straight to Colombia as everyone we'd met who'd been there loved it.

Instead of getting a 30 hour bus to Bogota, we treated ourselves to an hour and a half flight, much nicer! We felt welcomed immediately, with lots of people telling us where to get off the bus and one guy even walking us to our hostel door!

The area we stayed in was really cool

We stayed for 3 dyas and packed lots in. We went to the Gold Museum, with a collection of over 30,000 gold pieces. Pretty amazing to see sacrificial artefacts from pre-hispanic Colombia.

Then we went to try a local delicacy, cheese and hot chocolate. The locals put the cheese into the chocolate and then eat it. Sounds weird but as John put it...

"I like chocolate. I like cheese. I like chocolate and cheese." Can't argue with the man.

Next stop, was to get the cable car up Monserrat to admire the Cathedral at the top and the view of the city.

We also went to the Botero museum, an artist who makes everyone and everything in his paintings a little fat, well morbidly obese actually. Our favourite was Mona Lisa.

We fancied trying a new activity and found out that there was a climbing wall in town, so we went to test our heads at heights. It was pretty scary but great when you got to the top!

Always time for a photo

Made it! This photo doesnt do justice to how high it was! At least coming down was easy.

And afterwards, relax

We weren't as good as this guy

Every Friday from 5pm, no traffic is allowed down one of the main roads in the city and people come out to watch street performers, eat corn on the cob and have a drink. This event is called Septimazo and it's a great idea. So there we were watching some street performers when of course they pick the gringo Sarah to participate. Given 4 rings and a coat to hold and made to sit on a bin, while one of them walked around with a juggling knife, I had no idea what I was supposed to do and my Spanish wasn't good enough. Fortunately the police decided they needed to drive down the street after all and the performers had to break up the party so we never did figure out what my starring role was...

Before audience participation

We'd heard about a great steak restaurant/ nightclub called Andres Carne de Res and decided to go. We got a bus there with some other people, it took us at 10pm and said it would take us back at 3am, so no going back early!

The restaurant was amazing and we shared some great steak

Then time to hit the dance floor

Looking a little weary

After 3 hours sleep, it was time to get up for our 8 hour bus journey to Salento, the coffee region. At least we could sleep on the bus, if the bloody woman in front of us would stop singing!!!!! WHO SINGS ON A BUS!!!!

 

Islas Galápagos

Now it was time to follow in the steps of Charles Darwin and visit the Galápagos Islands!

We just couldn't go to Ecuador and not go to the Galápagos, but it doesn't exactly have a reputation for being a budget friendly place, so we had a challenge.

Step 1 - get to the island

First success, blow $500 each on return flights and then an extra $100 each just to get onto the islands... so far, doing well.

We really wanted to do a cruise and had read lots about booking cruises in advance on the mainland versus flying straight to the island and trying to wing a last minute cruise, hopefully getting a better deal. But with the latter you risk not finding a cruise or waiting for days for one to be available. We took our chances and flew straight there from Guayaquil after an overnight bus from Peru and we were nervous.

Step 2 - find a cruise

Luckily we found help from a super (literally) travel agent, Jorge who laid our options out for us.

The mask actually velcros into the hood

Two cruises were on the table, similar routes of the north islands (near and around the one that looks like a seahorse) but one was more expensive. So we went for the cheaper one which was leaving in 6 days time, perfect to let us do some day trips beforehand. And finally, breathe and relax...

So the next day, we booked ourselves on a day trip to San Cristobal to go snorkelling at three different sites. When we showed up we realised we hadn't actually asked any questions about what the tour involved as we'd been so tired the day before, but luckily it was one of the best days had we had on the islands!

Just from the boat we had dolphins chasing us and we saw a huge whale! Then we went to La Loberia to see the sea lions. Note, we had already seen sea lions as they are literally everywhere on the island, on benches, underneath tables, on the boats! We got to swim with baby sea lions who are so playful and cute and huge sea turtles.

An Adonis, and even more so in skin tight attire!

OK!

Just hanging out

Heading back out

Then came another highlight, seeing Galápagos sharks and stingrays at the next snorkel site, Kicker Rock.

Kicker rock is a great place to "sea" everything

Rays

Galápagos sharks

Yet more Galápagos sharks

Great first day!

The islands were much more populated and developed than we thought with 19,000 people living on the main island, Santa Cruz. And it's true what they say, that the animals just act as if the people there are annoying paparazzi, and I suppose we were...

Especially the owner of this camera lens...

The most surprising thing was this train that toured the island every night at extremely high speeds. We think it was for children but it was pretty terrifying.

Over the next few days we went to museums about the islands, we found out there used to be a prison on one of them! We went for hikes on volcanic rocks, saw giant tortoises at the Darwin Centre (sadly no more Lonesome George although no one has taken the sign down yet), visited Las Grietas, a gorge where we watched people cliff jump from 15 metres, visited lots of beaches, including Tortuga Bay and ate the freshest fish and plantain chips at the fish market.

Las Grietas, watching cliff jumpers

Pelicans causing havoc at the fish market

Enjoying the views at Tortuga Bay beach

Lots of marine iguanas keeping warm at Tortuga Bay

Tortoises at the Darwin Centre. The funny thing about this picture is it's male on male

And then it was time to board our home for the next 8 days, the King of the Seas!

Although one of the more budget options (and yes it was small), our guide was great and so was the food! And there were only 12 of us so we never had to wait to be taken to the islands.

We started by seeing some giant tortoises and even got to try out a shell for size

We saw loads of amazing birds including the infamos Blue Footed Booby

The blue footed booby doing its mating dance

And frigate birds, where the males blow up a red pocket above their chest to attract a mate

Courtesy of Aritz Ranero Gulliver

There's even flamingoes on the Glapagos islands

And hawks

And not forgetting of course, Darwin's finches (this is a cactus finch)

We saw plenty of marine and land iguanas

Marine iguanas

Land iguanas

Courtesy of Aritz Ranero Gulliver and his giant zoom lens

Some very fast moving crabs

Gorgeous sea lions

We have finally managed to work out how to insert videos. So here is our first blog video. Expect more to come!

"Mum!, Mum! I want milk! M-I-L-K!

And not forgetting the incredible volcanic landscapes

When you gotta go, you gotta go.

 

And then there was what lurked beneath... Luckily three of our group had GOPROs! Thanks guys!

We got close to some penguins

Lots of colourful fish

Smiling for its close up!!

John disrupting the school

Catching a ride on the turtle

Sea lions

With an itchy nose

Stingrays

A mantaray the size of a car!

White tipped sharks

And turtles

Sarah snorkelling with turtles

While we are on a roll, here is another video. Although, on this one we haven't learnt how to edit out the bits that make Sarah look like Eric the Eel.

What can we say, Galápagos, you were great!

John clearly not grasping counting to 3 and THEN jump