Having said goodbye to Mari and Josue, packing my gear I scoffing some bread and milk for breakfast I made my way to the airport via taxi.
It was the same old process of checking in, going through security and chatting to people waiting for the flight to depart. I met some pretty cool NYC girls who were amazed at my lifestyle of traveling the world for such a long time, but this is no surprise to people who only get 3 weeks off a year... am I getting tired of it?...a while ago I would say certainly no, but I dunno now I feel there is something more that I need....?
Meh, ill deal with it later, I have 11 days to enjoy Galapogas, lets see what happens.
A lot of time was spent on the airplane, having to wait for passengers at the stopover from Guayaquil, then flying to the main airport just north of Puerto Ayora (Santa Cruz). I had to deal with the immigration forms whilst waiting in line because I forgot to pick one up in Quito, here I met a German girl (Barbara) and a German guy (Henrik), they were both travelling solo and as I am the type of person who enjoys getting people together I gathered them up and went together to the town.
We hopped on the bus then ferry, then another bus to Puerto Ayora where we were lost for accommodation along with two Koreans... as we were a big group we found a discount on a hotel owned by a woman in the street and soon was found by a local tourist company who offered their deals. One that was offered was enticing enough for me to hop onboard an hour later for a 5 day, 4 night tour of the south islands. I shelled out the $500 which was the “last minute deal” to fill the boats, as the tour operators offered us each a free beer, but I talked my way into getting more than one; Happy days.
The 4 others didn't want to join on this trip so they left to the accommodation and I took one of the bicycles at the office and had a quick tour along the beach front... it could have been one of the beers.. well, probably all of them but I was a little tipsy and also dehydrated making the shoreline views seemed very surreal...
I was taken by car later to where the boat was departing where I met everyone on the cruise – mostly Australians and Kiwis, but also some German girls, an old French couple (who don't speak Spanish or English – they are going to be fun), an English Couple (who seemed fun) and an Austrian couple (that the wife would not stop staring at me). The Aussies, Kiwis and Germans are my age and I'm hoping that the time hanging out with these guys is going to be fun as 5 days is quite a lot of time to spend with people on a boat.
Dinner was plentiful and pretty good and later had our orientation with what was going to happen and what we were going to see over the next few days.
Alright, I really nothing to worry about over the next 4 days other than looking after my camera and taking some fantastic shots of these amazing islands and their inhabitants. Results coming up....
On the flight over to the Galapagos Islands
Around Puerto Ayora
The boat i’ll be spending the next 5 days on the Guantanamera
During Sunset on the boat
Time lapse video when flying over and landing in The Galapagos Islands
