Once again I pack up all my things and get ready to depart, a little concerned that Fabian has heard nothing from the tour company about the arrangements for my pick up. This is not completely unusual in South America but still when you are the one being picked up it is good to know they are thinking of you...:)!
As no one has arrived by the time the others leave to go to the Charles Darwin Research Institute, I agree to tag along. It was great to see the giant tortoises, including Lonesome George, and to hear the great work they are doing there supporting the continuation of this species. The tortoise eggs are hatched in a cabinet heated with a $20 hairdryer. Depending on the temperature the eggs are heated to, determines if the resulting tortoise is male or female. Female is the focus naturally to assist increasing the population.
After our trip here, we have free time in town. I go straight to the TAME Airline office to see what time my flight was booked. Apparently there was no flight booked for me today so I ask TAME person that was helping me to make a booking for the next day. She did this without any problems. I then go to find some internet access (as I don’t have mobile coverage in Ecuador) to contact the travel company and ask what the arrangements are. I also need to contact my travel agent to change my flight from Ecuador to Costa Rica as there is no way I can make the early flight that I am booked on. I also have to make a reservation for a hotel as I get into San Jose (in Costa Rica) about 11pm. After trying the “fastest” internet cafe in town I give up and go to a cafe that has free wireless. It was worth the cost of a coffee and snack as the speed was much better. There is another passenger, Andrew, leaving after the tour into the highlands this afternoon and I wonder if I was meant to go with him? I don’t hear anything back from the companies involved before I have to leave for lunch on board. I gather my things after lunch, as are the arrangements for Andrew and we drop all our things off at his hotel (and now mine), the Red Booby, where I book a room (an unexpected $122 a night). When I finally hear back from the travel companies that afternoon, they are very apologetic and start investigating what happened.
Fabian suggests I come along to the afternoon tour as the minivan is going anyway. Im glad I did. It was a totally different perspective of Ecuador. We go to a property where the giant tortoises go to breed. At peak times of the year there are many tortoises throughout the fields and tourists are able to meander unguided around the fields spotting giant tortoise. As there are not so many left at this time of year, one of the property workers rides on horseback and spots the tortoises for us. The property has been in the same family for many years and is quite beautiful with green rolling hills. At the end of the tour we are treated to free lemon grass tea, coffee or rum...which you can also try in your tea or coffee. For some reason a couple of us think this is a good idea. We look at one another as the host pours a significant shot into our lemongrass tea. We take a sip and feel like we are about to combust. Both of us are very generous with offering a taste around the rest of the group but I think they are on to us as we don’t get many takers! Despite a big effort we cannot drink the concoction and discreetly leave it on the side as we leave. On our return trip we stopped at lava tube, the biggest in Ecuador apparently. After spending some time in the fields spotting tortoises, we are amused to come out and find one at the back of our mini van, just sitting there as we are about to leave!! We head back into town. Andrew and I say our goodbyes to the rest of the group and agree to meet for dinner. I head off to see if I have had any responses from the travel companies and confirm that I will have a way home tomorrow. Andrew and I have a lovely dinner and share a crème brulee which was so delicious we discussed sharing another!! We are strong and dont. Andrew has a very exciting adventure coming up. He is doing 6 months volunteering in a remote area in the Amazon working with animals and different villages.
Thinking we have everything sorted we get back to the hotel and call it a night. There is another phone call to the hotel telling me I should make my own way to the airport. I question why I cant go with Andrew as there is a car arranged for him and I am entitled to an airport transfer as part of the tour. Andrew and I had agreed to share the car. As our flights are half an hour apart they insist I go in a separate car. Nothing green about this arrangement. I question it and they check again. For each phone call the receptionist at the hotel has to get me to come down to the office for as there are no phones in the room. After several phone calls it is confirmed that I have a ride to the airport. I keep Andrew up to date with the developments and we agree to have breakfast together and he will come early with me to the airport. We call it a night and I go to bed and wonder what turn the arrangements will take in the morning!
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