2geonomads

Friday 29th April 2016

Neither of us enjoy a really good night’s sleep although I fare better than Gail.

A taxi arranged by Columbus Travel ( driver Javier ) arrives at the agreed time of 4.30 am and we are met at the Quito airport by Sebastian who smooths our path through Immigration and Customs.

We have an amusing moment when we are standing in a fairly long queue waiting to get through Immigration when another tour guide pushes forward and shepherds her charges through and past us in spite of protestations and apologies from a very polite American guy in her group. One poor unsuspecting fellow tags on to  the US group before being verbally accosted by Mrs I who in a none too subtle way challenges his right to be going past us. On admitting his guilt he is directed to his rightful place at the back of the queue.

The last I saw of him he was receiving counselling from airport staff!

As we have some spare time before the flight departure we decide to have coffees at airport cafe. One cappuccino and one double shot espresso find us $ 11.95 worse off. I’m still not sure whether I should have declared the recent purchase of an Ecuadorian coffee plantation among our assets!

A short 38 minute flight brings us to Guayaquil, Ecuador’s largest city and after a short stop we are on the 1 hour 45 minute flight to Baltra Island.

We are greeted at the airport by Sylvia and then taken by bus to the mooring where we find our home for the next week Tip Top 2.

There is a slight delay as some work is carried out on cabins recently vacated by the previous group of tourists. Once on board we are given a briefing by Sylvia Panchana who is the tour leader before lunch at noon.

Sylvia is of Swiss origin but after many years on these islands she speaks fluent Spanish to go along with her English and Swiss- German.

The cabins are vastly superior to those on the Aurora Polar Pioneer which took us last year to Antarctica.

The afternoon sees us at Playa Las Bachas on the north shore of Santa Cruz Isla where as an introduction to the Galápagos we take a stroll along the beach and come across an array of birds including frigate birds, pelicans , a solitary flamingo and blue heron. Sally Lightfoot crabs, warblers and marine iguanas complete the picture.

On the beach we come across remnants of one of the World War 11 barges which give this beach its name.

A quick dip in the ocean by some of the group rounds off a splendid first day in this far-flung part of the world.

Back on board the boat for dinner at 7.00 pm and then a quick rundown by Sylvia on the next day’s programme.

First impressions on the boat and crew bode well for a great adventure on Tip Top 2 and we seem to have a very pleasant group of fellow travellers with whom to share this experience.

Sylvia is very much across her brief and the whole operation is very professional.

Cheers

The Obese Ferret