San Cristobal - still here

It's hard being me :-)

Another freebie beach, another arduous hike, to be met with another practically deserted (stunning) beach - Playa Baquerizo. I saw frigate birds here, locally known as scissors ✂️ birds because their tails look like opening/closing scissors as they fly. I swam amongst a shoal of giant rainbow/unicorn coloured fish with an inner big grin. (If I smile, water seeps into my mask).

Today is National Ice Cream Day. I kid you not. But, to be fair, no one here could consume more ice cream than they usually do. I wouldn't be surprised if it featured on its own line in the GDP summary (Gross Domestic Product).

I ventured out onto the once daily public bus on a Sunday to the other side of the island. Beach. Check. Walk. Check. Man-made turtle breeding centre...check. Not really required anymore because they did such a great job of reviving the turtle population in the wild. It was after lunch, so the turtles were napping and hard to spot. Finally, got to El Junco, a freshwater lagoon in a volcano crater. It had been raining and a fog descended. Visibility was maximum 10 metres. Climbed to top of volcano and saw nothing. Doesn't matter because I have seen a photo and know what it looks like :-)

One man joked his wife could push him off the top and inherit the life insurance. I think she was considering it.

There are tsunami escape routes signposted everywhere. Not unique, of course, but very different to signage in Folkestone and Plymouth :-)

Apparently, you can't own a car here unless it is a taxi or for work (eg the fishermen have vehicles). People use mopeds a lot.

Cute: Postbox holds postcards written by tourists, addressed without stamps. The idea is other tourists take the cards they can post or hand deliver in their own county. I looked through but decided against it as I won't be in England for a while.

My last night here, I am sitting at a cafe and a girl I met in Cuenca recognised me. My Prisoner Cell Block H hair style still making me instantly recognisable. We had a good chat for a couple of hours which was nice after a few days of no company.

Off on the notorious Seasick Ferry tomorrow to Santa Cruz Island, to be collected by the animal rescue manager, ready to start work on Tuesday morning. Wish me luck, with my Spanish, I'm gonna need it.Leer más