Millionaire Librarian

We just returned from 10 days in the Galapagos and a full 20 days with my in-laws, who first visited us in Cuenca and then went with us to the islands. Traveling was fun but exhausting. We had to spend two days traveling to and from the Galapagos; we had to fly from Guayaquil, and the flights and car rides didn’t line up in a way that allowed us to do it realistically in one day.

This was our first time leaving Cuenca since we arrived seven months ago. One thing we came away thinking was how lucky we are to live in Cuenca. We loved the tortoises, sea lions, and marine iguanas. It was a nature lover’s paradise, but it was so hot. I think we have gotten used to the constant 50–70 degree weather in Cuenca. Our small hotels didn’t have central A/C, and going out for a coffee or a meal meant facing the heat, often without a localized A/C unit. After a few days, the heat—which we weren’t used to—fatigued us for much of the day.

The Galapagos was also much more expensive. Almuerzos, which are $3.50 in Cuenca, were $6 in the Galapagos. Often, dinner entrees were similar to those in the U.S. at around $15–$20 each. Large beers at tiendas were about half the size and twice as expensive at $5 each.

Cuenca also has much better infrastructure than either Guayaquil or the Galapagos. Buildings and roads look better. I also prefer looking at mountains than the ocean.

Though I am complaining, it was an amazing experience and probably one that will only get harder the older we get, so I am glad we did it now and have some great memories like being chased off a bench by a sea lion and watching as two giant tortoises argue over territory.