My trip to the Galapagos, Ecuador and Ecuadorian Amazon started with a flight from Vancouver to Quito via Houston. I met my friend Carol in Houston and after a relatively smooth flight we landed in Quito at 1:30 in the morning. We had pre- booked a transfer to our hotel which I highly recommend rather than trying to find a cab in the early morning: Quito airport at 2 in the morning is a scary place. After a good sleep we met the rest of our tour group for a pre-trip briefing and the following morning left for Seymour Airport on the Isle of Baltra. As we circled the airport I remarked to an unknown seat mate “ I can’t believe I am finally here”. Little did I know that Mary would be on my trip and become a friend who I am still in touch with 12 years after the trip.
One tip – book yourself into the recommended tour hotel before your trip. The pre-trip briefing is there, as well as the bus pick up, plus you get to meet and identify your fellow shipmates. This helped a lot once we landed in the airport on Baltra which was a zoo. Also when your trip liason officer gives you a button or some other identifying symbol put it on. It is the only way your tour guide will find you in the airport.
View from plane – harbour at Baltra Island
Once our guide had located us all and got us on the right bus (must have been like herding chickens 🙂 ) – we transferred to our ship. Another lesson followed in the proper way to get and out of a boat 🙂 and then we headed out to Santa Cruz island to visit the Mangrove Swamps of Tortuga Negra. What a wonderful introduction to the Galapagos on a beautiful evening. Sea turtle mating season was in full swing: we also saw sharks, herons, pelicans, rays, marine iguana and lots of sally lightfoot crabs. As our boats drifted through and past the mangroves – white tipped sharks and rays cruised in the shallows. Our boat is a small one with 8 double cabins, a naturalist guide and a full crew. The group is a mix of married couples and solo male and female travellers – seems like a good group and we are looking forward to the week.
