19th Jan.

Textures

6am start for a warm snorkel in the sunrise. Swam with seals and watched them swim around me and kiss each other. It was my favrourite snorkelling experience so far! I started to get furious that I didn't bring a better under water camera than the crappy disposable one.

The brown sand on Espumilla Beach after banana-pancake breakfast. So soft, you can't tell it's sand. So sloppy and fun and wet between your toes. On the "dense" sand, I sink up to my ankle with each step.

Then on the banks on the crab breeding grounds (wetlands), the course dried mud subtly crunch under my feet as I walk.

Back on the brown sanded beach, walking around nests of turtles and seeing their tracks leading into the water. The sand is littered with sparkles. Looks like glitter. Almost like the night sky on land. Cartwheeling on the shoreline with Tracey and Sylvana as we try to catch up with the rest of the group. Hawks are resting in the trees that we pass. The sun is behind them so we can't take a good photo. Their wings outstretched makes them look so majestic.

The red sanded beach is more like pebbles. Very coarse to walk on. The sand when it's wet is easier. The sea lions are everywhere. Photos every 5 seconds. The group is far off in the distance. We don't rush to catch up.

Back on the boat after the third snorkel for the day. Tracey, Silvana, Mauro and Amir jumped from the top deck of the boat. 6m high. Javier said to me "you jump now". I hesitated. He grabbed my hand and led me to the balcony. "Up here".
"I'm scared," I said. Then remembered Jana's words "try EVERYTHING!"
The fall was longer than I expected. It was like being on a roller coaster and I screamed a little bit. But again, afterwards, having that exhilarating feeling and a huge smile on my face.

Sad to think that this is the last day on Galápagos before heading back to Quito tomorrow. Plans with Tracey to share a cab back to The Secret Garden and then head to the equator line for some photos and experiments.

I am finding that as I am speaking to so many different nationalities all the time, my English has become so simplified and I catch myself speaking pigeon English even when I am in a conversation with someone who speaks English fluently.
"Which one you like?"
"This is same in Australia"
"You take a photo, me please?"