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When I arrive for breakfast Doris informs me that the driver is already here, so we make an early start at about 7:45 - I have a minibus all to myself and a driver who speaks no English! We don't return the same way we came, but the road is much the same - intermittent speed bumps, and ever present pot holes, until we cross into a new province, where the road becomes noticeably better, no doubt due to the funding from the two toll gates we also pass through.

There are no real hold ups and we get to the airport just after 11. I join the queue at the Aerogal desk, and despite the best efforts of various Ecuadorian queue jumpers, make it to the desk and hand over my reservation number and collect my ticket, before being directed to windows 41-45. I find an empty window, but the girl there speaks no English - she calls a colleague, who, on hearing my accent asks "Are you English? Oh my god, I'm from Ireland" - I guess she doesn't get to see many people from the British Isles working in Ecuador National Departures... She explains my flight has been cancelled (great!) but I have been reallocated to a 2PM flight, (an hour later). Since I think I had about an hour wait in Quito between arriving and checking for the international flight opening, this is not too bad. She returns to her desk, and the original attendant fills in some forms, then looks worried and calls her back. Because it is still only 11:30 and the flight isn't until 2, the check in is not open yet, and I need to go away until around 1pm.

There are a few shops in the main hall, including a "Souvenirs Artasinas", so I am able to get a doll in national costume that I wanted for Harriet, but hadn't managed to get in Guayaquil. There are also two food concessions, a KFC and a China Wok. Looking at the pictures on the China Wok board, I am not confident I can actually recognise any of the dishes, and I don't think my phrase book expects you to be ordering Chinese food in Spanish, so I settle for KFC as at least I know what I'm getting. (Or do I? as this is Ecuador, maybe it is Kentucky Fried Cuy (Guinea Pig)?)

Once check-ins open at 1, I am able to check in and everything goes smoothly. Diego is waiting at Quito airport - I'm not sure when he found out I was on a later plane, and we proceed directly from national arrivals to international departures while he explains to me how I need to pay the departure tax and take the receipt to check-in. This is because both the "tax desk" and the check in desk are in a separate hall, and Diego leaves me at the door. However everything proceeds smoothly and after yet more last minute souvenir shopping, getting rid of all my loose change, it is time to board the plane.

People on board who are flying from Madrid to Guayaquil are given blue "Transit" cards, and join us in departures, having been made to get off the plane. They are the first to re-board, followed by the rest of us, and before long I am back in Guayaquil again - It is strange that it has taken me all afternoon to get from one end of the Airport to the other. Strangely, given that they emptied the plane at Quito, we all have to get off and take our hand luggage with us. This of course, means going through another security scan. We are given the "Transit" cards this time and so are first back on to the plane. It is suggested that the reason we had to get off because the plane is being refuelled, but it is still being refuelled when we get back on as we are instructed not to fasten our seatbelts. There are a couple a few rows behind me who did not hear, or understand the instruction to take their hand luggage, so when they get back on, they discover their bag is missing. The stewardesses track it down, it was removed and is in the gangway outside, so is soon retrieved for them, but not their copy of the Zweitung German Newspaper.

Arriving in Spain I again have to change terminals. This involves a ride on the underground train and passing through yet another x-ray/security check - the 4th since boarding the original flight in Guayaquil - It's good to be so safe!

The lights are working again this morning.

The early part of the morning is spent trying to find out what will happen tomorrow. My itinerary says I will be taken to Guayaquil to fly to Quito, but doesn't say what flight, or who has the ticket. Janice and Doris (the Mantaraya Manager) can't understand why I need to go to Guayaquil rather than Manta, which is much closer... I think the original Itinerary I was given, did go via Manta, but I was told that this had to change a couple of weeks before I left. They have called Metropolitan Travel, and are waiting for a response when it is time for us to leave.

Joining Alan and I today are Gary and his son Ryan, from Calgary, Canada. Our destination this morning is the archaeological site of Agua Blanca. This is a little way in-land, and has another small museum, although this one is labelled in both English and Spanish. We follow the museum with a walk through the site, observing fauna (both wild and domestic) and flora, the foundations of some of the old ceremonial hut, and a sulphurous pool, whose mud is supposed to be beneficial to the skin and a remedy for sunburn.

We return to Mantaraya for lunch, and Janice has the details for me. I leave at 8:00 and fly at 13:00. They also have the booking reference for me so I can collect my ticket from the Aerogal desk. She's going to Manta this afternoon with Tom and Nancy and offers to try and change my flight to one that leaves Manta at 8. That would mean leaving here at 5am and spending 5 or 6 hours in Quito before I could check in. It's a nice thought but I think my journey will be long enough without that early start, so I decline.

After lunch we depart for the beach at Los Frailes. It is a large sandy beach and quite unspoiled. (It is also protected as it is part of the National Park, so you have to pay an entrance fee...) We hike up the beach and climb up the hill to an observation point, where we can look down on the black vultures and pelicans flying below us. Nancy and Tom say they saw whales this morning, but they've obviously moved on. We return too the beach, where Gary and Ryan decide to swim, while I decide to go and sit in the shade. (It is the first sunny afternoon we've had at Machalilla) and take some pictures of the crabs. They don't swim for long, though, as they both get stung by jellyfish - I am glad I didn't join them.

I hadn't mentioned before, but we were in two cars today, and for some reason I get one to myself. We have just left the beach car park, making our way back up to the main road, when the driver suddenly pulls over, gets out and wanders round kicking all the tyres - they all make a reassuring "boing" sound, so we resume our journey, but it means we are some way behind the others - they were just beginning to think we'd got lost!

Then off to my room to try and pack everything I can to allow for a rapid getaway in the morning - held up only by a problem with the shower. Doris had told me to turn the hot water full on first, then the cold, but to be careful as the hot could be too hot and burn, but needed to be full on for the pressure. The first problem was that neither tap was labelled, but still I had managed so far. Tonight, however, even with both taps full on there's very little pressure, or warmth, followed rapidly by no water at all. Patience is a virtue though, and after waiting a while, normal service is resumed.  

We are ready at 8:45, but there is no sign of the “little cars” - the taxis that are supposed to collect us and take us down to Puerto Lopez. Eventually the hotel manager decides she will have to take us, so we all pile into her car and drive down the track to the road, where we encounter three motor-trikes – the missing taxis! We change vehicles and proceed to the Mantaraya office in town where our national park guide, Hugo, is waiting. He leads us down the beach to our boat, which is waiting for us, the last passengers – but before we can board we have to push it further off the beach – the joys of being late. Alan had recommended that we sit near the back, but of course all those seats are taken. There is a second national park guide, Julio on board. Neither Hugo or Julio speak English, but Janice translates – we will take about two hours to get to the island, stopping off if we see whales, if we don't we will spend longer looking on the way back. The sea is “pleasantly undulating”, but the captain steers mostly along the waves, so we have a relatively smooth ride.

Keeping an eye out for whales, I spot a couple of blows off the starboard bow – we head in that direction, and see probably 5-8 humpback whales, either in small groups or separately – mostly just leisurely swimming, though we do see a few flipper slaps, a few lunges and a couple of spectacular breaches as part of the show. Eventually we depart for the Island , arriving approximately midday – we celebrate with banana-cake and banana!

Once we are all ashore we split into two groups. Hugo takes a group of students, while the rest of us go with Julio – in addition to Tom, Nancy, Janice and myself, there are a French couple from Dijon, an Irish couple from Waterford, and a young Ecuadorian couple. Julio shows us a map of the routes, and much discussion ensues, as we have been told there is a “long” 3 hour walk and a “short” 2.5-2.75 hour walk, and it isn't clear which route is which, or what offers the best opportunities to see the most things (which is obviously what we all want). I suspect it is slightly moot as Julio “recommends” a route which I am sure is where he always intended to take us. (The “best” route probably depends on the time of year, and which species are present or most abundant at the time). Since this route takes us to the frigate bird area, and we never really saw them up close in the Galapagos, this suits me fine.

We climb the 180-odd steps to the top of the island, then set off, pausing to examine various flora (including something that looks like a bit like a horse chestnut, but turns out to contain a little loofah) and fauna (like a friendly stick insect). After side-stepping blue-footed boobys that have decided to rest in the middle of the path, we come to an area populated by magnificent frigate birds. Some are flying about, while many are resting in the trees including some males who obligingly puff up their throat sacs and display for us. Julio then gives us the choice of walking further and seeing more of the same birds, or returning to give longer for snorkelling. I'd sooner go on, but as I am in an obvious minority, we return back to the boat.  

Hugo is waiting for us, but the students have returned on a different boat, so we have more room now. We sail round to below where we were watching the frigate birds, then have lunch of fresh fruit and “doorstop” sandwiches, before those wishing to snorkel take to the water. Although the sun came out while we were on the island, it has clouded over again, so I suspect that visibility won't be brilliant, and several fish have come close enough to the surface that I can probably see them clearer from the boat with my glasses on than I would in the water without. Tom and Janice also decline. The swimmers don't stop in too long, and confirm my suspicions by reporting there wasn't much too see, so we head for home. We head back taking the faster, more direct route across the waves, making for a much bumpier, and wetter, ride than the journey out. None the less it is still broken by an encounter with 3 or 4 whales – not quite as active as this morning, but they come much closer to the boat – however in view of the amount of spray and water about, I decide to just watch and not photograph the encounter.

Tom and Nancy leave tomorrow, and initially we think that we will all be going to Los Frailes beach in the morning, but at dinner Janice tells me I will be with Adam again tomorrow, visiting Agua Blanca in the morning and Los Frailes in the afternoon.

As I approach my room, I spot a small gecko on the floor. He runs and hides under the door, then invites himself in – it's a good job I'm not scared of lizards! I'm busy filling in my diary before going to bed when suddenly all the lights go out – power cut or generator failure? The lights outside soon come on again, and my bedside light starts working, but the main light does not come back on (nor the bathroom light).

Once more I had a note shoved under my door yesterday to say my departure is an hour later than originally suggested, so I make myself available in the lobby for 9 am. Shortly after 9 Julio and Debbie arrive. They are to take me to Mantaraya. Julio is driving, and doing most of the talking – in fact Debbie sleeps for about half of the journey! We have been driving for about an hour when Julio decides we should stop for breakfast at a lodge we are passing. It looks very plush, with a swimming pool, a pond with geese, lots of saddles (so presumably horses) etc. Apparently they make their own cheese too, which Julio claims is excellent. He tells me the service here is normally good, but we end up here for almost an hour.

It was cloudy and cooler than yesterday in Guayaquil, and as we reach the coast the cloud develops into a thick mist, then rain, before brightening up a little with the sun finally braking through as we reach Mantaraya at about 1:45. It is a charming place painted yellow, blue and white, with domes and towers. The rooms are not numbered, but each has a different animal on the door – I am in “Shark”. I just have time to drop off my stuff as dinner is served until 2, then I am to meet the guide and two other guests at 3 for an afternoon excursion.

When I get to the dining room there is an American couple and a Spanish speaking family with two young children in there. The Americans are Nancy & Tom, who are on the same trips as me this afternoon and tomorrow. Our guide this afternoon is Alan, who is taking us to the Salango Archaeological Museum. This is quite small, but contains lots of artefacts found locally from a number of different cultures that lived in the area between 3000BC and the arrival of the Spanish in 1532. Although all the labels are in Spanish, Alan explains to us about the different cultures, and when they were around, etc. Many of the artefacts were discovered when foundations were being dug for a factory – Alan remembers the archaeologists coming to recover them when he was a child.

After about an hour we return to Mantaraya to be briefed about tomorrow. We leave at 9, but with a different guide, as Alan is going to collect some more guests. Although the cloud has returned, it is still warm and dry so I sit on the terrace by the pool, where I can look out to sea, in case a bored whale should chance by (none do), and catch up with my diary once more.

We are joined for dinner by Janice, who will be our guide tomorrow – and the plans are already changing. They have decided it will be busy tomorrow, so we will leave 15 minutes earlier, and must bring all of our details and passport numbers down to breakfast so they can organize the national park tickets for us while we eat.