16th June 2024

Last night, we took a final amble along the Boardwalk. The evening was cool, and being a Saturday night, it felt as though the entire population of Guayaquil was out, especially families with children. All kinds of entertainers were performing in the numerous open-air auditoriums scattered along the walk, while food, trinkets, and sweet stalls were doing brisk business. Everyone seemed to be having a marvellous time. What a fantastic amenity this is for the city’s residents.

However, we had set our alarms for 2 a.m. for a 3 a.m. taxi to the airport, but the nightclub across the road had other ideas about letting us sleep. It blared out the same monotonous musical rhythm at full volume until the moment we left, without having managed a wink of sleep.

We approached the airport with some trepidation, as we only had boarding passes for the first leg of the journey. Opting to check in at the desk, we were pleasantly surprised to be issued with tickets through to Heathrow, and reassured that the flight had not been cancelled.

We passed through passport control and security fairly swiftly, and the flight departed on time. Four hours later, we landed in Miami. Getting to our gate was a different story: the airport is enormous, and with several escalators, lifts, and even parts of the transit train route out of service, we must have walked miles. In contrast to Guayaquil, the queues at security were vast and moved at a snail’s pace. Fortunately, we had five hours to spare, so we weren’t concerned about missing our connection.

On arrival at the gate, the departure board announced that flight BA206 was cancelled, but directly beneath, it also showed that flight BA1206 was on time. As we had been transferred from one to the other, I began to wonder whether there had originally been two separate flights and not simply a clerical error, especially as both had the same departure and arrival times. Half an hour into the flight, the captain confirmed our suspicions by explaining that the original aircraft was “broken” and this was its substitute.

Fortunately, our wait in Miami coincided with the England v Serbia European Championship match, so while Sue remained at the gate, I watched England win 1–0 in the terminal bar alongside a few other interested travellers. With perfect timing, the aircraft began boarding just as the final whistle blew. The flight left on time and landed at 7 a.m. the following day, 15 minutes ahead of schedule.

Our car was waiting for us by the ‘Meet and Greet’ desk in the carpark, and by 10 a.m., we were back home.

Summary: Despite the issues at the start of this adventure and our serious concerns about safety in Ecuador, it turned out to be one of the most rewarding experiences we’ve ever had. The Galápagos Islands are breathtakingly beautiful and utterly unique. Its landscapes, people, and wildlife are unlike anything else we’ve encountered. To be able to get so close to nature, and for the animals to be unafraid of our presence, is both remarkable and heart-warming (though it does take some getting used to).

We found authentic Ecuadorian food both tasty and affordable. The restaurants in Quito and Guayaquil are on par with those in major cities worldwide, although there is a strong American and Mexican influence. We especially enjoyed the variety of shrimp and seafood dishes on offer, and ceviche quickly became a favourite. Portions are generous and often include plantain. While we occasionally swapped this for chips, as plantain can be a little dry in dishes lacking sauce, it was still enjoyable.

Ecuador is currently facing serious challenges as it works hard to break free from corruption and the malign influence of Colombian and Mexican drug cartels. However, it seems to be taking the right steps towards a safer, more prosperous future. The people genuinely value tourism and go out of their way to ensure that visitors feel welcome and safe, and experience the very best their country has to offer.