Drinking on the first night in Franklin's bar (on the way to Las Grietas); Mary (in white) was a Schlumberger completions engineer from Venezuela - we tried not to talk about work. The dude on the far right was sailing around the world solo. Franklin (in red) has done that twice. He's a little weird.
Highlands tour the next day. I have no idea what the proper name for this thing was, but it looked like a mini hollow volcano. Apparently pirates stashed treasure in there in ye olde times.
... so I climbed it.
I hadn't actually expected the islands to be this lush
I always wanted to be Rafael, though Twenty-something Not-really-Mutant Capoeira Tortoises doesn't quite have the same ring as the original TMNTs...
My first tortoise sighting!
When they pull their head in, they make a "huuuuurrgh" noise. Apparently this isn't to be threatening, you try pulling your head into your chest cavity quietly.
In a lava tube - a 1km long tunnel
Back on the horse
This fella was a monster, there's also a really big tortoise behind him
At this point I understood why Mary wanted to swap horses. It's not what you might (or I instinctively did) think - it's the horse's mother.
North Seymour Island boat trip
Sea lion pup
Marine iguana and a sea lion pup lounging
Blue footed booby
Mini lizard
Bloody huge male land iguana
Big sea lion male (bull?)
Apparently we were quite lucky to see this turtle nesting before dusk - now on a beach near Baltra (same day trip)
And when you're finished with your pelican, you can fold it up for easy storage
Frigate birds and pelicans going nuts at the fish gutting table in Puerto Ayora
My pals - Kristi and Michelle - on our hike up to Media Lune (a hill shaped like half a crater... or moon)
Up the top in the mist and rain
Iguana in Tortuga Bay
Swimming iguana in Tortuga Bay
Iguana party
Cactus forest in Tortuga Bay
Fisherman returning with the day's catch of goatfish
Mini tortoises!
Lonesome George (in the pool) is the last tortoise from his island. He's also really gay and won't poke the two females he has at his disposal.
Last day in Puerto Ayora - finally not overcast
My sea lioness friend
Las Grietas - gorge near Puerto Ayora with stunning crystal clear water
