Galapagos continued...

So the next day Fran, Ross and I booked ourselves on a boat to San Cristobal and that morning I sent Barbara an email saying that I hoped she would come to the island when she got back from her trip so that we could celebrate her birthday. Ended up bumping into her before we left and she said she was going to Isabella (in the opposite direction) and that we may not get to meet up. Was gutted, but had already got my boat ticket and wanted to spend last night with Fran and Ross, but also wanted to celebrate Barbara's birthday. Anyway, I worked out it wasnt feasible for me to go to Isabella and San C in the time I had left so we parted and Barbara said she may come over to San Cristobal, but was unsure.

So, the boat ride was bumpy and made us all feel sick but we got to the island and checked into our hostel. Sea lions everywhere and we watched them for a while and had some dinner, but we were all shattered (the heat and the curse of the two day hangover) and went to bed. Next day was their last day and we got up v early to go snorkelling. Was disastrous....sea too choppy (I got in, saw a couple of turtles, but visibility poor and was very rocky), then it started to piss down with rain and we all got the hump and went for breakfast. Fran and Ross left. I was bereft. Went back to the beach to see if the tide had come in and sat in the pouring rain watching their flight take off and waving to the plane...all so tragic, like a scene out of Castaway or similar.

Felt miserable, rain got worse, so went back to hostel for a shower and was forced to have a chocolate Magnum with nuts (NOT peanuts, but walnuts... delicious and dangerous) to cheer self up. Sat watching the sea lions for over an hour cavorting, fighting and barking at each other on the beach, and decided to change my flight for fear of throwing self off the pier in sheer boredom and loneliness.

Was just walking back to the hotel, when who should be walking by but Barbara! Was delighted. She´d changed her flight so she could fit in San Cristobal. Everything was right in the world and I was no longer verging on ending it all. So we booked a snorkelling trip and the next day headed out to Kicker Rock on a shitty and very unsafe boat in the hope of seeing hammerheads. Boat was dangerous, no ladder to get back on, but loved the snorkelling because have never snorkelled anywhere so deep before...no hammerheads to be seen and current was ridiculously strong, but was an experience, despite having to be hauled back onto the boat like a beached whale and nearly losing bikini bottoms in the process. An utter rip off at $50, and ALL of us ended up with food poisoning afterwards. Nevertheless had a nice day and eventually got back on land despite both the motors on the boat packing up.

Next day was Barbara´s birthday and we spent a lovely day on a beach called Loberia. Got there super early and got straight in snorkelling. Saw 5 huge turtles dozing on the bottom of the sea, a real treat, they let us get right up close. Beach was deserted and we ate our salami sandwiches and put the world to rights. Then the beach filled up (only a bit) and we got a lift back to the town and tucked into Mojitos to begin birthday celebrations. So, I got locked in the loo...only for seconds, but its my worst ever fear in the whole world....small spaces, no windows...and had a panic attack for all of 30 seconds before someone heard me banging and let me out. And we met Scottish Rob who had a beer with us and Swiss Harry and went off for dinner, followed by pool and cuba libres. Bought Barbara a badge saying "I love boobies" (v touristy I know, but had to be done in light of the blue footed ones) for her birthday and learnt about the potato famine, some of which is a bit blurry now. Had to say our goodbyes that night as was flying out the next day. Was sad to leave, but have made another very lovely friend, really good fun. So strange when you are travelling how you get to know people so very quickly in a very short space of time and do such cool things together.

So I flew back to Guayaquill, my most unfavourite city quite frankly and spent one night there before getting on a bus the next day to Baños....