GALAPAGOSES

Go to The Galapagos!! I promise the experience will burn into your memory banks forever more!

As soon as we arrived there were sea lions rolling around the boat and flocks of giant pelicans all around us, and people are just passing by.. like this shits no thing rand ere!?!

Our first night was quite a chilled one so we just mooched about...you know, sat on the edge of the peer with some sea lions, watching some baby sharks frolicing under foot!

The next day we trekked around Santa Cruz where we where staying, such a beautiful place to be. Even taking away all the wild life, just the beaches and clear waters are insane!

We went to see lava caves and lagoons, beach coves that can only be accessed by water taxi and the Charles Darwin research centre where we watched for longer than probably deemed acceptable, 2 tortoises have the sexy times...

We went on a trip to San Cristobal on our second day, which went about becoming one of my favourites ever!

Firstly we fully snorkel like professionals now, don a wet suit and flippers, the whole shindig! Once in our get up we went to a remote island and sat on a beach with no one around but a hoard of sea lions..

Then we snorkelled around the islands and saw some turtles and a sting ray..

Then we went ashore on the other side of the island and walked around with black land iguanas..

Then we went to Kicker Rock, to swim with sharks!!!

When we booked the tour the lady told us to hang back and not jump in the water first, as it'd be frightening to be the first to sight a shark... So naturally we were the very last out of the boat!

The waters were so deep that for a few minutes you don't really see anything, then things cleared and we realised there were about 5 sharks directly below us. The shitters!! Hahaaaa!

We were just coming to terms with the situ below, when a turtle floated by my face and almost touched me with its fin/arm/leg?! 

Then our guide shouted for us to follow him through the rocks and 3 sea lions swam past us, posing for pictures! If we rolled over, they did the same..and if we approached them, they'd act all nonchalant and do some loops and rolls and stuff.. we were basically hanging out, playing fooleries with some sea lions

We saw loads of tropical fish and manta rays too, and had to hide from a swam of birds that kept swooping in trying to have off with our snorkels... The whole time being rigidly awares of jaws at 6'oclock!

Basically they sensed we were hard, so we survive to tell the tale, AND fulfilled a bucket list item too.. 'Go To The Galapagos, don't poo yourself in a wet suit' CHECK!

Montanita

Soooo like Mancora, Montanita was a beach side surfers dream.. We don't surf, but like to watch those that do, so all was grand. We came here to kill some time before our Galaps trip, and ended up staying the week long!

This was the most authentically hobo-ish place I'd say I've ever been.. A good portion of the locals don't wear shoes at all, many have a fully formed head of shit locks, and they sell just about anything in a bid to laze around I recon.. Food, drinks, juggling skills, homemade narcs and cocktails from a cool box. Very chilled out and carefree times.

On our first afternoon we partook in a space cake on the beach.. It was about the size of a golf ball and had us in bed by 6pm! 

We randomly met up with Swiss friendlys we'd met in Buenos Aires, with their beautiful hearts and faces.. And were made to have 2-3 very late nights on the toon (knife at the throat joby obvs!).. So what was supposed to be a week of doing old school fak all, left us reeling for about a week after! 

We're yet to actually get on a surf board, having not overcome the fear of water in the eyes.......... But it is going to happen on this trip, it is!!

Men'corrra

Stoppo nexto was Mancora, a beach side town on the west coast of Peru. There's not a lot of bad that can be said about sitting on the sand all day, in scorcho sun, watching many men surf... And that's mostly what we did.

Our hostel was literally on the main beach, and aside it occasionally coming across a bit Benidorm, it was all we needed.. I mean it had a pool and toilet roll, both of which have become like gold dust in these parts.

We were introduced to rum slushies here, which after 4 days were no longer our friends.. We also met Todd from Landan, who's misfortunes with a pair of hair clippers that ran out of battery half way through his hair cut, made us laugh to wet pants.. That and his likening to Jordan's son Harvey when he laughs. He's a new favourite.

Funnily enough, from all of the countries we have been to and as 'unsafe' or un-touristy some places have been.. Mancora became the most dangerous. 3 people we knew had their taxis high jacked in one night, and their pockets contents cleared out! We left a local club one morn and when we were one foot in the taxi, I received a poo finger! A bum grab so intense that a man was almost knuckle deep in my A zone.. It was neither welcomed nor satisfying!

We booked our bus out of there shortly after these treats, and made our way to country 5, Ecuador! 

Excitement levels now 0.Million, having just booked our trip to THE GALAPAGOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!