For two months of travel through Peru and Ecuador, I wondered if i would spend the $ and fly out 600 km. to the Galapagos islands.

The Three weeks spent there were some of the best of the whole four month South American trip.  After spending a week on a boat touring and visiting most of the major islands, seven of us hired a boat and went out to one of the outlying islands (Isla Isabela). There we stayed in cabins right on the ocean for about $3 a day.  We were the only "gringos" on the island, and for meals we had to stop by the outdoor cantina several hours before mealtime and let them know how many would be coming by!

One day we decided to take the long horseback ride up to an ancient volcanic rim.  We spent a few hours getting there, then several hours on foot exploring the cinder fields.  The place was like a lunar landscape.

On the way back, both Anne and I had fast horses. After trotting several times, she took off in a gallop.  Seeing how it was my second time on a horse, I decided to race her. The closer I got, the faster she went. While blasting through a small mud bog, my ass slowed down abruptly, but I kept going!  I was airborne!  Luckily I held on to the reigns, so that dude didn't get away.  If he had, he would have gone all the way down the mountain without me!  Stupid horse!

Two weeks later I had a slower horse on some backcountry roads in coastal Costa Rica.  That dude just would not go, until I got him on the beach.  There he went like heck.

The galapagos were awesome.  I have to put some photos up SOON!

Page created and updated by Tim Driskell; January 1999     (page me here; ICQ# 20756120)