As we flew into Quito, the capital, Ecuador's landscape was stunning. From a vast dramatic mountainous landscape to really green hills and valleys, as far as the eye could see. I haven't seen such a diverse and impressive landscape from the air.
I'm not sure I capture it in this picture, but it seemed approprite to include to suit the story!
Quito itself......as I have just said, is impressive from the air. But once inside the city, the word 'pollution' immediatly hits....your nose. It is really bad. The Old Town is quite attractive, but we mainly hung out in the new town where there were great cafes and restaurants.
Anyway...I have to move on quickly to our trip to the Galapagos. Because this really was an incredible, once in a lifetime experience! G and A become one with nature......
Below is our boat, The Encantarda. Looks good from a distance doesn't it? A sailing motor boat. A nice rainbow in the background. But actually, the Encantarda was knackered! We just managed to finish our trip before it went out of service for repairs....so we were lucky.
ALEX: When we first arrived we were taken by dingy to our boat and motored past all of these huge, plush boats and finally the Encantada came into view, hiding sheepishly behind them all! It's seen (much) better days but it was home and we had a good time.
(GEORGE: Please note: A couple we met went to the Galapagos on an 8 day tour for their honeymoon. But their boat broke down after four days, so their trip was cancelled and they were sent home...just like that! No replacement boat. How gutted would you be? This is quite common though so be warned future travellers.)
GEORGE: So, the set up of our trip so you can all picture the scene; large breakfast, morning visit to an island, back to the boat for large lunch, afternoon visit to island with snorkelling, back to boat for large dinner and finally navigate at night - everyone is FAT and happy!
GEORGE: So, the set up of our trip so you can all picture the scene; large breakfast, morning visit to an island, back to the boat for large lunch, afternoon visit to island with snorkelling, back to boat for large dinner and finally navigate at night - everyone is FAT and happy!
Day one - my sea legs gave way to nausia at approximtely 1pm. But onwards and upwards....
ALEX: Always a good start. Fortunately my time in the SBS prevented this condition affecting me....
GEORGE: Below is our main man. Our guide 'Juan' - born and bred on the Galapagos. He was like a terrifying army officer who requested 'our co-oporation' 10 times a day, hated tourists and loved the wildlife.!!!!!!! But we liked him.
ALEX: SIR YES SIR!
GEORGE: There are a few things I didn't realise about the Galapagos. Just how far apart all the islands are (spread over about 200KM), how dramatically diverse all the islands are and finally, how unobtrusive you feel as a short stay visitor to the wildlife. After hoards of tourists have visiteed the islands over the years, they all seem pretty non plused now. Even the birds. Juan said they view us as animals, so I felt OK about the whole thing. Alex behaved like an animal!
ALEX: That last statement has no truth in it whatsoever.
ALEX: And if you don't, Juan will have you doing 50 push ups before you can say "oh look, it's a blue footed booby"
GEORGE: Perhaps I shouldn't say too much for those of you who intend to visit. So I'll just give snippits. And show you pictures of most of the wildlife we saw.
Tonnes of seal lions who were so cute. Despite the revolting belching noise they make.
Alex: I have finally found an animal to blame 'bodily noises' on. "George, we're getting a pet sea lion....."
Look boys, a sea lion using a stone as a pillow - how cute?
My favourite....a blue footed boobie!
.... and a masked boobie and a red footed boobie.
Below is me standing in a lava tunnel! Now, I'm not sure if you'd like me to go into the science of how these are formed, but...I can't be bothered and I'm sure using logic, you can work it out. But they are extremly impressive. For those who have never been in a lava tunnel, you'll have to take my word for it, as I appreciate you can see f*** all in this photo!
Tonnes of ugly Iguanas
Ummm...Alex!
I'm sure you can recognise all these animals, so I'm going to stop spelling them out for you. 
Below is 'Lonesome George'....the last one of his kind left in the world!
ALEX: He's approx 90 years old and the turtle sanctury are having real problems getting him to mate with female tutles. I suggested to our guide that they should try dressing up the female tutles to try and excite him a little. If it works, the world will have me to thank for continuing his blood line......
GEORGE: The colours on this island were beautiful. We visited it for sunrise.
And the 'G and A photography' prize goes to Mr Alex Weaving, who snapped this amazing shot of Frigate birds and a Boobie, fighting over food.
Ummm.... a crab.....eating what looks to be another crab!
ALEX: That's right ladies, it's me in a wetsuit! I was taking a break from filming my latest motion picture 'Only Alex Weaving can save us now' Take a minute and your heart rates will soon return to normal.......
GEORGE: Everyday there was amazing snorkeling. I have never seen such a variety of sealife, all of which you are normally less then 3 meters from; sea lions, sea turtles, white tip sharks, eagle rays, sting rays, yellow box fish, angel fish, parrot fish, yellow sergent fish, trigger fish.....ummm ugly fish. I could keep going, but....I want to tell you about the ultimate snorkel on the last day...
We had baby sea lions playing all around us and chasing pebbles and us - they were amazing. And when we started heading back to the boat, we looked below us to see a mahoosive school of eagle rays swimming below. I counted 40 before I gave up. It was an incredible sight. They were so close you could see all their detail so clearly. All they blue spots. Needless to say we ended our snorkeling on a massive high!
ALEX: I waited for 20 minutes to take this shot and managed to get it just right - for those of you who haven't worked it out, this is the boat's GPS system as we crossed the equator.
GEORGE: although back in Quito and exhausted, no rest for the adventurous. We went straight off to spend four long days in the Amazon rain forest. Basically I'm glad I did it, can tick the box.....a beautiful place to view from afar, but I'm just not a jungle girl! Far too many horrible large poisonous insects for me.
ALEX: The Amazon Hilton....
GEORGE: On the trek we met some 'jolly fun chaps' who became our drinking buddies once back in Quito. Fair play to Steve and Dan who took Alex's endless taunting (they were American!) on the chin!
ALEX: 'Hey Randy, this Quito is so quaint............' Top guys, thanks for a fun few days in Quito.
GEORGE: After Quito we went south to beautiful Banos where we did some AMAZING white water rafting. We then headed to the boarder of Peru..... wallop!
Uh-oh.....final chapter coming up!!!!
