February 18 Friday 2011 Day 10 Ecuador

Up again at 4am. The hotel has a huge breakfast. We get out flight for the Galapagos with a stop over in Quayequill for a short time. We are met by a certified naturalist, Joe.A bus arrives to take us to our boat The Queen of the Galapagoes. Then we get on a tender to the boat. On our way we see our first blue footed boobey. Yes they really have blue feet. We get time to freshen up before lunch the we get back in the tender to start to explore the Galapagoes. We get in the tender again and go to Santa Cruz island . Here we get a bus to take us around the island .We stop and hike in to see the collapse craters. We are in a scalesia forest. We get to see the famous Darwin finches and the Galapagoes doves with red feet. Back on the bus and stop to see the lava caves. Here we see a coffee plant too. Then hiking further comes the best part the Galapagoes turtles. My are they big. We were able to get very close and got some good pictures. We had a break stop with offerings of tea ,coffee ,juice, and some rum. Our bus is waiting and we return. We have just enough time to freshen up before our welcome cocktail before dinner with a briefing for tomorrow.

REMEMBER-Life is an adventure in forgiveness.