Sunday 28.9.14 – Quito – Guayaquil – Baltra, Santa Cruz = Galapagos.

Up at sparrowfart, no wake up call, feeling a bit better today. Down to the foyer at 4.15 ready for 4.30 departure. There are a few people crook today. Boxed breaky en route to airport.

After a painfully detailed run down from Roberto about the day ahead, we arrived at the Quito Aeropuerto – collected our luggage, scanned by the Galapagos people – to ensure we were carrying nothing organic, seeds etc, then through security, then check in, waited probably 40 minutes, then boarded and take off pretty much on time about 7.30.

We are flying Avianca in an A320, which is an Air Gal flight, 35minutes to Guayaquil – again!- then a 45 minute wait while plane refuelled and others boarded, then approx. 90 minute flight to Baltra arriving in Galapagos at 10.45 mainland time 9.45 Galapagos time. Evidently the ship runs on mainland time.

Dorky hats purchased at Balra Airport.

Suzie's daggy hat purchased at Baltra Airport.

It took some time to get through the airport queues, then onto a bus, to a ferry across a small inlet to Santa Cruz Island. The landscape of Baltra was desert like, with cacti and very little vegetation. From the ferry we boarded another bus for a 45minute trip to the other side of Santa Cruz Island to Puerto Ayora. Then into the Zodiac for a short ride to the ship – Coral I.

That's like the ferry we are on crossing the tiny
strait between Baltra and Santa Cruz Islands.

Another mix up of room allocations, the ship had allocated different rooms to those provided by Aurora prior to departure. Unfortunately our no. 1, Giant Tortuga cabin is a bit squeezy, being up the pointy end of the ship. We had our boarding shoes washed and a brief welcome. Then to our rooms – collected our baggage and started to unpack, before being called upstairs for emergency drill with our horrible big lifejackets from our room.

Shortly after emergency drill we were called to zodiacs again to return to Puerto Ayora for a look at the Charles Darwin Research Centre to view the Tortoise breeding program, we saw Espanol Tortoises, Saddleback Tortoises plus some Land Iguanas, Lava Lizards, Finches, Frigate birds, Brown Pelicans. Mockingbirds and Gulls.

We are really here. Welcome to Parque Nacional
Galapagos.

Tortoise, not sure, but think Espanol.

One of the 13/14 species of Darwin Finch?

Espanol Tortoise.

Galapagos Mockingbird.

Land Iguana.

Not sure if this one was a Lava Lizard, looked
a bit taller than others.

Lava Lizard.

Espanol Tortoise.

More of the Tortoises.

Once finished at the research centre, we had 90 minutes or so free time in Puerto Ayora, grabbed a drink and some wi-fi, Sue managed a little shopping, then we met some others in a pub for a quick cocktail before short trip back to the ship at 7.00pm for dinner at 7.30 – which was quite nice, a buffet with salads, meat and vegies followed by a briefing for tomorrow, from Martine – one of the guides.

Sculpture in town.

Yellow Warbler.

Sculpture in town.

Brown Pelican flying overhead.

We really are here, Awaiting a Zodiac back to ship.

We sort of have our cabin sorted, but there is no room to be messy, so everything has to be in it’s place.

Bed about 9.30 – with a rocking ship, moored in the bay at Puerto Ayora.