island lady

All Sea Lions here, no seals. Hey you got any room up there for me??!!

Humbolt Penguins...though guide told us not near as many as usual this year.

OK...does this look like a face to you? Did to me. 😉

Small boat tours to Ballestras Island. Must be a fleet of 20 of them or so. Open speed boat, extremely packed in like sardines, and the most uncomfortable full lifejacket (required to wear at all times) I have ever worn. But getting past that...the ride was surprising smooth, good design to the hull and saw a lot of wildlife. Boat captain very talented at the helm. Passing by our current home, some sights along the way, and then the islands themselves. I like the "arch within an arch".

Not sure...since our tour left this morning as well...but from what they were planning, and it should have indeed happened...they were still busing them to the airport, flight to Cusco, then check into hotel and plan from there.

Thanks! Will look that up. Touring on our own with friends first day, but will research (if there is anything left) tours for 2nd day. 🙂

First day in Lima, we are touring on our own with friends. She is fluent Spanish and will be our tour guide, so I promised to pick up lunch tab. 😉

Getting ready to meet in the Safari lounge for our tour of the Ballestras islands to see the birds (including Penguins), Sea Lions, and Seals. Found out is a good idea to wear a hat ....not just for the sun...but bird deposits as I noticed on a review. 😄 Pretty much just overloaded open speed boats to take a few spins around the rock island (no landing on it) out in the middle of the harbor. Ehhh...something to do. 😉

The letter was on our door very early this morning. Another of those commercial ports, no walking on pier...shuttle to terminal. From what we can see...huge truck traffic back up trying to come into the port. Enterprising locals setting up their stands on the dock. 😉

We won't. Have plans to tour on our own.

Warts....LOL...too funny.

Not sure about the Machu Picchu...but I am bummed about the phone message I just got from shore excursions desk. "Due to a lack of participation, your tour in Lima the "Taste of Lima" tour is cancelled". Whaaat?? They cancel this tour two days prior, that I booked over a year ago, that I am sure they knew exactly how many had booked...they just now cancel it??!! Not happy. This was an all day "foodie" tour I was looking forward to. Crap.

Thanks! Yaaaah!!...have a fantabulous time on Adventure. Another of my favorite class of ships. 🥰

No. Tomorrow is Pisco...where the large group going to Machu Picchu is leaving the ship early. Then we are in Lima the next day, doing an overnight, with the group rejoining us just before we leave on Tuesday around noon.

Yup, and I think our tours scheduled for the next two days are going to be lightly attended as well. Will be like cruising on a ghost ship...and this ship has not been totally full anyway.

An interesting way to view Sea Lions. I have never seen Sea Lions floating on their backs this far out to sea, and right now since early this morning, we are seeing a lot of them. From what I have researched, though not sure this is why our surrounding Sea Lions are doing such, this is a way for them to gather heat into their flippers, which are not as insulated as their furry sides in colder water. They seems to be pretty happy just floating along, lifting their heads to check things out and get some air. Many of them in singles, and some in pairs. Cannot get a good picture of them, but this is what I found online and is exactly what we are seeing floating by.

During breakfast in Chops this morning we were awarded to meal and a show. 🙂 Like @pstone1, we saw a pod of large Humpback whales fairly close to the ship. Also several giant sea turtles. Quite the show!

With the way the surrounding area is...all rock and sand...not surprising it is an export here. I agree, as it seems sand is needed for so many things now...and of course glass making.

So it must be the same as Serenade. Weird how those numbers are different on Radiance. Wonder where the extra cabin number came from on Radiance? 🤔 We are 1550 on Serenade.

Thanks for the great review and taking us along. 🙂

Cabin 1556? We have that cabin on Radiance Alaska B2B coming up. Right now we are 2 down from that spot here on Serenade. Though it's strange...on this ship the cabin numbers are off by one number. 1556 on this ship...is the Royal Suite. 😉

I still have a beloved coffee mug from that restaurant. 🙂

Current position. Slow crawl up to Pisco Peru, arriving tomorrow morning. We have a tour to the Ballestas Islands there. Boat tour of the islands that are termed as being like the Galapagos Islands. Promises lots of wildlife. Hopefully will still be rather calm seas, like we are having now...since those small boats can get a little bouncy. 70-80% (or possibly more) of the ship's pax are leaving us tomorrow to then rejoin on the second day in Lima. They are all doing the famed Machu Picchu tour, which is 3 days, 2 nights away from the ship.

As we were pulling out to sea from Arica last night (and could still hear the festival bands from this far out), had the lights of the city in the background with the full moon coming up from behind them over the Andes.

Found this interesting yesterday. A large area of the end of the pier we were docked at had piles and piles of sand in several places. I think they are exporting it. Kind of looked like a large kitty litter box. 😉