I had a really good weekend on Santa Cruz although I almost missed my boat on saturday morning because I overslept and was woken up 5 minutes before we were supposed to be at the pier. That added a bit too much drama to proceedings at 6:30 AM. The boat trip was 2 hours ish and when we arrived we headed in search of, first breakfast, and then a hostel to stay in. We ended up finding a really nice hostel for 15 dollars a night which worked out perfectly. After lunch we set off for supposedly the most beautiful beach in the whole of the Galapagos Islands, Tortuga Bay. It did not fail to live up to it's reputation. The sand was the whitest I had ever seen, the water was crystal clear and the beach stretched for 600 metres. Half of the beach is for surfers but there is a great place a little way down the beach to snorkel with schools of fish, turtles and baby sharks. We stayed there for around 2 hours before we were asked to leave by the conservation workers just before the sunset.
The next morning we got up early to visit the local tortoise reserve where until last June, Lonesome George lived, the most famous tortoise in the Galapagos. It was a sunday morning and so while the information centre was closed we still were able to walk around the reserve. We could only spend an hour or so there because we had to be back for 12 for lunch as at 1:45 we had booked a glass bottom boat trip. It was on the whole, a big disappointment. At the guide office, the woman told us we would drive through something called 'the shark channel' where hundred of white tip sharks chilled during the day and so we happily paid $35 dollars as she told us the glass bottom would allow us to see everything very clearly. However the guide only lifted the cover off the glass bottom once for 5 minutes in an area with nothing to see. When we got to the shark channel we had to get out and walk to a viewing point where we saw absolutely nothing. If I'd had a more comprehensive command of the Spanish Language I would have told him to take his glass bottom boat and shove it where the sun don't shine. The one redeeming feature of the trip was to 'Las Grietas', an emerald coloured water channel surrounded by rugged volcanic cliffs with platforms to jump into the water. We spent around 30 minutes there swimming and it really was beautiful. We then sadly had to return. I would definitely not recommend this trip to anyone, ever. In fact I would strongly suggest them not to go and then to tell everyone else not to go. Total rip off.
I returned back home to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno this morning, on perhaps the worst boat journey in my life. The water was extremely choppy and so we were all thrown around the boat like rag dolls. Though we did see Dolphins fully jump out of the water which cushioned the blow. You will all be amazed to hear that I have not touched a grain of rice in almost 48 hours and I am not suffering from any sorts of withdrawal symptoms. I fear however this lunch time it will be back to the same routine. I am now back in the school office about to prepare for my lesson this afternoon and I'm already starting to feel nervous about Arsenal's crucial home game tomorrow night. Alfie, I will be there in spirit with you bro. Until next time.
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