Galapagos, Journey #30

Where to begin, where to begin…

This will chronicle Journey # 30 or so.  We will add earlier Journeys as time allows.  This Journey starts in Los Angeles and we board our plane to our first stop in Panama City where we change planes and continue on to Guayaquil, Ecuador.  A hot, humid, river and oceanside city that has its own appeal.  Our red-eye flight drops us on the ground running and we look for our driver to take us to our hotel.  It always includes a moment of concern while we hope our tour guide remembers we are arriving.  But then we see the driver with our name on his sign and the relief sets in.  The hustle and bustle of the airport left behind, we chat amiably with our driver (who doesn’t speak a lick of English) the best we can.  Oh thank you, technology, for all those translation apps!

He takes us to our hotel only to find we don’t have reservations.  Hmmm, is it time to panic yet?  In further investigation, it turns out our reservations are for the Windham Garden Hotel, not the Windham Hotel.  Who’d have though there would be two similar sister hotels in the same third world city?  Okay, problem solved, but our hotel is on the other side of the city.  Luckily, because they are sister hotels, they offer their shuttle to deliver us.  After another hour, we are finally settled into our rooms.  Relaxation sets in, but only for a few minutes.  We are on vacation in an exotic place and there is no time to spare to check out the new city!