Galapagos - Puerto Ayora

Our fourth day on the islands. There are many day activities to choose from here which the rest of our tour group usually go on. We three have mostly stuck to the free ones (which are just as good) or invented our own.

Took our football to the local Stadium Municipal (pic) a long with a German called Fabian to shoot some goals there. Climbed Sierra Negra (a volcano) in the rain. Also biked to the 'Wall of Tears', where Ecuadorian convicts in the 50's had piled stones as punishment.

The locals have been welcoming but, being cynical, it does all feel a little forced. They see thousands of rich Americans every year and our group is really just one more herd to be milked of their cash. Everything is far more expensive than the mainland, and that can't just be down to extra transportation costs.

The islands packed with animals - birds, tortoises and lizards everywhere. You see far more of these supposedly endangered species than you would in NZ. I've never seen a wild kiwi in NZ before but almost stepped on a Galapagos tortoise yesterday.

Pics: (1) a tortoise - indescribably slow and would never, ever outrun a hare (2) the 'stadium' - could use some work (3) a bird (4) Louis chose the one boat seat without adequate cover.Read more