Sunday 26th October (from Isabela)

After we get breakfast served in our room, and decide to go for a walk to tortuga bay. It proves to be a 2,5km walk of which the first two are over a beautiful laid path, two meters wide through the mangroves. Particularly interesting were the cactus trees. They are true trees, and their inside is like a honeycomb and fibres, such that they can store water. The last 500m are over the beach. A wide, white, flat beach with fine sand over which strolled several sea iguanas. Idillic in many ways. The kids started with walking in the water, but 15 minutes later their clothes are drenched.

As we are on a time schedule, we spend only 15 min at the bay before tracking homeward. We pack our backpacks, pay, and drop our bags in the centre of town where we bought the tickets for the boat. We have a quick lunch, an happy for the Internet connection we up- and download mails and web blogs.

At 13:30 we picked up our bags and walked to the pier. After a baggage check for animals/plants we wait between 60 odd people for our boat: the Julet. Heidi opens the seasick medicine bag, and the kids get acupuncture bracelets, some oil behind the ears and one earplug in the non-dominant ear. We see how many small yellow boats get packed and depart. After a while it is our turn. We get loaded on board and are amazed that the luggage is loosely placed up front.

After about 4 minutes and the request of each of us to pay an additional 50 cents all becomes clear. These yellow boats are merely taxis taking us to the main boats. The Julet is a larger boat with three 175hp engines. Once we are all installed (20 people), and lifejackets handed out we reach open sea. It does not take more than 10 minutes before the first passenger gets sick.

The passage takes a bit over 2 hours, and several people get sick, filling little grey plastic bags handed to them by the shipmate. Part of the discomfort is the smell and the noise of the engines as well that we are sitting in the boat quite packed, hence it is warm.

Heidi feels quite squeezy for a while, and Leendert too looks a bit pale in the middle of the trip. Both fortunately hang in well, and Leendert even perks up towards the end. There is a sense of relief by all once we pull into the harbour.

We transfer again into small boats, which for $1, bring us to terra firms. We go through ‘customs’ and for another $20 we finally are on Isabella. Julio the local English teacher awaits us on the dock, and as we wait for our luggage, see lions play and entertain the kids in the water below us.

A short wait after we get the backpacks, ‘Alfredo’ picks us up. He brings us to what will be our abode for the next 2 weeks. We stay in a sort of hostel ‘flamingo’. One big room with brown tiled floors and two single and one double bed. Julio promises introduces us to the host family, which consists of an elderly couple; one of them is Alfredo.

Julio promises to be back later, right after dinner. The kids jump in the hammocks upfront, and Heidi and I unpack our backpacks and stroll to the local supermarket to buy some drinks. We have fish, rice and beans for dinner, and get introduced to bright orange lemons. Leendert thinks himself in heaven.

Following that we get the tour of the town by Julio. 30 minutes later we have seen the town in all its glory. Tomorrow at 7:15 we are expected to report for duty. Heidi and Alicia will go with Julio, I am to report in another school with Leendert, asking for Mathilde Cartagena. In all honesty, I am a bit nervous. Helping to teach, in a school of 8-14 year olds, a school where even the principle does not speak English,…

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