Isabela Island ...and the ferry crossing from hell

This morning is different from the rest as it’s holiday time! We are off to Isabela for the next 3 nights, meaning no farm work, no dogs, no chickens, just sun sea, sand and adventures (even if we did wake up at 4.30am to get the farm duties done before we left)

Jimmy had booked a taxi for us to the Port to catch the ferry at 6am which was a lifesaver as there are no busses at that time. Upon arriving at the ferry terminal it’s like herding cats. People everywhere, lots of boats and no one really knowing what they were doing - after being told we would be on boat ‘Blue Fantasy’ we hopped aboard ‘ Cally 1’. You have to make your way through quarantine then as we boarded our tiny ferry we realised this may be a long ride. Apparently, it takes 2 hours to cross to Isabela and usually it’s $30USD PP but if you shop around you can easily get it for $25usd each way pp.

Now, I would warn you in advance if you get motion sickness, sea sickness or are scared of boats then FLY TO ISABELA, do not cross via boat.  To put it lightly it was horrific, so scary and a white knuckle ride the entire journey. I have no photos to prove this, so you will just need to take my work as I spent the whole time rigid not even blinking I was that scared.
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After 2 hours of absolute torture we made it off the boat, into a completely pointless water taxi to take us the last 10 ft to the port - which costs $1USD pp. You then must pay $10USD entrance fee to enter Isabela but to our absolute delight there was a sign with my name on it from our hostel ‘Cielo Azul’. The hostel we are staying is lovely – of you don’t look outside. The place looks like it was hit by a massive Earthquake and is in the process of being rebuilt but inside is amazing and costs $120USD for 3 x nights in a double room with bathroom and A.C so we are both happy as.

Jackson our host is a dream, he runs this hostel with his daughter and after we had freshened up and stopped feeling sick he took us for walking tour into town to show us where everything is. Isabela is tiny, and he explained that it is the newest island hence why everything is in the middle of being built – they don’t even have any major hotels here yet.

After lunch we headed to the hotspot ‘Concha la Perla’ which is prime location for swimming with various marine life, iguanas and sea lions. We both hopped in and had an encounter with all the above – it was magic. This is also free on the island so even better!

A beach holiday wouldn’t be a beach holiday without going to the beach on the first day and getting third degree burns from not slip slap slopping enough SPF on, right? Well, great news…I now have what looks like third degree burns on my face and chest. Oh, and my back also.

After a shower, some A/C and a well-deserved rest we headed out for cocktails at BJ Beach bar where you can find great WIFI and 2 cocktails for $10USD. WINNING! We started with mojitos and then I had a coffee to pick me up and Leo had a ‘Tie me to bed’…yes, I had never heard of it either, but it was delicious.

For dinner we had similar to our normal lunch but this time for $8USD pp it came in dinner form. You can generally find these cheap eats in most restaurants but written in Spanish on a white board as they are directed for the locals. For $8USD it was great, soup, ceviche, rice, salad, chips a wee dessert and a juice!
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After that it was early to bed as we are up early in the morning to head to what has been described as the best day trip on the Islands – ‘el tuneles’. Will keep you posted.