Back from Ecuador!
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Back from Ecuador!
Hi guys, we got home late last night from our trip. We went to Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands, and then Key West.
I was real sick in Quito, Ecuador due to altitude sickness - man, I don't ever want to go through that again! I don't have the words to describe how incredibly wonderful the Galapagos Islands cruise was. More later on that. Then we had a couple days in Key West to *relax*. I am sick now - I had to use an oxygen tank in Quito, on both ends of the cruise trip, and I can't swear by it, but I *think* I picked up some viral or bacterial illness from the mask. Don't know, but I'm definitely not well.
Our BRAND NEW 200 gb Wolverine hard drive crashed on the 2nd cruise day, so we had to TOTALLY ration the photos we took on the cruise, since I didn't have an abundance of compact flash cards, though I got some beautiful pics. HOWEVER - the *best* ones (my favorites!) are on the hard drive - several gb of them! And I don't know if they can be retrieved. It will be several days before I can get to pics and post any.
Our flight from Miami yesterday evening was delayed by several hours due to the northern weather (our flight originated @ Laguardia). Then, when we finally arrived back in N.O. late last night, American Airlines has lost one of our pieces of luggage!!!! I am HOPING they find it!
In Key West, someone stole all of DH's underwear! LOL Go figure. It was in the drawer, and then it was all gone. Never did find it.
And the icing on the cake - Jen was taking care of Kali, and the dog had several problems while we were away, complete with several trips to the vet and fleas everywhere!
When it rains................you know the drill! LOL
Bottom line though, I had a fantastic time, this was, hands down, THE best vacation I've ever had, it was expensive, but if any of you ever have the opportunity or inclination to go to the Galapagos Islands, DO IT! You won't regret it. You will see and experience things there that you won't anywhere else on earth. I will have those memories forever.
More later!
Karen, I'm glad you had a great time. I can't wait to see the pics. Sorry your not feeling well, hope your better soon! Please take me with you next time! 
Wow!! I am so glad you had a great time on your trip. I hope you are feeling better soon.
Keeping my fingers crossed that you can get all your pictures.
I'm sorry you got sick. What is the altitude there?
Did you get to see some blue-footed boobies? I thought of you often, while you were gone!
Found this, when I googled:
Quito, Ecuador - The capital and second-largest city in Ecuador (pop. 1,250,000), Quito sits high in the Andes with an elevation of 9,300 ft/2,835 m. The mountains (including the active volcano Mt. Pichincha to the west of the city that's been spewing ash recently) will probably be the first things that strike you about Quito. Quito is Ecuador's principal transportation hub.
We were at about 5,000 ft, when we went to South Dakota and Wyoming, so you were almost twice that, in Ecuador! We had no ill effects. Sheboygan is only about 700 ft, though. As we headed west, I could tell we were always going uphill, ever so slightly!
I'm so glad you had a good time, Karen! What a wonderful trip. I'm sorry you're not feeling well.  Hope you're better soon, and I hope you can get all your pictures!
SO glad you had a great time, Karen. I'm sorry to hear you felt ill. Is altitude sickness feel the same as motion sickness? How awful for you. I hope Kali is okay, too.
Welcome back! We missed you.
You know I am glad you are back, LOL.. Missed you Karen.
Altitude sickness consisted of the most severe headache I've ever had in my life, worse than with encephalitis or any migraine I've ever had, nausea, dizziness, equilibrium problems, concentration problems, shortness of breath.......and *I* was just worried about not being able to breathe because of my asthma! LOL
Oxygen helped, along with coca tea, which they brought up to our room, and I took tons of my migraine meds. I live at sea level so this was quite a change for me. Once we were actually on the cruise ship, I was totally fine, until we had to fly back to Quito; then once we left there I was fine again. Good thing I'm not into mountain climbing, huh? LOL
Yes, we saw blue footed boobies, among many other fabulous creatures. I snorkeled and swam with sea lions, rays.....we saw giant tortoises, land & marine iguanas, fur seals, tons of birds, etc. The islands are beautiful, the animals/birds/fish have NO fear of humans, they come right up to you. It was breathtaking and incredible.
The airline still has not found our bag, and it has all our dirty clothes in it, i.e., all my favorite tank tops, DH's new Keen's, several of our Tshirts we bought there. :-( I HOPE they find it! I can't imagine losing one of three, when they were always right next to each other. GRRRRRRRRR!
I am off to the doc now, hopefully I can get to pictures this weekend.
Karen, I had a slight case of Altitude Sickness one yr in Colorado!!! Just that slight case was AWFUL. I literally thought I might stop breathing in the night- but I couldnt sleep the whole night anyway...so if I had gotten too bad I could have woken dh up to take me to the ER. Miserable. I am so sorry you went through that.
Sounds like a trip worth taking though. Can't wait to see your pics! Glad you made it home safely!!! And that is sooo wierd about the undies. Maybe it was the Boxer Bandit? LOL
Karen, I had altitude sickness once, it was horrible, I feel your pain!
Can't wait to see your pics, sounds like an exciting trip.
Do you think your husband will ever live down the fact that someone stole his underwear? LOL!
Dawn, I have pics of boobies nesting on eggs, they are incredible.
Quito is a crowded, dirty, noisy, over-populated city filled with cars and fumes. I would hate to live there. Unfortunately, we didn't see any of the other cities, so I can't speak for anywhere else in Ecuador.
The Galapagos Islands are truly something to be seen. Our Naturalists were very knowledgeable, friendly, helpful and patient and encouraging. They never hesitated to point out things of interest, such as animals, birds, fish or plants, or give us the history, facts or tales about the same or the islands themselves. I have never seen such clean places, seemingly untouched by man, in my life and probably never will again. I just don't have the words to describe it.
I HOPE HOPE HOPE that I can find someone to retrieve my pics from that hard drive though, otherwise, I am going to be MIGHTILY disappointed!
Good luck with the pictures! Sounds like a lovely place!
Karen, it sounds wonderful....except for the illness! Are you, by any chance, allergic to sulfa? I am very rarely sick, but was so sick when near a volcano in St. Vincent. As I was standing on the side of the road puking, it hit me that volcanos = sulfur!! Not nice!
I can't wait to see your pics!
Feel better!
No, Marcia, I'm not. And, unlike you, I ALWAYS get sick - my immune system is just not strong at ALL. It seems that every time I go on vacation or am in a situation where I don't get enough rest or put a lot of stress on my body, I get sick. However, I am convinced I got something from the oxygen mask in Quito. I was fine before that. I used oxygen there before the cruise, and for a couple days after, I had some issues. After the cruise I used it on Sunday and Monday, and on Tuesday, I had ulcers/blisters all over my tongue and throat, swollen glands, very sore throat and cough, and it progressed from there. I am switching antibiotics today, it's gone into my chest now, and I REFUSE to be sick for Christmas/New Years like I was last year with pneumonia. LOL
I will share some pics as soon as I can.
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