The parrots just stay out of the way!

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Sue

Several people asked about our trip and photos of the Galapagos.  For us it was the trip of a lifetime and if you have the inclination and the opportunity, you should try to go.

Photos from our trip:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24874075@N00/sets/72157604210283349/show/

We spent a week on a 10 cabin 20 passenger boat, the Letty, traveling with two identical boats, the Eric and the Flamingo.  We booked through tour operator Southern Expeditions (link below) though there are many other boats and operators.

http://www.detourdestinations.com/provider_info.php?provider=ecoventura

http://www.southernexplorations.com/galapagos-island-travel/cruises/ELF.htm

http://www.wildland.com/trips/details/176/galapagos_itin.aspx

This is a fairly expensive trip but for those who are or will be in Ecuador there are ways to beat the high price.  Discounts ranging from 10% to 50% are available at the last minute if space on boats is unsold or if there are cancellations.   Here’s a link on how to do it:

http://www.suite101.com/content/budget-galapagos-a44912

Bon Voyage,

Dana & Rebecca Broadaway

Our boat driver feeding the crocodiles was very entertaining, watch the video below and enjoy.

Costa Rica, which we visited prior to Ecuador, is still on our list as well, but is at least twice as costly.  In our price range we could not find anything very near the beach nor direct pacific sunset (another one of my criteria).  But the transition ease factor is much higher with many English speaking people in the Jaco area (an hour due west of San Jose on the Pacific coast).

Michelle and I agree that we both need to visit Ecuador again strictly focusing on the Bahia area including San Vicente and Canoa to the north across the bridge.  But of what we did see in Bahia, we sure do like the vacant land we saw right on the water.  We talked with Bob and Freda Lefevre about this a great deal while we were together in Salinas.  This area has tremendous potential for us to purchase and develop our own Pacific coastal property in a manner that fits with the environment and more importantly with the Ecuadorian community.  We have some interesting experts amongst us that can design very energy efficient homes.  We might even keep ourselves off the grid by using solar electrical power.  Again, I want to emphasize that we could develop a unique expat community where one of our primary goals is minimal impact on the environment and the Ecuadorian people.  In fact, our goal should be to enhance our Ecuadorian community in ways that meet their needs, not necessarily ours.  Their values and beliefs just might be a tad different than ours.

Many of you also visited areas internal to Ecuador.  We did not.  Our focus right now is coastal property.  But I see us having a place in the mountains somewhere someday.  We learned that the Pacific coast is covered by clouds for about 6 months of the year, but with little rain.  We saw the sun for only a few minutes during our entire 3 days in Salinas.  But the other 6 months are purportedly full of sunshine, with about 5 inches of rain which greens up the surrounding foliage.

Jay & Michelle

What struck us about the Ecuador coastline is the 6 months of the year that are mostly cloud covered, yet very dry where the foliage predominantly turns brown. Because of this dryness, the flora and fauna are strikingly limited on the coast. We are sun worshipers and creature lovers. If you look at Google Earth and click on pictures folks have placed there, many of them show cloud cover on the Ecuador coastline.

Contrast this with Honduras’ northern shoreline where you’ll see nothing but blue sky pictures and blue water. The beaches are stunningly beautiful with what looks like fine white sand. The cost of living and property is lower than Costa Rica, but a bit higher than Ecuador. The northern coast is not on the Pacific, but on the Caribbean. But because it runs almost due east and west I not only get a great sunset over the water, but sunrise as well. Flora and fauna are vibrant and green mountains with waterfalls are very close at hand.

International Living (IL) has some info on Honduras but has yet to feature it or do detailed comparisons as far as I can tell. That puts it off of everyone’s radar screen which is something else I like. IL says medical is good in the few larger cities with most doctors having been trained in the U.S. and latest medical equipment. There are similar residency requirements like Ecuador’s ($50K property, pension), but there’s also a very big tourism incentive. Looks like it’s relatively inexpensive to rent a car. One downside is hurricanes a few of which have passed through but only very infrequently. Most hurricanes travel north to the Yucatan and beyond.

So we’re going to make a trip very soon to Honduras to visit the Forseth’s and Honduras’ north shore to check it out first hand. We’ll keep you posted.

Jay & Michelle

If you have any comments or questions send us an email through the contact us page and we’ll get back to you right away.

Thanks,

Jay & Michelle