For the first time all trip, some of us enjoyed a bit of free time. Those of us who chose not to go on the "optional hike" did a little shopping, caught up on work, and contacted everyone at home. Adam, Bethany, and John were the only brave students to go on the hike. Apparently, it was the most trecherous hike yet. Parts of the hike were really steep and required spiderman climbing skills. John was not wearing proper footgear and slid down the mountain into some cacti. He seemed totally unphased. Throughout the course of this trip, he has proven himself to be one tough cookie.
Meanwhile, Katy, Bailey, Joe, Mary, and Mike tried some Italian cuisine. They had a serious debacle trying to pay the bill. Apparently, too much sun exposure has ruined everyone's basic math skills. Bailey revisited the Charles Darwin Station again with Mike. This time, they were lucky enough to see the tortoises in motion.
I was tempted to go on the hike but decided to spend the day walking around Puerto Ayora. Becca, Stephanie, Ashley, Lexi, and I shared some fantastic ceviche and quesadillas. We told ourselves that missing the hike was totally fine because we had a more "cultural experience." Honestly, I am so glad I spent the day exploring Puerto Ayora. This was our only chance to browse the shops, look at local artwork, and sight-see. Plus, we got some serious souvenir shopping done!
Tomorrow, we're off to Isabela. In order to get there, our group needs to split up and board two very small planes. Each of us are only allowed to bring 20lbs on board. Professor Shriver spent the afternoon arranging for our luggage to be shipped to Quito. For the remainder of the trip, we will have 1 bathing suit, 1 pair of shorts, 1 shirt, 1 pair of field pants, and whatever else you can fit. Tonight at dinner, we planned our strategy: wear your hiking boots and as many layers as possible on the plane.
The vibe tonight was a little weird. Downtime gave us the chance to miss home and think about the conclusion of this adventure. We're in agreement that we don't want to leave. Instead of coming home, everyone we miss should come to us....seriously, think about it!
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Deb, your writing is so descriptive and colorful! Thank you for giving us these details to savor and to smile about. The down-sized packing seems like quite a challenge. You will all be ready for the Appalacian Trail next! Enjoy this last precious week together and save up all those stories for us.
ReplyDeleteJulie