Ecuador

00°00’00"Latitude, 78°27’W

Posted on by Nisa Patel

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00°00’00″Latitude, 78°27’W
Mitad Del Mundo, Ecuador

Mitad Del Mundo, Ecuador

Went to Mitad Del Mundo monument.
-the monument to the Equator, which is not really on the Equator. A French mistake!

Then went to Museo De Sitio Intiñan, 240m to the North, through which runs The Actual Equator Line.

Experienced the effects Korioli´s Centrifugal Forces at this unique latitude. Namely:
-Water drains straight down at the Equator, clockwise in the Southern hemishpere, and anticlockwise in the northern hemishpere.
– Apparently we are weaker on the Equator
– Apparently heal-toe walking is more difficult on the Equator
– We could not balance an egg on a nail, but if you ever need to, it´s easiest to do so on the Equator, apparently.

1°40’N-1°36’S, 89°16′-92°01’W

Posted on by Nisa Patel

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1°40’N-1°36’S, 89°16′-92°01’W
Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

We took a lot of pictures!

We saw:
Giant Tortoises
Land Iguanas
Marine Iguanas
Hybrid Iguanas
Crabs
Lava Lizards
Sea Lions
Darwin Finches
Blue Footed Boobies
Masked Boobies
Waved Albatross
Swallow Tailed Gulls
Galapagos Mocking Birds
Galapagos Hawks
Galapagos Doves
Yellow Warblers
American Oyster Catchers
Pelicans
Frigate Birds
Herons
Sea Turtles
Sharks
Starfish
Tropical Fish
Diamond Head Stingrays

Day 1: Baltra, Santa Cruz
Hightlights:
Giant Tortoises
Activities:
Charles Darwin Research Centre
What We Learnt:
Lonesome George is the last male survivor of his species
Nisa does get sea sick
Our captain was called Darwin- really!
Phrase Of The Day:
“This is an endemic species”, (Wilot, guide)

Day 2: South Plazas, Santa Fe
Hightlights:
Sharks, Sea Turtles
Activities:
Walking, Snorkelling
What We Learnt:
Sharks feed at night time
Sea Lions stink
Phrase Of The Day:
“Hello, breakfast is reeeady!”, (Wilmer)

Day 3: Floreana, Devil´s Crown
Hightlights:
Dolphins, Sea Turtles
Activities:
Walking, Snorkelling, Post Office Bay, Lava cave, Football
What We Learnt:
There are 4 types of stingray, and you shouldn´t step on their tails
Americans ruin card games, but it´s easy to become their President
Phrase Of The Day:
“2s clear, 4´s a social”, (Rachel, Amy, Erin- Americans)

Day 4: Española
Hightlights:
Waved Albatross, Sea Turtles, Blue Footed Boobies, Galapagos Hawk
Activities:
Walking, Snorkelling, Blow Hole
What We Learnt:
The Waved Albatross remains in the air at sea for upto 6 years, returning only to the Galapagos to lay eggs (it is endemic to the Galapagos)
If you ask enough times, you can get pizza on a boat
How to do the Squat Dance
Phrase Of The Day:
“Empanadas”, (Wilmer)
“Pizza?”, (Nisa)
“Nooo, Empanadas! Hahaha” (Wilmer)

Day 5: San Cristobal
Hightlights:
The last Sea Turtle
Activities:
Interpretation Centre
What We Learnt:
Still not convinced by Darwin´s Theory of Evolution, but perhaps not as far removed from Vedanta as first thought
Phrase Of The Day:
“Thank you very much, thank you very much”, (Wilot)

 

00°15’S, 78°35’W – The Beginning

Posted on by Nisa Patel

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00°15’S, 78°35’W – The Beginning
Quito, Ecuador

Quito, Ecuador

Day 1

24 hour nightmare journey
Iberia worse than Air India
Flight rescheduled, delayed and diverted
Abandoned by taxi driver
Finally checked in past midnight

Day 2

Regailed with scare stories of a spate of pickpocketings over breakfast
Riding the TeleferiQo upto 4200m
Lunch in Mariscal Sucre
Shoved and squashed on Ecovia electric bus
Stroll around Centro Historico
Intoxicated by hot chocolate at Tianguez, in catacombs of San Francisco Church

Day 3

More stories of theft and petty crime in the morning
El Panicello Hill
Upgraded to 4* Hotel Quito
Dinner in Mariscal Sucre with Nick and Farosch