I. Getting our feet wet

Oct. 3: Yacht Fragata: (http://www.yatefragata.com/) Xavier arrived at 7:15 a.m. to take Mary and Jack and Jim and I to the airport. Charlie went along for the ride and to bid Mary and Jack a final good-bye. We had to go through a “checked bag” scan and then stood in line with those bags for regular check in. It seemed to take forever, but Xavier was there and chatting with him made the time pass faster.

Flights to the Galapagos Islands now go into San Cristobal instead of Baltra. We were told that this is because the airstrip on Baltra was being resurfaced; however, it seems to be taking an inordinately long amount of time to finish the job. Last spring it was to take one month. When we were there it was up to six months and the word was that planes would continue to arrive on San Cristobal through next year.

The itinerary we were given for our boat when we first signed on for Galapagos was incorrect due to the change in airports and essentially this change caused us to have to spend almost two of the eight days anchored off San Cristobal, which is a waste of time and money. The tour operators and boat owners were no happier than we were about this. (NOTE: A recent check of websites showed that the itinerary for the 8-day trip on the Fragata reflects the actual arrival and departure for San Cristobal.)

The airport at San Cristobal is an open air affair with roof, restrooms, a few souvenir stalls and the immigration desks where you also pay your $100 National Park fee before being allowed to claim your luggage. It appeared to be planned chaos.

We finally got our bags and joined a group heading for the Yacht Fragata. We were met by the National Park guide assigned to the Fragata, Ivan Valencia, who was shouting directions back and forth. He piled us onto a bus after the bags were thrown into the back of a pickup truck and we were off to the pier where we took small boats (pangas) to get to the Fragata. We were an international group with the U.S., Germany, and the Netherlands being represented. The five young people from Germany actually live and work in China.

No sooner had we stepped onto the Fragata than we were sent to eat lunch. Already there were three delightful people from England – Dominic, his wife Amanda and his sister Francesca. They had been on the boat since Friday. The rest of us were joining on Monday. The schedule is set up so that you can spend three nights, five nights or eight nights on board. We were staying eight so we would not get off until the next Monday. Others were only staying five. Dominic was a wealth of information as he, Amanda and Francesca already knew the score. Many were the times we were thankful for his knowledge because our guide, unfortunately, did not always tell us what we needed to know. We have been royally spoiled having Charlie Gomez as our guide and friend! No one will ever come close to the standard he sets.

As soon as we sat down to lunch, the boat was underway for a four-hour run to get to Santa Fe Island before sundown in order to see the land iguanas. After lunch Jim and I sat on the fantail for a while in the breeze but then decided we should try to rest so went below to our cabin. There was a goodly amount of motion and I was concerned for Jim because he has Meniere’s Disease which, in his case, causes severe motion sickness. I had searched the web when we began to plan the trip looking for something that might help. None of the oral medications or the scopalamine patches are of much use to him so I was extremely concerned that these eight days might be very difficult.

Fortunately, in my search, I came across something called a Relief Band which was first developed for pilots to combat air sickness, but had been found to counteract sea sickness as well. We decided to take the chance and order one of these bands for Jim to wear during the time we were on the boat. It was the very BEST decision we could have made as wearing this band kept him from throwing up and allowed him to eat something at every meal. He still felt a little unstable at times, but both of us were amazed at how well he was able to function using the Relief Band. We highly recommend that anyone with a tendency toward motion sickness invest in this device. We are not paid by the company to say this. We are simply satisfied customers. (See TIPS for more information on the Relief Band.)

Normally I do not suffer from seasickness but this morning I awoke in Quito reacting to a “bug” or possibly a problem from something I had eaten so I was the one who was somewhat under the weather and prone to nausea this day.

Managing to sleep a little, we were awakened by knocking on our door and a voice shouting, “Wet landing in five minutes” several times over. Groggily we pulled on our hiking boots, grabbed the day pack, water bottles, my hiking staff, hats and the video camera. By the time we made it to the fantail of the boat to put on our life vests, I was beginning to wake up. Into the pangas we piled, and thankfully Dominic was there to instruct us about wet landings: Off with the boots and socks, up with the pant legs, slide forward, throw your legs over the side of the panga and get wet. By then I was definitely awake! I also realized that Jim and I were by far the oldest participants on the boat. We may have to work hard to keep up with this group!

The main reason for visiting Santa Fe Island was to see the land iguanas. According to our guide, Ivan, they are not plentiful, and we were fortunate to see five of them. The beach had a fair complement of sea lions, which were fascinating. Little did we know that soon it would become “old hat” to have beaches covered with sea lions! Pelicans were fishing and a breeze was blowing. Besides all that, I was standing on “terra firma” so my queasiness was abating.

Back on board we had a two-hour steam to make it to Santa Cruz where we will go ashore tomorrow morning. Sitting in the lounge seemed to be the most comfortable for this passage. After anchoring, there was dinner but I ate very little. We were in bed by 9:30 that evening and I managed to sleep soundly until 3:30 a.m. After that I dozed off and on until 5:30 a.m. when we got up, got dressed and went up to the lounge for a cup of tea.

Oct. 4: Santa Cruz. Grateful for the solid six hours of sleep I got, I watched the sun rise from the fantail. Breakfast at 7 a.m. found me still drinking hot tea instead of instant coffee. I adore good coffee, but instant does not fall into that category.

At 8 a.m. the pangas took us into town where we had a dry landing at the dock and walked the two miles to the Charles Darwin Research Station.( http://www.darwinfoundation.org/ )

Our visit was most enlightening and we saw Lonesome George, the huge tortoise that is the last of his subspecies. Efforts have been made over the years to pair him with similar species for breeding purposes but no progeny have resulted so when he dies, his subspecies will be extinct. There is a very active breeding program for those species that are still viable and we saw various stages and ages of young tortoises, each with a number painted on their back. Land iguanas from several islands were also in breeding captivity at the research station. Once these animals reach a certain age or size they are introduced back to the wild. Of course, there were wonderful birds all around as well: Galapagos Mockingbird, Small Ground Finch, Medium Ground Finch, Yellow Warbler, Great Blue Heron and a Lava Heron.

After our visit we had an hour free to walk back to the docks so people meandered along stopping at various shops to buy what all tourists seem to buy – postcards and T-shirts. Marine iguanas and Sally Lightfoot Crabs entertained us as we waited for the pangas.

Back on the boat, lunch was beef stew, rice and salad with delicious watermelon for dessert. We were given time for a short rest and then were back into the pangas and back to the docks.

This afternoon we went by bus to an area on the island call The Twins, which are two craters formed thousands of years ago. We had hardly stepped off the bus when a Vermillion Flycatcher appeared. He sat very still while myriads of shutters snapped and Jim videoed. Later on our hike, we saw two more. We were also entertained by Medium Ground Finches and Galapagos Doves which have the most beautiful red legs!

The next part of the afternoon took us to a lava tube which was very large. The path down into the tube was rather precarious, and it was very dark so I decided to stay at the entrance with several others while Ivan led the rest down into the “hole.”

After dinner, we enjoyed a cup of tea and conversation with Karel and Froucke Nieuwenhais, who are from the Netherlands. They are delightful and have planned a trekking holiday on the Ecuadorian mainland after the Galapagos trip.

II. Lovable sea lions, silly birds and blushing iguanas

We spent the whole day at Floreana at two different landing places. The first was a wet landing at Post Office Cove where a trail took us to the post office barrel. People leave post cards in a barrel and if you find one that is addressed to your city, then you are supposed to take it and mail it. Historically, the whalers and other travelers left mail there for ships going in the opposite direction to take back to Europe or South America or the Far East. We saw a similar set-up in South Africa on the coast of the Indian Ocean. From there we went to another lava tube which was even more precarious to enter. Jim did not take the video camera into this one, and Amanda, Francesca and I sat this one out. We find the lack of safety precautions at places like this very interesting.

Back at the cove there was time for snorkeling, but the water was quite cold and there was not a lot to see. The sea lions were basking on the beach and a couple of turtles were in the water.

After lunch we were on the boat until 4 p.m. when we went ashore at Cormorant Cove on Floreana. The trail took us by a lagoon where flamingos were feeding and onto the beach on the opposite side of the island where sharks and rays were swimming in a rather rough sea. There was a dead bottle nose dolphin that had beached itself and lots of Sally Lightfoot Crabs. We had a beautiful sunset as we headed back to the boat.

The panga we rode in had been used earlier in the day by the crew as they did touch up painting on the exterior of the boat. They had dripped white paint onto the seat and had not cleaned it up. I was the first into that panga and as I slid forward, I picked up a great deal of white paint on my navy nylon travel pants! Rather annoying. They attempted to clean them for me using gasoline and it did remove some of the paint but not all.

Back at the boat there was time for a warm shower as well as time for cleaning the video camera. Dinner was shrimp and rice and the first meal I have really enjoyed. Compared to the food we had in the lodges on the mainland, this has not been memorable. But it is filling and most people are eating heartily. I find it over-seasoned with salt so I eat enough but not a lot. Tonight we have an 8-hour run starting at 10 so we are planning to try to get to sleep before we get underway.

Oct. 6: We awoke at 5 a.m. and the boat was still moving rapidly. By 5:30 we had begun to get dressed as we knew that we were due to be in the pangas and headed for Espanola Island at 6 a.m. Dressing while we were still underway was somewhat difficult, to say the least! Gave us a good laugh!

Other boats would be waiting to send in passengers and there is an agreement between the boats that not all will come ashore at the same time. Times are assigned for certain islands when several boats arrive. Our time was early which suited us fine.

What a morning! We were greeted at the little pier by a mother sea lion and her baby who was only a few hours old. The afterbirth lay nearby on the sand and the mockingbirds were pecking at it. Each mother and baby sea lion have a vocal call that helps them to identify each other. When the baby is born the mother stays with it for several days before leaving it to go in search of food in the ocean. The baby stays on the beach, sometimes plaintively crying. When the mother returns, she calls, the baby answers and they are re-united. There is a beautiful bonding between them. I could have stayed right there watching the sea lions but there was much more to see just over the next hill.

Over that rise was a mass of marine iguanas in red breeding colors piled on top of each other trying to keep warm in the early morning mist. Dominic remarked that it looked as though they had been at an all night Rave. He always had something amusing to say.

The path was essentially made of various sizes of lava rocks which took my full attention as we walked. One of our fellow passengers, Linda, reached out to help me. She was such a thoughtful young lady, and I found out that her mother and I are the same age! This path led us to a cliff where there was a huge blow hole.

In quick succession, we saw Masked or Nazca Boobies, Blue-footed Boobies, Galapagos Gulls, Red-billed Tropic Birds, Magnificent Frigate Birds, a Galapagos Hawk, Galapagos Doves and Waved Albatrosses! There were a few seals on the rocks and land lizards as well!

The albatrosses mate for life which could be 20 or 30 years. If one dies before the other, the one left remains without a mate until death. Watching them running along the cliff and throwing themselves into the air to begin flying was amazing. They are so funny - very clumsy on land but magnificent in the air! This morning on Espanola was one of my favorite shore times.

Approximately three hours after beginning we were back on board for breakfast and to move to Gardner Bay for people to have time on the beach for sunbathing and snorkeling. Since they were to be out from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. I opted for independent study on the Fragata. Even with sunscreen I would burn at this time of day and sitting on the sand is not appealing to me at all.

That evening the crew and guide dressed up in their white uniforms to say “Thank you” to those who depart tomorrow. Only four of us remain, Karel & Froucke and Jim & I. Tomorrow we will meet new people. We are going to be sorry to see the English trio as well as Linda and David of California depart.

We steamed back to San Cristobal and slept at anchor! Jim managed without his Relief Band that night since we were not moving. He has been wearing it for four days, removing it only for showering and snorkeling. A little irritation had arisen because the band must be kept very tight and in the exact same place at all times and always with the conductivity gel between the band and the skin. Having a night without it will give his skin a chance to “air” out.

III. New people, new sights, new challenges

On the walk into town, Ivan, our guide, caught up with us and paid us a very nice compliment. He said, “I hope that when my wife and I are your age we will be just like you. I watch the two of you helping each other, being there for each other and that is my dream for me and my wife.”

We appreciated that he took the time to tell us this because sometimes he seemed uncaring and calloused. Perhaps it was just that he did not know enough English to be compassionate or caring because at times I thought he was a bit brusque.

About 11, Erick, our able-bodied seaman, waiter and jack of all trades bartender, came to gather the four of us and take us back to the boat in the panga. Getting in and out of the panga was the most difficult thing for me on this trip as I have no sense of balance at all. It was a wonder that I managed not to fall during those eight days. Of course, there was always a hand to help me.

Eleven new people came aboard. We are truly international again as the US, England, France, Spain and the Netherlands are represented. Everyone is fluent in English except the Spanish couple, but I think they understand more than they want us to know.

After lunch we steamed to Isla Lobos so named because a very large sea lion colony is there. The babies are so adorable, climbing all over the rocks calling their mommies. It was a dry landing and the pathway began very easy with mostly sand, but it quickly turned into a trial for me as we had to scramble over very large lava rocks and boulders. Even though I had my staff I would never have made it without Jim’s help! It was the hardest thing I’d done so far and that includes the muddy steep trail to see the Cock of the Rock in the Mindo area. I was exhausted when we reached the end of the trail and was very, very glad to see that the pangas would pick us up there so that we did not have to walk back! Getting into the panga from the rocks with the sea being rather rough was a trial but somehow I made it.

Back at the Fragata some of the others went snorkeling off the platform at the back of the boat but we decided to get quick showers before everyone else so that we would have a bit of hot water – good decision!

Jim decided this morning to continue to give his arm a break from wearing the Relief Band since we were going to be ashore for part of the day. He carried it in his pocket, just in case he needed it. Back on the boat he continued without it, eating lunch and even managing when we moved the Fragata to another area! The sea has been unusually calm but for him this is amazing!

We steamed for 12 hours beginning about 6:30 p.m. to Genovesa Island.

Oct. 8: Our 12-hour steam was amazingly smooth as we were going with the current and wind so it did not hit us as hard as I thought it might. We both woke up several times during the night but were able to get back to sleep unlike the other times we steamed at night. The rough times were when we were against the wind and currents.

Breakfast at 7 a.m. and into the pangas by 7:45 to visit Genovesa Island. The pangas took us close up to the sides of the cliffs so we could see the fur seals that were resting there.

Getting from the panga to the steps that lead to the top of this island was a big stretch for me as there was quite a swell and the panga was moving more than usual. But I made it with help. There was a handrail along part of the steps but some of these steps were quite steep.

These steps are named after his Royal Highness Prince Philip who visited the island in the 1960's. The climb up the stairs is fairly easy for those with good balance, and a handrail helps make the journey more manageable.

The top of the island was covered in leafless scrub. Many nests were on the ground as well as in these bushes. The gulls and Nazca Boobies nest on the ground while the Red-footed Boobies and Frigatebirds nest in the bushes. There were chicks of varying ages all around, but it wasn’t noisy at all which surprised me. I thought all the chicks would be noisily begging for food.

Continuing along the trail we saw very small iguanas keeping warm in a pile and a huge number of Eliot’s Storm Petrels flying. They nest in the cliffs rather than on top of the 200 foot high island. There were also Warbler Finches and Mockingbirds. In the distance where walking was restricted we spotted a Short-eared Owl. They are diurnal and feed on the Storm Petrels so this was the reason the petrels were on high alert. It was a wonderful walk from the standpoint of what we saw as well as the fact that the trail was so level and rockless that I did not even need my staff! Coming back down the stairs to the pangas was another story however! Karel was right in front of me and graciously offered me his hand when I needed it as Jim was at the back of the line filming.

Back at the Fragata we had some time on board. Jim told me he had made the Prince Phillip’s Step trip without the Relief Band. He wore it during the night as we were steaming but decided to try the trip ashore without it. He thinks that by wearing it constantly as he has done, that he has built up a bit of tolerance to the movement of the boat. He does not feel like “dancing a jig” but the band has made it possible for him to participate and enjoy the trip and able to eat meals. Today he was even able to read a little in one of the field guides! This band has been one of the best investments we have ever made.

At 1:30 p.m. we had a wet landing going ashore at Darwin Bay. The sea was calm so we didn’t get wet but the coral beach gave us all a case of the “ouches.” The beach has only been there 78 years, according to Ivan. An earthquake occurred and caused a collapse on one side of the island and a lifting up on the other side. There were nesting gulls, boobies and frigate birds in the mangrove bushes near the beach. Sea lions littered the shore as usual and I never get enough of the mothers and babies.

We took a trail that began as a sandy path and quickly turned into lava boulders – so what else is new? On this hike, we saw the Cactus Finch as well as a Yellow-crowned Night Heron. Looking back at the boats in the bay as we hiked was wonderful. The water was clear blue, the sky was a different blue with puffy white clouds and the white boats completed this idyllic picture.

Tomorrow is our last full day and I never thought I’d be sad to leave. It has been a hard trip for us in some ways but a very interesting and rewarding one as well.

IV. Good-bye to the Galapagos

Oct. 9: Another smooth night passage as again we went with the current rather than against it. We were up at 6 a.m., breakfast at 7, into the pangas at 8 to visit North Seymour Island with a dry landing.

The most important thing this morning was to visit the Magnificent Frigate Bird nesting area. Some of the males had already found mates so their pouches were deflated; however, most of the males were still working to attract a female and they rewarded us by keeping their pouches inflated so everyone could get great photos. As an aside, our boat is named for these wonderful birds because frigate is fragata in Spanish.

In addition to all the Frigate Birds in the area we encountered more land iguanas sunning themselves in the dry interior of the island.

That afternoon some of the heartier souls went snorkeling off the back of the boat but the water was much too cold for us.

Later in the afternoon we visited South Plaza Island where there were many, many mother sea lions and pups. As I have mentioned before, they fascinate me and I could just sit and watch them all day. We also saw hybrid iguanas which are a result of mating between a land and a sea iguana. The hybrids look and act more like land iguanas. They are sterile and cannot reproduce. At the far end of the island is a rookery for young male sea lions that have been rejected from the harem. They hang out on the rockiest part of the island.

Before dinner we all gathered in the lounge. Ivan and the crew had again suited up in their whites. Ivan gave a little thank you speech, Erick passed around a drink he had concocted, there was a toast and we were given our tip envelopes which we are to turn in tomorrow before leaving. Dinner was served buffet-style and instead of fruit there was a cake for dessert. I was given the honor of cutting the cake.

Oct. 10:  Another one of those rough passages with little sleep this last night aboard the Fragata. We rose at 5:15 a.m. in order to be in the pangas by 6 to visit Leon Dormido (the sleeping lion) which is a huge basalt outcropping that was once part of Santa Cruz Island. It has broken into 3 pieces and each year the sections move apart a little more as the sea floor moves. At this time of year Leon Dormido looks extremely barren, but Ivan said in the wet season many birds use it as a rookery. It has to be visited very early before the winds pick up. Our two small pangas were joined by two very large inflatable boats holding 25 people each from one of the Lindblad ships that was also anchored nearby.

Back at the Fragata, breakfast was at 7:15 and we were underway, steaming toward San Cristobal as we had to be there by 9 in order to make all the correct connections. We head back to Quito today.

We had about an hour in the little town before Ivan took us to the airport which was another of those “hurry up and wait situations” – a normal happening nowadays but still not fun.

It was pouring rain when we landed in Quito. Waited for about 30 minutes until Gustavo arrived from Neblina Forest to take us to the Hotel Sebastian where Mercedes and Charlie were waiting. It was so good to see both of them. Six of Charlie’s next group had already arrived so he was having dinner with them and we ate with Mercedes. Xavier was at the airport getting the remainder of Charlie’s group so we got to see him for a few minutes when he brought them in to register. We plan to have a low-key day tomorrow. Mercedes offered us Edwin’s services for half a day the following day so that we could visit a little around the city. We took her up on it because it will be a nice way to end the trip.

We retrieved our bags from storage and headed to our room after meeting the remainder of Charlie’s new group. They are doing a couple of day trips from the hotel before they fly to the Galapagos the day we head back to Colorado.

V. A couple days in Quito

Oct. 11: Had a lazy morning with a late breakfast. Then out to Rio Amazonas we went. Our mission was to find a CD of ethnic music to use as background for the video. We were successful and the man in the music store was quite helpful. I also need to buy a few more shawls like I had purchased in Otavalo for gifts. I had remembered others that I thought would like them. They are extremely easy to pack and so very pretty. We stopped at a sidewalk café for cokes and crackers. Very nice to have a “down day” as we have been moving at a rather fast pace for the past month!

The order of the afternoon was hot showers and re-working the bags. We decided to have an early supper outside the hotel so walked to a pizza place that we could see across the park. Shared a nice thin crust pizza – somewhat different to what we are accustomed to but quite delicious and filling. Then we topped it off with tiramisu for dessert.

Oct. 12: We slept better this night but have realized that we are again dealing with being at 9,200 feet in altitude after having spent eight days at sea level.

Edwin picked us up at 9:15 a.m. and we headed to El Pannecilo where there is a statue of the Virgin of Quito overlooking the city. All the guide books warn of pickpockets and thieves being prevalent in this area but we only saw the stall vendors and a few others visiting the overlook and statue. Perhaps it was because we were there in the middle of the week and the middle of the morning. There is probably more activity on weekends and at night. The statue is a metal copy of a small wooden one that was carved by an indigenous artist, Legarda. The original is in the National Museum. This virgin is patterned after the description in Chapter 12 of Revelations.

The relatively new botanical gardens was next on our list. Edwin had never been there either so he enjoyed the visit as much as we did. The orchid house is fantastic and well worth a visit. The gardens are small but we spent more than an hour taking in all the different parts as well as seeing a few birds that were enjoying the nectar and seeds produced by the plants.

A supermarket was our next stop - I wanted to get some packets of the toasted corn to take home. I would have loved to just meander up and down every aisle looking at all the products but we wanted to take Edwin to lunch and needed to keep watch on our time.

Edwin found us a really nice cevicheria not far from the hotel. We all had bowls of ceviche which was delicious. The place was very clean and lovely. We even discussed going back there for dinner but it didn’t happen.

It was hard to tell Edwin good by because we had come to love him during our time on the mainland. He is such a nice person as well as an excellent driver and spotter.

Later that afternoon we decided to walk again on Rio Amazonas and got caught in a downpour. We took shelter in a bank entrance during the worst of it but still got pretty wet. Came back to our room, dried out and then went down to the lobby only to find Charlie sitting in the waiting area. It was great to have a few minutes with him again before he and his new group headed out to do some shopping. He was very pleased to learn that I had managed all the hikes when we were in the Galapagos. Mercedes arrived at 6 p.m. to tell us that a fellow named Augusto would pick us up at 4:15 a.m. to take us to the airport tomorrow.

We had a light supper and decided to try to get to sleep early. We had repacked our luggage the day before so there wasn’t too much preparation needed.

Oct. 13: True to form, we did not sleep very much. Up at 3:30 a.m., down to the desk at 4, paid our bill and Augusto arrived. Traffic was nil! We made it to the airport in less than 30 minutes and began the process of getting to the Continental check in desk. The gauntlet is different in each country.

Augusto was able to walk us to the entrance to the building but go no farther. At that point we had to show our tickets and passports to the guard at the door. Once we got 10 feet in the door we had to show them again in order to get into a line. The next person who checked the tickets and passports also made the decision as to whether luggage would be hand searched. Thankfully we did not get selected for that “honor” and were allowed to get into the actual check in line at that time! Once the agents showed up, check in went quickly, and we were directed to the line where we paid our exit fee and had stamps placed on our boarding passes.

Then it was time to begin the security/immigrations/security gauntlet. The first person only wanted to see our boarding passes, then immigration checked our passports, kept the entrance slips we had been issued the day we arrived and stamped our passports. After that we proceeded to the security area with the scanners for hand luggage. We were told to remove our shoes and belts. I tried to explain about my artificial knee but they could have not cared less that I set off the machine! Once our carry-on luggage and shoes and belts went through the scanner we were waved on our way... go figure!

At the gate another security person took a portion of our boarding passes and checked our passports. If we needed to leave the boarding room for any purpose, we had to surrender that small part of our boarding pass to the security guard as well as our passport. This was necessary even to go to the bathroom. We got them back upon returning.

The flight to Houston was uneventful and not full so we ended up with a seat between us and were able to sleep a little. We arrived on time and went through customs with ease. The flight to Denver was full but there were no problems. Gathered up our luggage and waited for the bus to Boulder. Once there, we were picked up and transported to our home by our good friend, Annie Smith.

It was hard to come down off the wonderful high we had experienced on this trip to Ecuador, but looking at the pile of dirty laundry brought me back down to earth rather quickly.

Again, we must thank Mercedes and Xavier of Neblina Forest for making this trip of a lifetime come true for us. They really did a great job of taking care of us and will do the same for you. And without Charlie Gomez as our guide and companion and our friends Mary and Jack Dodge and Marco Morales it would not have been the same. I highly recommend traveling with friends in a small group. We certainly hope to do this again in the not too distant future.