blue-footed boobies

dear all,
hope you are well, I am minty.
the new year began well for me with a trip to the GALAPAGOS. though it is the most expensive thing I have ever done (neglecting to put oil in my car comes a close second) my small plastic friend offered to pay for it, which I think means I get it for free. after more farcical fun at the airport (something to do with my ticket having the wrong time and flight on it) I eventually set off, though not before the man who checked my bags in had given me his work and home phone number.
the GALAPAGOS was amazing. highlight of my trip. I took lots of photos. our guide was also brilliant. he was this old man who kept pointing out the excrement of each species (´do-do´) and talking to people only in languages they didnt understand (I got spanish). I also took the opportunity to laugh in an incredibly mature way every time he said the word booby, which he said quite often- not because he was a pervert (although his catchphrase was ´dont touch the animals, only the guide´) but because a booby is a bird there. it has blue feet. (the booby, not the guide- incidentally his feet were brown and kind of wrinkly)
anyway. I saw lots of cool animals, and swam with sharks, which the guide described as ´vegitarian´ (like its an ethical decision theyve made). I also swam in water which had hammerheads in, which, to the best of my knowledge, are about as ethical as genocide.
On the last day on my first boat (some cock up) an american on the boat who thought I was australian and looked like michael j fox (do they try to be stupid?) made balloon animals for everyone. among his creations were a turtle, a machine gun (for an israeli) and a stethoscope (a stethoscope?) he even brought a pump. I got a fox.
before I moved onto the second boat of my trip (cock up) the driver of the first boat invited me to stay at his house for an extra week. I gracefully legged it.
the second boat was me, and a group of dutch old lady lesbians.
after the GALAPAGOS I went south in ecuador to baños (baths) where they have baths. on the bus an old lady sat next to me and yabbered something about evangelism I think, before handing me a piece of paper. I wrote my name on it and she seemed very pleased.
so the next day I got up ridiculously early (I know, unbelievable) and stumbled around my dormitory in the dark for about twenty minutes getting ready to go to the baths. I eventually headed out of my room to the front door only to discover that I had forgotten to put my contact lenses in. cue another ten minutes of fumbling, after which I headed back out of the dorm, to the front door. which was locked.
I went back to bed and vowed never to get up early again, unless my house was on fire.
when I eventually made it to the hot baths, I sat there for a few hours doing nothing and watching old ecuadorians swim (dignified drowning) before an old lady burped at me and I decided to get out. then I had a little sleep. then I went to some other hot baths where I did much the same thing, only no one burped at me. but there was some parsley in the hot bath which had much the same effect. then I had another little sleep.
Yeah, that was a good day.
I have also spent time looking at waterfalls, being sung at repeatedly by 8 year old schoolgirls, and riding on the roof of a train and almost falling off.
if you think its all fun and games think again though, my neck is a little sore at the moment and I slept very badly last night. but today is another day and I have a double bed and hot water.
yes.
besos y bistek,
sprengiko!