off to galapagos - finally - sort of!!

GALAPAGO

Quito

It was dark and raining as we pulled up to the curbside at Sacramento International airport. I sleepily grabbed my bag and leaned over to give Dave a kiss.
“Have a wonderful time and don't worry about me. I'll miss you but I'll be fine,” he said, a little unconvincingly.
“I'll miss you too, but the month will fly by and before you know it, I'll be home.”
I looked deeply into his eyes, fearing that this lengthy separation would be hard on him. I was going towards the trip of a lifetime. He was staying home in rainy Sacramento with a heavy workload and a hole in his free time now that I would no longer be there to monopolize his every free moment.

We had been pretty much inseparable for the last few weeks, catching up on ninety-nine combined years of life. To our great mutual joy, we had found ourselves amazingly compatible in almost every way. We enjoyed the same foods, both appreciated the same restaurants and had the same taste in movies, so going out together was easy, smooth and fun. Dave was such a competent, in charge kind of man that he allowed me to relax into my feminine nature, trusting his decisions. He quickly learned my likes and dislikes and soon knew exactly what would surprise and delight me the most.

He also loved my community, especially what he called my “mystical women.” He reveled in getting to know my large group of friends and students, joining in with the jnana groups, proud of the work I did with people, even encouraging his own friends to join us. In short, he fit right in with my lifestyle and I in turn got to receive the blessing of his love and support.

We locked lips one more delicious time.
Yum. I'll never tire of Dave kisses... but the 6am flight to Houston was boarding shortly and it was time to go.

It was a little hard to believe I was actually taking a trip just for myself. Normally when I travel I am meeting a group and guiding a tour. This time, it was just for me, like in the old days, when I would pack my trusty backpack, hop a flight somewhere sunny and disappear for a few months. Except that my old backpack would no longer fit my needs! Instead I had bought a nifty, new and larger roller bag that converts into a backpack for walking up flights of stairs or boarding boats. As I picked it up out of Dave's truck, I hoped those occasions would be few and far between – this puppy was heavy! Still I had managed to stuff all required clothing for both tropical and mountain weather plus my dive gear into the bag. That plus a small day pack and passport purse and I was set to go and as mobile as possible.

In my thirties, I traveled way lighter! No bag of supplements needed then. No computer, ipod or headphones to lug around. A camera was my only nod to electronics in those days and a bottle of Lomotil for possible tummy upsets, my only medicine. Still I was only bringing one bag and no extra baggage fees applied.

I had mixed emotions as I watched Dave drive off.. On the one hand, this was a trip I had dreamed of my whole life... I had worked hard to make the money to afford it and had spent all year preparing to take this month off. My life set in order, bills paid and classes put on hold, it was a precious time out for me, away from my usual obligations and teaching schedule.

But after meeting Dave, the last few weeks had felt like a whirlwind. I hadn't even had time to think much about the trip, just arranging the most basic necessities of a hotel in Quito and a time and place to meet up with Janice. I felt sad to leave my man after so short a time together, but we both agreed it was best for me to to go for the whole time as planned. He would be there when I got home and I would return richer for the experience.

I walked over to Continental Airlines to check in and slept most of the way to Houston. On arrival my body started to wake up and demand food. Now as airports in the USA go, Houston ranks as one of the better ones as far as choice of dining establishment. I settled on a Deli where the food looked at least somewhat real and fresh and deciding on a chicken salad roll, proceeded to engage in ordering said item with Audrey.

Audrey looked like she had just eaten a lemon. Short, chubby, with orange hair, black skin and an attitude, I doubt this was Audrey's dream job when she left school and truth be told, she would probably have rather been elsewhere at 11am on a Wednesday morning than in an airport helping frazzled customers. Still, it would have helped if I could have understood her!

“I'd like half the chicken salad sandwich please on a roll.”
'Would you like matoes, picks, onjuns and letts with that?”
“What?”
'Would you like matoes, picks,onjuns and letts with that?”
“Oh... yes tomatoes and lettuce only please. No pickles or onions.”
“You want may and must?”
“I'm sorry, what did you say?”
'You want mayo and mustard?”
“Oh... yes just a little please.”
“Wanna tata salad or yogit as a side?”
“Pardon, I didn't quite catch that?”
“Tater salad or yoghurt as a side?”
“Oh... I'll have the potato salad please.”

Oh God please let that be the last decision I have to make...

Audrey probably thought I was yet another buffoon foreigner who spoke lousy Texan. I was glad to get out of there and nurse my sandwich in the dining area away from her scathing eyes.

Continental airlines had boasted of a meal on board the next leg of my journey to Panama, being a posh international flight and all that. However experience has taught me to be mistrusful of the culinary delights of American airlines.

I was not wrong.

When “lunch” was served, I bravely chose the chicken wrap. The stewardess handed me some foul concoction of bean paste mushed up with a meat that only vaguely resembled anything familiar, served with an iceberg lettuce salad complete with high calorie dressing and zero nutrition. Thank God I had eaten beforehand. Thanks be to Audrey.

Still all was not lost. After a mere four hours, we landed in Panama and transferred to a Copa Airlines plane. A snack was served consisting of REAL unadulterated turkey meat in a tasty sandwich and as much free wine as I could put away in two hours, which by then was quite a lot. Yes, even this two-bit Panamanian airline could serve recognizable food and decent Chilean vino. And people wonder why American airlines lose money...

I took advantage of being cooped up in a flying tin can to open my “Lonely Planet Guide to Ecuador.” The great news is, there are tons of exciting places to visit after our Galapagos trip and I can't wait to see them all! Rainforests, old colonial cities, laid-back beach resorts on the Pacific coast.... we will be spoiled for choice... and Quito, as a designated UNESCO world-heritage site, sounds amazing.


A little later we landed.
“Welcome to Guayaquil,” the stewardess said over the loud speaker.
Guayaquil? Surely she must be mistaken? We are in Quito.
“Doe to bad weather, we cannot fly safely into Quito airport. Please take your personal belongings and disembark. We will try again to fly to Quito in another hour.”
Ah shucks. These things always happen when we are the most tired.

I got off the plane with all the other passengers and spent an hour wandering around the terminal lounge. It felt good to stretch my legs but, my gosh, I surely could have used some shut-eye.

An hour later we were all back on board as rain pounded down outside. We took off for Quito. After about an hour, I felt the plane start to descend. Then the captain came on the intercom:
“We are so sorry, but the visibility in Quito has once again deteriorated to less than a kilometer and we cannot land. We are heading back to Guayaquil.”

A collective groan echoed through the cabin.

By then I was so punch drunk tired I was beyond feeling any resistance to the situation. Anyway there was absolutely nothing to be done except surrender to the fact that I was still sitting on an aeroplane.

We landed. And sat there whilst the pilot negotiated on our behalf. Eventually we all disembartked again but this time, went through passport control and got on a bus that took us to a hotel. It was 5.45am. No worries,... I was about to lie flat and get sleep! Good night!