Living the Island Life in Santa Isabela

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July 21

The final chapter of our journey is finally here. The group is sad that the trip is winding down, but they could not be more excited to change their sweatshirts for bathing suits and finally be at the Galápagos Islands after looking forward to it for the past three weeks. After leaving Cotopaxi National Park to head back to Quito for a brief stay, we headed to the Islands on Tuesday and arrived on Baltra Island. After a quick ferry ride to Santa Cruz Island, a few hours exploring, and a delicious lunch, we headed off to the final destination of the day.

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It was a two-hour boat ride on a beautiful sunny day that led us to Santa Isabela Island where we would spend the next several days. We arrived to our beachfront hostel and everyone spent the rest of the day enjoying themselves on the beach and walking among all of the wildlife, which included sea lions, crabs, marine iguanas, and a plethora of birds. On our first full day we had our first couple excursions which included kayaking in the ocean and snorkeling. On both of these we were able to see many more animals including penguins, blue footed boobies, sting rays, and sea turtles. Then in the afternoon we headed over to a turtle conservation center where we learned about the many types of turtles native to the island and heard a bit about their tumultuous history. We even got to see a few of the newborns that were so small they could fit in the palm of your hand.

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Today we kept the adventure going as we embarked on a hike around the biggest crater on the Galápagos. The hike was a great mix of views, history, and educational facts shared by our wonderful guides. The Galápagos were formed due to volcanic activity and still remain full of volanoes, with Santa Isabela having the most. The group all hung in there and had a great time on our six-hour hike that spanned 10 miles! We spent the rest of the afternoon with some well deserved rest on the beach and at the hostel.

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We head on to our next destination, Santa Cruz Island, early in the morning tomorrow. We look forward to keeping you all posted about our adventures!

Abrazos a todos,

Blake & Jaimie

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