A Relaxing Yet Busy Day

I was looking forward to a lay in today but it's always the way that when you can you end up wide awake at 7am.

Even in Galapagos you can't escape the mundanities of life like laundry. Though we did find a place who do it for you for about a pound a kilo, so for £4 we just had to remember to pick it up in the afternoon.

This morning we walked to Tortuga Bay which turned out to be a long walk to a very long, white sand beach, which dozens of marine iguanas also liked. It was a 5 mileround trip, the distance was fine but there was little shade and the heat was intense. Afterwards we had to go back for a shower and change of clothes.

In the afternoon I treated myself to a haircut and then an ice-cream for a total of 6 US dollars. Equador uses the US dollar as it's currency.. You can do things cheaply here as long as you avoid the touristy areas. In the evening we ate at a local restaurant that always looked busy. Rice, beans, fish and chips and a fruit squash which they give everybody was £10 dollars for both of us. The previous evening's tip we left for our drinks and meal was the same amount.

The islands are expensive to get in to with a 20 dollar tax before leaving Quito, then a 200 dollar tax on landing in Galapagos and another 10 dollar tax to go to Isabella Island. Though given the number of travellers it seems the market can bear it and the locals do seem to benefit to some extent. Whether that is working for the Galapagos national park or more directly from tourism. This is one of the few places I've been where you don't see homelessness, people on the street with mental health issues or people begging.Read more