First time snorkeling... not too shabby.

8 Sting Rays
bunch of sharks
sea lions
and crazy colorful marine life


Not too bad for a virgin snorkeler! Today AJ and I spent the whole morning into the afternoon on a little boat traveling around to little islands around Isla San Cristobol. It was incredible! We saw out first blue-footed boobies, a sea lion kissed my hand while showing off his sweet water skills and the snorkeling (cherry officially popped) in crystal blue water in a cove of a massive rock shooting out from the middle of the ocean was remarkable. Yes, worth remarking about Alex Crosby... so here, I remark:

Imagine a big flock of geese. Now instead of being geese have them be sting rays with about a 4 foot wing span. A smooth black color with bright white poka dots and tails that look like a samari sword. Instead of being below look up, you are above and they are all swimming in unison, the flying V underwater. The gracefulness absolute beauty, the stingers absolute fear. AJ counted 8. A breath taking moment which is unfortunate while snorkeling because a lot of water got in my mask and up my nose.

Now imagine a shark. Not a big shark, not, according to the guidebooks, a man eating shark but, a shark none the less. Imagine that shark being curious about the blonde girl (the sun has turned me quasi-platinum) staring at it. Imagine blonde girl freaking out and swallowing water and being way too excited about the shark that she almost missied the sea lion circling her. Blonde girl happy.

Then there are the baby sea lions. AJs picture are going to give them more justice then any of my words but they were amazing. Like little puppies jumping for attention and playful loving embraces. They are so agile in the water and being able to touch them and stuff was spectauclar.

In the afternoon AJ and I decided that it´s cool to go from snorkeling in the middle of the pacific with clear blue water and tropical sun to rainy cold muddiness. This change was in the form of a caldera that is situated about 20 km away from the coast up to about 700m. The drive up from the coast was like going from the tropics to jungle to the mountains all in one fast swoop. In an effort to show off my new barefooted jungle skills, learned from time in the rainforest, I got muddy and wet climbing down and actually going and almost falling into the lake. It was like we magically arrived in Tarabithia, a surreal (thanks AJ) misty world, worlds apart from the earlier part of the day´s reality.


Today I realized just how rough my life is. Our trip hasn´t even ¨really started¨and already I am fullfilled and seriously amazed that there is more to come.

This internet training session is coming to a close.


Pictures and words from AJ to come. Did I mention he has a sick camera and is really into photography? Being assitant to AJ is really adding to the absolutely difficulty of my Galapagos experience. Breathtaking pictures and all I have to do is hold onto the camera bag. Rough, really rough.