Day 11: Galapagos to Guayaquil; Day 12: Guayaquil to Santiago

Day 11:  - Galapagos to Guayaquil

Quote of the day: How many people were on the 5:50am excursion?

Weather:    Hot on Baltra Island, humid in Guayaquil

Pics:   None

THB opts not to take the only excursion of the day, the one that leaves at 5:50am; THB thinks only the Canadian go-getters were there. Breakfast of half a bacon, cream cheese and toast sandwich and a small bowl of dry Trix.

Lots of arranging our belongings to get the non-essentials into the checked bag and what we need into our two carry-ons (the heaviest bag is our open tote which we hope won’t get weighed).

The boat moors right off shore near the airport. Boats are not allowed to dock on land, all transport to/from islands is via pangas, and so we are moved one last time via panga. Long wait in the airport, they have us there 2+ hours early. 

Easy two hour flight to Guayaquil, where the transfer (arranged, part of package) to Hilton is 5 minutes (THB thinks we could’ve used the hotel shuttle) and we are on an executive floor. The room is lovely, the wifi is sporadic (which makes it nearly useless); maybe there’s a floor for senior executives?

We arrange a van to shuttle us around town ($65): we walk the riverfront, see the giant iguana statue, eat at El Nuestro (think Tadich’s) for Ecuadorian food: THB has llapingacho (two eggs over easy on top of potato patties with peanut sauce in between and a sausage and small bistec on the side), DB has grilled sea bass, the table shares ceviche of different varieties (all very good), two cervezas, bottled water, $50 per couple. 

Before dinner, THB and DB visit a pharmacy to buy antacids. It takes the cashier at least (AT LEAST) five minutes to complete our sale since he does not have change for a $20, needs help from two other cashiers, and ultimately doesn't know how to  make change (this is Ecuador and US dollars is the local currency).

Guest Book Review: For Us Surrender Is Out of the Question: A Story From Burma’s Never-ending War, Mac Mclelland. THB found this book via LB’s blog, check out this link:

http://themacinator.blogspot.com/2011/10/mac-mcclelland-for-us-surrender-is-out.html

Day 12:  - Guayaquil to Santiago

Quote of the day: Is that really…?

Weather:    Warm with slight

Pics:   A few in Santiago

We’re on a 9:05am from Guayaquil to Santiago flight, so the agreement is to meet in the lobby at 6:45 for a 5 minute ride to airport. With another time change, the rocking of the boat embedded in THB’s cortex, and a later than usual sunrise, THB somehow wakes up at 5 and feels like he got all of 32 minutes sleep. At breakfast, DB recognizes someone she worked for at least 30 years ago when at Wells Fargo!

THB makes it through the morning buffet, barely, and after all the slow check-in at LAN, we get to the boarding area only 1.5 hours before the flight. Only! THB is dying….

LAN starts the boarding process, and we are on first as we’re in premium economy. OOPS, they get us on the jetway and then strand us for 20 minutes. No reasons provided. Then they bookend us at the other end: the plane lands and we wait 20 minutes for a part before the jetway is connected to disembark. In between the bookends THB gets some sleep on the plane and arrives feeling at least 40% of normal (it’s a low norm, as most of you know).

Because the US charges entry fees for certain countries, Chile reciprocates: $160/pp to enter. We pass empty pay caja after empty pay caja until finally THB spots a shadow in a booth behind us as we near immigration, where we use a credit card and charge our visas, have them stapled and stamped into our passports. At least they didn’t ask for hard currency!

Because of a scheduling change, our travel agent, Geographic Expeditions, is paying for the hotel tonight: Holiday Inn at the airport, which is right in the airport, across from the arrival drop off.

Opt to take the bus into town ($10 for the six of us) and walk to the restaurant. It’s late Sunday afternoon, early evening really, and Mother’s Day, so most stores are closed. Still, there are people walking around.

We dine at Bocanariz (mouthnose en ingles), a vinobar. Good news: the food is for most part outstanding: sea bass in a terrific sauce with polenta sticks, lamb done two Patagonian ways (a fave from our trip to Patagonia 6 years ago), great t-bone steak (S as usual goes for big meat and THB gets to gnaw on the bone after finishing his lamb; perfect combo), ceviche (oversauced), shared pistachio panna cotta, and 4 flights of wine tasters, one glass of sauvignon blanc (excellent) and an espresso, $90/couple.

Two taxis back, both on the meter; one group pays around $25, one pays around $50, same route. Hmmmmm….