Pernille

I expect it would be quite poor and that not many people would speak english. And I was wrong. Even the old serving lady at the milk bar could say “Chicken! Pork! Goulash! Soup! What you want?). I was there in 2009 and Poland joined the EU in 2004, I guess that made a difference. The train system is efficient, not fast, but cheap and reliable. The buses work well. The food is great, filling, heart warming, a bit peasant, but so good. The cities are maybe newly renovated, I dont know, but the old town struck me as particularly in good state and really beautiful. A mix between Germany and Russia (granted I’ve never seen Russia) dominates the architecture. I was in awe at every corner. And Warsaw isnt the horrible industrial capital everyone describes. The old town is nice, lots of shopping to be done, of course it’s larger than the rest, but it’s by no means horrible.
Loved Poland. Highly recommend it.

Great colonial architecture, easy to travel, clean, neat, organised. But bring your own chewing gum and don’t let the customs see it, it’s banned here!

If you’re gonna visit one geothermal park, make it Wai-O-Tapu, it is the best and most colourful one. Orako Korakei on the road to Taupo is also wort a visit, you need to get a boat accross!

A good place to put your bags down for a few years.

Sleep in your own private room for US$10 a night at residencial Petero Atamu, next to the church and artesanal market. Kitchen access and avocado trees in the garden. Mosquito nets on the window. Nice owners: Dalia and Sergio, one of them should be at the airport counters when you arrive, ask around!

I saw my first sea lion under water.

This is a great base for land-based travellers. You can do many day trips for less than $100 to neighbouring islands and you can also visit Isabela and San Cristobal from here.
Plenty of local sights too, from snorkelling beaches to tortoise centre.

Be aware that upon leaving the island by boat (the boat that goes to Santa Cruz for 30 US$), there is a $5 tax for everyone. Surprise!

This is a simply beautiful archipelago.

We did not do a cruise. Just 9 days in total, split between Santa Cruz and Isabela, with two day trips to Bartolomé and to Floreana. The latter was my personal favourite, because we saw so much varied marine wildlife at the Corona del Diablo. I also preferred Santa Cruz to ISabela because of the better tourism opportunities (including free stuff to do, like Tortuga Bay, Playa Alemanes, Las Grietas, Tortoise Centre, Lake Las Ninfas). We found the people of Isabela a bit more money-oriented and were especially annoyed with the surprise $5 tax when you leave. I hope not to upset anyone but this is my view.

I personally recommend Hostal Los Amigos in Puerto Ayora. For $10 per person you have a well decorated clean room with ventilator, shared bathroom and kind hosts.

In this place I saw and played with animals I never knew to be so friendly and interesting. The fauna is just amazing and the underwater life is what marked me most.

We’ll be in the gala-gala like I like to call them for 8 days up until 1st April! Can’t wait.