Last day of the holiday

Had a few hours in the morning before we needed to go to the airport so we headed off to the Miami Zoo. Such an inspired design and the animals all looked really content in the very large enclosures. However with 80% humidity and the temp over 30, we called it a day after 2 hours. Ross got to feed the pelicans


and pose on a large version of the Lava Lizard he found so enticing in the Galapagos.


So our final picture really says it all and we have mixed feelings about heading home, sad because the holiday is over but excited about the next chapter on our lives. So much to do when we get home and get organised for my new role which starts in October.
So as they say in Ecuador "hasta la vista amigos" thanks for joining us on our travels and we will see you back on the other side of the ocean.



posted by the Krige family

Return to Miami

We landed just before midnight and then had an hour at immigration where there were just 4 officers on duty, which they take very seriously.
This time we have another tank, a Nissan Pathfinder and arrived at my aunt's at 2am. Nice to sleep without rocking.
We had planned to go to the beach for the day but there were thunderstorms and torrential rain again. So we went to the Dadeland shopping centre and I went looking for a few new things for work. I am not good at co-ordinating outfits so was delighted when the personal style adviser offered to help. Ross was a trooper and sat in the change room where I must have tried on 40 different garments which could each be mixed and matched. Took a couple of hours and Trevor sat patiently in the strategically placed couches outside the door. I have used up all my brownie points and don't think either boy will come shopping again with me for a while. Bought 9 items which have 16 combinations. I wish I could find someone like that in the UK.
Still raining so I packed the cases whilst enjoying a glass of wine and chatting with Aunty Lindy. She made tacos for supper proudly wearing her boobies apron which we had bought her.


Aunty Lindy also tried to fix Ross's hair. In a fit of temper at his fringe, in Quito, he had taken the scissors from the first aid bag and given himself a haircut. We had repeatedly said not to do it etc etc but our stubborn son learns best from experience and now has a fringe cut to 1 mm which will take a few months to grow out. He obviously realised two thirds of the way across that perhaps this was not such a good plan and his parents were right, and had stopped. So Aunty Lindy finished the job, school photo will be delightful this term!


- posted by the Krige family

Centre of the World, the equator

We were only flying back to Miami late on Monday evening, so we packed all our shopping and cases and decided to go to visit the Equator and see a bit of Quito.


Brilliant experience as not only do you have the monument and line drawn on the ground but they have a little centre where they do all experience with you.


We were all enthralled and watched the impact on water running from a sink when placed on the north side, south side and then on the line. There were 2 interactive ones, firstly the Krige family all proved to be eggsperts. On the line, it is possible to balance a raw egg on the head of a nail. We all had a go and managed to balance it and got an eggcelent certificate.


The second involved clasping your hands above your head and resisting whilst another pulled them down. So the tiny guide tried this with Trevor on the north side and was left dangling. Once Trevor was standing on the line, with one hand she just pulled his arms down. Weird.


On the equator line you are at the widest part of the world so have the least gravity and in fact way a kilogram less. I need to live on that line!
Lunch on a roof top terrace in Quito and then a rush to the airport.





- posted by the Krige family

Back to Quito

A sad farewell to the crew and the friends we made on the Letty. They had us packed up and off the boat by 8am and we wondered around their small history and environmental museum.
There was an exhibition on the natural resources, recycling etc and they had on display these recycled art projects made by the local community school. Great idea for a school project.





We wondered around the St Christobel main street and harbour and did a bit of last minute shopping and looked at the news. Earthquake and hurricane on the east coast of the States, Apple CEO resigned, Market plummet, opposition leader of Canada dies, Gaddafi deposed. Goodness so much happened in the world whilst we were "off the grid".
Air flight the reverse of the way we came with a stop in Guayaquil to offload passengers and then climbing up to Quito with a sad farewell to fellow passengers from the boat who were all going different ways in Quito.
Was delighted to see our guide Antonio who returned us to the same hotel. How times have changed, when we normally travel we are rather gung-ho in organising ourselves and finding our own way but it is so reassuring to have someone to take responsibility for you.
We took a $2 taxi to a recommended restaurant and Trevor ate a massive T-bone steak which he declared the best ever. No alcohol sold in restaurants on Sundays.


- posted by the Krige family

Ross in the Galapagos (pics for the grannies)

The babies of the Galapagos

A few pics of the babies we have come across this week.

Espaniola and the great albatross

Over lunch the boat travelled around to the west side of the island where the albatross were nesting and also had their runway. Such gorgeous birds which are so elegant int he air and so clumsy on ground. The landings and take offs were just like the albatross in the kids movie The Rescuers, with them stumbling onto their tummies once they had landed. The sea iguanas there were more red and a brighter green as a result of the algae colour which formed the basis of their diet.
Stunning 2 hour walk which included magnificent cliffs, a blow hole and blue footed boobies.















- posted by the Krige family