Fenstons on the Run!

It was about the same time my kids found out I have an interest in geology that they began to see me as a fossil. Whether it was our family adventures exploring caves in China, salt mines in Poland, or mountain ranges in Switzerland, I’ve always been interested in this science.... yes, my poor children have a fossil for a dad.

New Brunswick is truly a great place to explore geological wonders.

We arrived in Moncton, NB, tried from our long drive. After checking in, we took the kids go-carting and out for dinner, in a not-so-thinly veiled effort to buy back their affection before our hike the next day.

Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park is an amazing place to visit. Located on the Bay of Fundy, Hopewell Rocks has the highest tides in the world which, over eons, have shaped and moulded the coastline into something that feels like a page out of Dr. Seuss or a painting by Salvador Dali. Over a 160 billion tones of seawater rise into and ebb from the Bay of Fundy - and around the amazing Hopewell Rocks - twice a day.

We arrived with enough time to make our way down to the shoreline and walk for a while along the rapidly shrinking beach. I took photos of this amazing display of pressure and time, and the kids marked with stones and seaweed the rising tide. We then visited the information centre for a while, but returned to see our now flooded beach filled with kayakers paddling above where we had been standing just under two hours prior.

The next day, our adventures in Earth sciences continued with a visit to the Joggins Fossil Cliffs, back in Nova Scotia. This UNESCO World Heritage Site showcases an amazing (and eroding) cliff that is filled with fossils from over 310 million years ago (affectionately known as ‘the late Carboniferous Period). Our guide Waylon really made the experience interesting and engaging, especially for our kids... who were eager to search for and bring him potential paleontological finds. Quinn found something so interesting that Waylon asked him to bring it to the research centre for further study by experts later on.... Who’s the fossil now, you turkeys!?!

Tomorrow we are going to drive home which, according to Waze, is 1518 km from where we are right now. Part of our adventure, we’ll try to make it fun with games and podcasts. Always great to travel as a family, we ‘Fenstons’ look forward to our next adventure.

Our adventures continued in Nova Scotia, and we’ve been busy.

It was a long drive from our place in P.E.I. to Baddeck, Nova Scotia, but we had views, Alan Cross’ “Ongoing History of New Music” podcasts and some incredible views to keep us going. Upon arriving at our one night stay at “Ceilidh Lodge” we visited the Alexander Bell museum, exploring more of his passion for flight than his telephonic ingenuity. After culture, there were kayaks, and Kelly and Atticus took a ride by a lighthouse as Ellie, Quinner and I played games at a restaurant patio. We a great view of the coast, we ate dinner at “Freight House” and retired for the night. Each of my boys blamed the other for excessive snoring.

The next day, we continued our journey with a visit to a Gaelic College for a bagpipe performance, some history, and some lunch. Having “enjoyed” the bagpipes as much as one can, we began our exploration of the Cabot Trail.

Covering nearly 300 km of (mostly) coastline, the Cabot Trail provides some of the the most scenic views you are ever likely to see.... it’s beauty is easily comparable to anything we saw on our family adventures in New Ealand, Italy, or Norway. We arrived at our place at 236 LaPoint Road, Cheticamp, and Kelly and I cooked mussels and scallops for dinner. We ended our day with a short walk to the beach near our place, where the kids tired their arms by throwing massive rocks back into the sea.

The next day we started with a hike up “Le Buttereau”, where we could see the remains of Acadian pioneer homes along a marked trail. In addition to the history and incredible beauty that accompanied us on our hike, we were also mindful of bears as we were warned some had been spotted in the area. I’m not sure that carrying a large stick actually made it safer for me and my family, but somehow it made me feel safer.

For our next hike, we went to “The French Mountain Bog”. At 1350 ft above sea level, it is amazing that anything can live, never mind thrive, at this height. True to form, this highland wetland rained us out, and we had to make a hurried dash back to our car to avoid a complete soaking.

We spent the afternoon at an picturesque beach at Inverness, and then had an early celebratory birthday dinner for Kelly at “The Doryman” pub. Good food and great music - sung by two guys who looked shockingly like John Goodman and Michael Moore - we feasted and then made our way ‘home’ to sleep.

This morning, we got the kids up early, and surprised them with zip lining. None of us had ever been before, and it was a great thrill. Ellie, the smallest and most fearless of our group, coasted gingerly and slowly. The birthday girl and I “zipped” a litter faster than expected, and the boys showboated like old pros. I highly recommend “Mountain Pine Adventures” should you find yourself in Nova Scotia, and have a strange desire to speed above the rocky forests and streams.

Once back on Earth, we decided hike a small portion of it and made our way to “White Point Trail”. The massive rocky cliffs here reminded us of our time in Ireland, and we had a great (if somewhat exhausting) time exploring this hidden gem. Blissfully, there was a great beach below, and Kelly and I watched the kids throw each other into the waves, with an iconic parade of colourful fishing boats docked just behind them.

After dinner we decided to cap off Kelly’s birthday with a sunset guided hike along the Skyline Trail. At just over 7 km, we knew that we were committing to several hours, with breaks for taking in the views. Our last adventure of the day did not disappoint, and we were so very fortunate to have our great day end by staring out over the rugged Gulf of St. Lawrence coast.

After our cliffhanging adventure, it was time to get running again.

Oromocto, New Brunswick, is a true military town, supported and largely populated by GFB Gagetown. We arrived after an eight hour drive, eager to do almost nothing, and Oromocto is exactly the place to accomplish that goal. Truthfully, there is not much for a family “on the run” to do in Oromocto....’Trip Advisor’ lists going to the grocery store as the third most exciting attraction here. Notwithstanding, everyone we met was both friendly and gracious, and we had a great meal with great service at Griffin’s Pub.

Crossing Confederation Bridge into Prince Edward Island the next day was an adventure unto itself, more akin to a roller coaster ride than an elevated crossing. At 12, 900 metres, this engineering marvel seems to go on forever. After a COVID check-in, we were ready to explore this historic island.

Eventually, we arrived at our temporary home at ‘Breeze and Beach Cottages’. A series of interlocked and colourful cottages, our place has two bedrooms, a living room, and (blissfully) running water and wifi. After settling in, we explored “Thunder Cove Beach” , and had some amazing “Cows” ice cream after dinner.

The next day, we woke up to overcast clouds, and made our way to the town of Summerside before the rain arrived. Here, we visited the “Wyatt Historic House Museum”, and got a great tour from Caleb, an aspiring History / English teacher. We then enjoyed a soggy walk around Charlottetown, t-shirt shopping and taking in the history. Educated and somewhat exhausted, we rested until we were ready for the greatest seafood dinner we have ever had.

“Fisherman’s Wharf”, North Rustico, P.E.I., seats over 400 people, and nobody ever leaves hungry. Alex, our youthful waiter, stuffed us with lobster, clam chowder, mussels, steak, and salad. Between mouthfuls, we debated who amongst us could have escaped a lobster trap. Bursting and blissfully satisfied, we made our way back to our little pink cottage and collapsed into a food coma.

The next day we slept-in as well as we could with energetic toddlers on the other side of our interconnected cottage walls. After coffee, Olympics, and the news, we made our way out for a great costal bike ride. “Confederation Trail Bikes” has been in business for 21 years, and we loved our 18 km short journey along some of the beautiful P.E.I. coast.

Somewhat sweaty (and sore assed) after our ride, Kelly and I took the kids to “Basin Head Beach” to cool down. Endless dunes and cool waters refreshed the kids, but the real thrill of this stop was the 12 ft bridge and walls separating the beach here, where carefree kids and teens leap and lunge into the water below.

Of course the kids gave it a try and took the plunge.

After several hours of leaping, we made our way back home to a more modest dinner of bacon and pancakes. Tonight we’ll rest up, watch some Olympics, and then tomorrow we’ll make our way to Cape Breton.

Our second fully day in Quebec City was as good as the first. Disappointed that we had not been able to join a walking tour the day before, Kelly booked us a private tour of the city. Michele Perron has been doing tours for years and, like many in the tourism/service industry, was hit hard by COVID. He met us at the Quebec National Assembly, and we immediately liked him and he, in turn, liked our family love of history and politics. Michel gave us an amazing tour of the city, and tossed in more than enough nugget to keep the kids interested.

That night our dinner was closer to butter sandwiches than French cuisine, but enough was in reserve for ice cream along Dufferin Terrace. After treats, Kelly, Quinner, and Ellie decided to head home, but Atticus and I walked through the old Latin Quarter near the original Laval University. (Funny enough it is not called “the Latin Quarter” because of demographics... it earned this linguistic moniker because Laval students were once all required to study Latin.)

The next day we gathered our bags and our van, and made our way to a camp site in the Saguenay region. A short three hour drive, broken up by podcasts from Malcolm Gladwell, we enjoyed the views, each other’s company, and some amazing roadside poutine.

Arriving at Cap Jaseux - after some terrifying gravel roads - we found our small cabin. It is one room with five beds (two bunks), with no water and no power. Larger than anything we stayed in while visiting Japan, Barcelona, or Paris, it more than meets our needs. We had enough time to visit the amazing beach along the Saguenay River before a hotdog dinner and a campfire. After a few dimly-lit card games, we were all in bed early, and each of us rationed our I-Device batteries as much as possible.

The next day was a real nail biter ... a cliff-hanger in the truest sense of the word. We woke shortly after sun up, dressed and ate a Spartan breakfast, and walked down to the shore to meet our rock climbing guide, Laurence. We were ready for an adventure.

Blissfully, Laurence spoke more English than we do French and was able to get us suited up to test our vertical limits. Ellie was a natural with her skinny frame and long reach. Quinn has always been a “ready, fire, aim” sort of guy, and loves adventure. Atticus - the truly reasonable member of our crew - worked out each step methodically and, with an appropriate abundance of caution, took the lead.

Needless to say, Generation X struggled to keep up.

Kelly and I grappled and grabbed as best we as we could, all the while struggling to keep up with Laurence and our kids. It was undeniably exhausting, and unequivocally one of the best experiences we have had together as a family. A two hour trek, the kids begged us to do it again. Kelly and I barely had the breath to say no, while also canvassing the wilderness for the nearest defibrillator.

That evening we had a campfire, and played cards by lamplight. Both energized and exhausted by the day, we climbed (some of us limped) into our respective sleeping bags and tried to sleep. Several hours later we were all woken by the most terrific storm we had ever heard... made worse, no doubt, by the tin roof above our heads. I fully expected to wake the next morning and see our van floating down the Saguenay River.

We, and our van, survived the night. The morning was cold, however, and Kelly and I could see our breath as we boiled water for our instant coffees. Caffeinated, we left to visit Cap de Bon-Desir, which is part of the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine National Park. Fantastically, we were able to see numerous whales and seals, while admiring the most amazing coastline you can imagine.

Tomorrow we head for New Brunswick for a night, on our way to Prince Edward Island.

It’s been three years since we were in the beginning phases of our around-the-world odyssey. For Kelly and I, taking our kids around the globe was a life-changing experience that both make our world bigger, and also brought us closer together. (That we are ‘Fenstons’ and not ‘Fewsons’ is a long story involving confused Irishman and a long bus trip.... If you’d like to check out our trip-around-the-world blog, take a look: https://fewson.travellerspoint.com/toc/.)

Global pandemics notwithstanding, we’ve been eager to get away again. This year we are so very fortunate to be able to do the trip we planned a last year to Quebec and the Maritimes. It is amazing what can change in a year.

Sunday morning, we woke early and packed our trusty Honda Odyssey for the long-ish trip to Quebec City. With several coffees and a heavy foot, we managed to get here with time and energy to explore the city before dinner. Our place at 727 Rue Sainte-Marie is perfect, and reminds us of the place we had rented in Ulverstone, England. Quaint with odd staircases, a loft, and rustic beams it feels modern and yet also historic.

One we left our place, the kids were immediately struck with how European Quebec City feels. Narrow and winding cobble-stone street are adorned with centuries-old restaurants and shops. We meandered on a pedestrian-only street for some time before searching for dinner. Kelly and I found a place that, back in 2003, we deemed “too fancy” for us, but decided to now treat the kids. “Restaurant Aux Anciens Canadiens” is housed in the oldest house in Quebec (1675), and easily lives up to its claim to feature truly authentic Québécois cuisine. It was awesome. Atticus and I truly had the best poutine of our lives, and everyone else left feeling stuffed and satisfied.

After dinner we waddled down to the Chateau Frontenac and then zigzagged our way home. The massive storm that arrived shortly thereafter forced some reluctant room changes, but all slept well enough to explore again in the morning.

Today we packed a lunch and headed out to The Plains of Abraham to walk-about, explore the Martello towers, and then visit the museum commemorating the historic battle that occurred here in September of 1759. Here, you realize we are not as young as we thing, both as travellers walking and also as a nation.

Now, as much as teens and tweens love a day at the museum, we felt the need to buy-back their love afterward, and took them to Basse-Ville (Lower Town) for treats and, well, more treats. The historic staircase leading to Lower Town is iconic, and the kids loved the atmosphere, the Quebec Nordiques apparel, and the occasional inappropriately named shoppe. After a long walk - and a pause at the ‘Catch Me If You Can’ faux-French square - we started our arduous climb back up the stairs and to our place.

A good start to being back on the run....

This adventure has truly been the experience of a lifetime. Exploring the world from London to the Galápagos - with more than a few stops in between - has challenged us, changed us, exhausted us, and enlightened us. We have seen amazing things and met some incredible people, and we were so very fortunate to have been able to create these cherished memories as a family. Prior to this trip, Kelly and I often spoke about how this experience may be the best thing we ever do as parents for our kids. At the conclusion of this world adventure, we are more confident in that belief than ever.

At the end of our journey we remain happily conflicted ... after more than two-hundred days of travel we are excited to go home, but we are also sad to stop travelling. It won't take long, I'm sure, for each of us to settle back into our pre-travelling lives. Still, the "Fenstons" will miss the sense of wonder and adventure demanded by a life "on the run". We often started our days with politics, and we often had our first daily adventure before we had lunch. Our classroom was twenty-one countries and our home was wherever we slept. We woke up excited, and went to bed tired. Seriously, does it get better than that?

The hardest part of ending this adventure isn't coming home, it is the irony that coming home means seeing less of each other. The trip didn't just bring us physically closer - although, there were times in Japan when we were packed in pretty tight - but it did bring us even closer as a family. While we annoyed each other at times, we encouraged each other more often. Each of us tried our best to make sure that each of us had the best time possible.

Ellie's boundless energy truly made this adventure a journey to remember. The love she shows her mom and dad every day is perhaps matched only by her love of animals. Every day since we left home, Ellie would loudly point out the cutest creature she could find, and then inquire if we could bring one home. One of my fondest memories of the trip is the time her and I took a long walk together in Normandy, France, and stumbled across two beautiful horses grazing in a field. Standing beside the old stone wall that surrounded this farmer's field, lifting Ellie up so she could see these two grazing beauties, and just chatting about nothing and everything with her is something I'll treasure forever. Eleanor has always possessed a confidence beyond her years, and an assertiveness beyond her size ... qualities she has shown in abundance on this adventure, and qualities we hope she will never abandon. It is with a profound sense of pride that Kelly and I will reflect upon Ellie's energy, courage, and enthusiasm during this amazing journey.

Wherever Quinn travels in the world, he always brings his optimism and his unabashed compassion for every living creature. On many occasions during this adventure, when dark clouds threatened our sunny days, Quinn would consistently find a silver lining. When entering apartments that were tiny and filthy, Quinn would remind us, "Hey, at least we have a bed." His view that the glass is always half full is always tempered with an understanding that not everyone has a glass to fill. Quinn is often hit hardest by those who are hardest hit, and the guilt he feels when we don't do enough for others will drive him to do more than most. This trip has highlighted how his appetite for social justice is matched only by his appetite for pasta. At times the man eats like a horse, and at other times he acts like you have put horse meat in front of him. His caring, his humour, his optimism, and his passionate plans and conversations about LEGO, have made this trip an unending joy for both Kelly and I.

Atticus started his intellectual journey to understand the world long before we planned to see it. His goal in life is simple enough: the acquisition, compartmentalization, and utilization of all human knowledge. On more than one occasion, I found him reading the CIA World Factbook, hoping to better understand places we had yet to visit. During this trip, Atticus frequently engaged both Kelly and me in 'casual conversations' that begin with questions like, "How was the First World War different from the Second?", "What is the complete history of tension in the Middle East?", and "What additional plagues have happened in Europe other than the Black Death of 1347?". Blessed - or maybe cursed - with Kelly's encyclopedic memory, Atticus is never satisfied with vague or imprecise conclusions ... and we hope he never is. At thirteen, he's between worlds, but seamlessly navigates both; he's as comfortable playing games with his brother and sister as he is chatting politics with his mom and dad. He is starting high school next fall, and Kelly and I are proud of the person he is and the person he is becoming.

On every voyage, there can be only one Captain, and that position clearly belongs to Kelly. While I have had the great pleasure of chronicling our adventures, Kelly skillfully took command in planning them. The long process of organizing this epic journey started years before our first flight to London, and none of us will ever be able to fully thank Kelly for her many nights researching, planning, and plotting to ensure we had the most memorable adventure of our lives. Like she does with every task, Kelly organized this trip with unparalleled logistical precision, grace, confidence, and educational relevance, all the while balancing the needs and the wishes of her family. She kept one eye on our pocketbook, and the other on a history book, ensuring that this trip broke the mould without entirely breaking the bank. Kelly's tireless efforts made this journey the experience of a lifetime, and she deserves more credit than my words can convey. Her legacy is our well-rounded and enlightened kids, who have come to see the world as a place to learn from and to explore, and not just a place to be feared.

Notwithstanding Kelly's extensive planning, luck also played a big role in the success of this trip. None of us got really sick, and none of us were injured. We were only delayed once and flew on over twenty-five flights. We encountered no crime, no criminals, and no problems that we couldn't navigate. We travelled for over two-hundred days, and we could count on one hand the number of times the weather didn't co-operate. Fortuitous, Kelly and I picked jobs in our 20s that made this family experience possible in our 40s. We are incredibly lucky people.

While FaceTime and e-mail have made the world a little smaller, nothing compares to a visit from home. Our times with Brian, Denise, and Moya (a.k.a. Grandpa, Grandma, and Nanny) were truly memorable, and something that each of us cherish forever. Similarly, meeting up with the Campbells in Ecuador afforded us a chance to reconnect with Markham, and to create some great memories with some truly wonderful people.

Kelly and I want to thank everyone we encountered on this adventure who helped make this trip so very memorable. Your thoughtful assistance - especially with regards to our kids - went a long way toward us reinforcing the notion that the world is filled with more kindness than cruelty, and that the number of good people in the world far surpasses the number of bad.

In addition, we want to thank everyone who has followed our adventures since the beginning. Your comments and emails were seen as a welcomed gifts from home, and I truly hope our adventures brought a smile to your day.

While the kids will be back in school next week, Kelly and I won't be back at work until September. In addition to not getting up early every day, Kelly and I are planning to write a book about this adventure. Now, you may be asking yourself, "I've read these blogs, why do I need to buy their book?" Well ... we're broke, and we could really use the cash. In reality, the blog has been largely my voice and the book will better reflect the voices of our family. In addition to untold stories, the book will may contain coarse language, adult themes, and nudity. Viewer discretion is advised.

In the years and months leading up to this trip, there were times where the excitement was unbearable. Sitting at our kitchen table, we would countdown the weeks, and eventually the days, until our first flight to London. When we first started travelling, we counted the number of days we had been gone, but as the months wore by, we sadly started counting how many days we had left on the trip. All good things must come to and end, and this adventure is no exception.

It was the experience of a lifetime, and an experience we'll be talking about for the rest of our lives.

We were out of the Galápagos Verde Azul by a little after six in the morning, and dragged ourselves to the pier to catch a speedboat to San Cristobal. Officials continue to maintain strict protocols on the transportation of goods, so we had to line up at the pier to have our luggage checked again. While we were waiting, we had the pleasure of watching a dozen sharks swimming in the water below our feet ... the real pleasure coming, I suppose, from the fact we were not swimming with them.

All ten of us boarded the Gema and I was immediately apprehensive. This boat appeared VERY tiny to be crossing choppy ocean waters. Sadly I was right, and the Gema crashed, and banged, and rolled across our little corner of the Pacific for two stomach-churning hours. Ellie "re-visited" her breakfast at one point, and Angus was looking a little rough. Quinn was maybe the smartest among us, and just curled up on the floor of the boat and slept for most of the journey. Even once on land, I still felt miserable. We checked into Los Algarravos and I crashed for several hours.

That afternoon, everyone felt better and we visited the San Cristobal Interpretation Centre. The commitment to environmental awareness and protection here is profound, and we explored the history of the island and the mysteries that have surround it since the earliest attempts to settle here. Regrettably, Ellie - the Aqua Woman - developed an ear ache from swimming, and Kelly and I wanted to get her some medicine so we left the interpretation centre somewhat quickly. All things being equal, ear medicine here costs one-tenth the price we would have paid at home.

That night, we ate at The Mockingbird. As we entered the restaurant, I accidentally introduced myself to the owner as "God", when I intended to ask for a table of ten ... clearly, my Spanish needs work. Kelly and I finally got around to trying Ceviche ... a popular South American dish. It was exceptionally good, but more of an appetizer than a main. After dinner, we all walked down to the waterfront and we saw hundreds of sea lions cooling themselves off on the evening beach sand. As adorable as they are, the grunting of a sea lion sounds like the belching of a frat-boy so the kids got a big laugh from this sea-side symphony of burps.

The next morning, all ten of us piled into two cabs and we drove to Playa Loberia, an amazing beach not too far from our place. Typical of other experiences we have had in the Galápagos, the kids swam and constructed sand castles under the watchful eye of pelicans, sea lions, and iguanas. As our trip is coming to an end, it is strange to think how creatures that were once so very strange are becoming commonplace.

After some fantastic burgers at Cri's, everyone ventured "home" for a couple of hours to do some writing and to get out of the heat.

Whereas we once had months of travel before us, we are now down to our final few days. Tomorrow, we are flying to Quito for one day, and then the next day we begin the long journey home. The next blog, sadly, will be my final blog of this amazing adventure. I cannot even begin to describe how much fun it has been for me to catalogue and capture these amazing family memories.

Part of the journey is the end ...

Our last morning aboard the Golondrina started early, and we were back on land by 6:30 A.M. Exhausted from a rocky night at sea, everyone dug deep so we could get the most out of the Charles Darwin Research Station. Yes, me, Kelly, Cas, and Nat are the sort of parents who would bring their kids to the Charles Darwin Research Station at 6:30 in the morning. Ivan introduced us to Andreas, our guide for the morning. Andreas was a great guide. Probably in his mid-20s, he read the crowd well, and skillfully injected humour and pop-culture references to keep the kids - and the adults - focused. The aim of the Charles Darwin Research Station is to preserve the wildlife and plant life of the Galápagos Islands from invasive species and habitat loss. Andreas showed us, for example, how his team is trying to rehabilitate the tortoise population. At one point he "introduced" us to an old tortoise who has fathered some 2000 offspring in an effort to keep a variant of that species alive. Upon hearing this, Quinn felt compelled to turn to me and say, "Well, he's quite the ladies man." I've never been more proud.

We arrived at the Galápagos Verde Azul too early to check in, but we were able to leave our bags and explore Santa Cruz for a while. In many ways, Santa Cruz resembles many of the seaside communities we have visited. Replete with restaurants, bars, and souvenir shops, at first glance you may think you are walking around any number of harbour fronts in Spain, France, or Italy. What makes Santa Cruz different, however, is the Galápagos wildlife. At every turn, you potentially come across a sea lion laying on the sidewalk, an iguana slowly meandering about town, or a succession of massive pelicans optimistically stalking fish mongers who are busily slicing up their daily catch.

After lunch, we spent the afternoon poolside happily doing as little as possible. The kids played "Marco Polo", and the grown-ups played, "That Was a Tasty Beer".

The next day was all about geology. We hired two taxis to chauffeur us around for the day, and drove to the Galápagos twin craters, or as they are called here, Los Gemelos. These stadium sized holes in the Earth were not caused by a celestial impact, but rather by the collapse of empty magma chambers from erosion over time and the movement of tectonic plates. It was very cool, and we were able to see both craters in less than a half hour.

And then we went underground.

Hiking through an empty magma chamber is a very cool experience. Fenstons and Campbells descended about 15 meters to a large opening in the Earth. I went first, and decided not to tell anyone about the massive spider I saw slip under the rickety staircase at the base of the tunnel. Everyone entered and we found the tunnel to be about 20 feet high, dripping water, and poorly lit. We cautiously avoided puddles and tried not to trip over the jagged lava rocks at our feet. Very different from safety conscious Canada, the entire tunnel looked like it could collapse at any moment. As fun as this was, at one point each of us had to crawl through an opening at our feet no more than two feet high. Quinn, in the spirit of Indiana Jones, pretended to grab his trusty hat at the last possible moment. On the way back to our place, I was joking with Isaac and Quinn that, for the rest of their lives, they'll be able to cash in on the story of the time they crawled through an Ecuadorian lava tunnel. Not a bad opener at any university party.

The next day we went to a place that, for my money, has the best name in the world: "The Crack." Admittedly, "The Crack" is not easy to find, but well worth the hike. "The Crack" is a secluded swimming spot, nestled between two imposing rocky cliffs. People of all ages flock here, and jump from the makeshift dock into the deep waters. Everyone had a blast here ... it was certainly a welcome reprieve from the day's punishing heat and humidity. At one point I took a walk to get a few better photographs of the crew and tripped over a lava rock. Falling, I reached out to steady myself against something and managed to grab a cactus. Hours later, I'm still pulling cactus needles out of my hand ... believe it or not, it is actually refreshing to have your own stupidity highlighted so publicly on occasion. I came back and found our swimmers just as they were getting ready to get out of the water. With regret, it was time to leave "The Crack" ... bummer.

Tomorrow we are leaving early for San Cristobal and looking forward to the next chapter in our Galápagos adventure.

Hey ... This is my second blog on the Galápagos. If you want to check out the first, just look below!

Our second night aboard the Golondrina was smoother than our first, a function, no doubt, of the fact we stayed put for most of the night. Before breakfast, we started moving again, and by the time we were done eating we were ready to debark and explore another part of Isabela Island. Ivan skillfully guided us along a marked path, and pointed out the significance and the dangers of various plants. It didn't take long, however, before we saw our first massive tortoise. Ivan estimated this venerable creature must weigh at least 300 kg. and this guy didn't move fast because he has no reason to move fast ... at that size, nothing was going to challenge him for supremacy. Other massive tortoises followed, some recoiling their heads, and others just as curious about us as we were of them. Further along the path, we ran into several massive (as in three feet long) yellowish-orange iguanas. Terrifyingly huge, I expected any one of these monsters to chase us back to our boat, but they were as slow and as deliberate as their tortoise neighbours. We followed this adventure with a swim, where Ellie and Brynn brought me every interesting shell they could find. After we got back, Quinner realized he forgot his shoes on the island, and had to venture back with Ivan after the rest of us has settled back on our ship. Our adventures continued later on with a rain-soaked walk up to Darwin Lagoon. Even through the mist and the rain, we could see beautiful blues and greens that denote this lake. On the way back to the boat, Brynn and Ellie kept spirits high by singing Christmas songs, while Angus, Isaac, Quinn, and Atticus chatted about Marvel. Soaked to our bones, we came back to the Golondrina and the boys played cards and ate chicken wings while the girls goofed on their I-Pads. Somehow, we managed to cajole all of them into doing some writing. Just before dinner, Ivan called for everyone to come quickly to the edge of the boat so we could see dozens of dolphins leaping out of the water, happily putting on a show for all of us. It was an incredible sight, and a great end to a fantastic day.

That night, we were both shaken and stirred. It was a twelve hour journey from Isabela Island to Santiago Island and we didn't spare the horses ... or, whatever the equivalent would be on water. Most of us felt sea-sick by the time we went to bed, and most of us took something to steady our equilibrium, which had the added benefit of knocking us all out early.

I woke up the next morning shortly after five, and decided to walk around the ship and to take some photos of the moon over the Galápagos and, eventually, the sunrise. Truly stunning. Some of the other guests had the same idea, and each of us watched the night fade away while photographing as much of this ecological and biological wonder as our cameras would allow. Cas and Nat joined me at one point, and it was great to share the dawn with such good people.

For our first adventure of the day, we took a smaller boat to James Bay on Santiago Island. Here, Ivan took us on a long walk from a black volcanic beach where we landed all the way around the island. On our walk we saw a different species of seal lion - Ivan referred to it as a "bulldog", but I'm sure it has a more scientific name - and a multitude of crabs darting every which way. The volcanic rock that comprises most of the shoreline is jagged, porous, and entirely jet black. At times it recedes into deep holes and caverns, some of which would shoot water high into the air if these caverns happen to reach open water. All six of the kids got a big thrill watching the ocean waves spray - somewhat dramatically - out of the rocky shoreline and high into the air. We eventually made our way back to the volcanic beach, where the kids swam and a couple of pelicans kept watch.

Later that afternoon, we had our last excursion, this time to Sombrero Chino on Santiago Island. Formed more recently - in geological time - than other islands we visited, this island was almost free of all vegetation, other than a thin line of strange orange shrubs near the shore. Also, in a sharp contrast to our experiences at the black volcanic beach that morning, these beaches had the whitest, finest sand we've seen in the Galápagos. The sea lions here were incredibly playful, and swam and rolled in the sand near us, mugging for photos. Kelly, Atticus, and Quinner said it was the best snorkelling of the entire trip. After a long swim, Ivan took us to see some adorable penguins before we headed back to the boat.

While our last dinner on the boat was great, the seas were very rocky again which made packing incredibly difficult. Rough waters notwithstanding, all of us had an amazing time here with the Campbells. Our time with them on this tiny - somewhat rocky - boat was truly memorable, and no one is ready to accept the reality that we will be back home in Markham in about a week.

After an easy flight, we arrived at the port in Galápagos to board our ship for the next four nights, the Golondrina. The kids, as one would expect, were incredibly excited to board the ship. The Golondrina is a small ship, with a crew of six and room for 16 passengers (although we only have 15 on board). Our guide for this amazing adventure is Ivan, a trained marine biologist and unapologetic Galápagos enthusiast. This ship itself is shockingly similar to the boat in Jaws. Our rooms are little more than walk-in closets with bunk beds, but we are only there to sleep so no one really cares. Initially we were a little frustrated here ... the crew did not have enough snorkel masks, and had no life jackets designed for kids. Our frustrations abated after Ivan took us to Santa Cruz Island, one of the many islands that encompass the Galápagos. Santa Cruz was amazing, and a great introduction to our explorations. Ivan took us on a walk along the beach, where we saw very colourful crabs and two massive marine iguanas. After walking, the kids thrashed in the ocean waves until they were ready to drop. We were eventually ferried back to the main boat, and had a great dinner.

And then the tiny ship was tossed.

After dinner, the Captain set us on a course for Isabela Island. The plan was to sail all night, and arrive just before breakfast. This was, without a doubt, the most rocking, crazy, dizzying night at sea any of us have ever had. Everyone was in bed shortly after eight o'clock but, for each of us, getting to bed was only the start of our adventure ... the boat was swaying from side to side so much that each of us had to hold on to their respective mattresses at times. Standing without assistance was impossible ... never mind any sense of accuracy or aim for me and my male companions who attempted to stand and use the restroom at any point in the night. Still, sleep came to most of us eventually - except Nat, who had the added joy of a leaky air-conditioner dripping on his head all night - and calmer waters greeted us the next morning.

The next day, we were all up early for breakfast, and then we started our next exploration with a small boat cruise along the Isabela coast. Even here, the extent and variety of life present everywhere is astounding. We saw plenty of sea turtles, penguins, sea lions, and the coveted blue footed boobie. (Quinn was particularly excited about this, having recently bought a shirt bearing an image of this elusive bird ... in a couple of years, I imagine the mention of this type of bird may excite him for other reasons.) We ventured in and out of a massive cave several times, before tendering back to the Golondrina. Later, many of the Fenstons and the Campbells went snorkelling, where they made friends with many more sea turtles and tons of fish. Later still, we went to Fernandina Island, a well-studied (and ever growing) part of the Galápagos. The sheer number of iguanas we saw truly defies imagination ... without hyperbole, we probably saw almost 1000 of these scaly, slow-moving creatures that look, in all honesty, like they belong to a different era. In addition to iguanas, we saw plenty of sea lions, who were more than happy to mug for our cameras. It was a truly incredible experience, and each of us left feeling as excited as Charles Darwin must have felt after he left here in 1836. At the end of a long and exciting day, I had a chance to talk with Ivan about his long career exploring the Galápagos, and the wonderful things he has seen. At one point, I asked him what, if anything, scares him out here. He replied, "Only humans.".

On that note, the humans on board the Golondrina went to sleep.