Day 31 Thursday, April 4th Mancora, Peru.

Still at Las Olas because we love it. I borrow Gustavo’s board again and go out and a young man is out there with flippers on and helping people. Since I’m puffing away (I haven’t surfed in three years) he paddles up next to me and I ask “Cuanto-Cuesta?” S5 ($2) for him to help me and he’s just great. I have another Spanish lesson while surfing but he pushes me out and into the waves with the help of his flippers. “Hercy” (sp?) is 19. I pay him s10 and may go out with him again this afternoon.

We try to book the Galapagos on the internet and with the help of some recommended agents but we can’t seem to get a deal that we would be willing to consider sensible and we wonder just how much we really want to go. So far we are at $4,500 for the two of us (airfare, round trip from Quito included) for just three nights on the boat and that just doesn’t equate to what we are doing generally. We think that we are spending about $150/day and so to spend $4,500 for three days isn’t compelling.