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Someone's wake-up call! Or does the sea lion want somewhere more
comfortable to sleep? |
We had an early morning wake-up call so that we could see the Charles Darwin Research Station before we started making tracks to Baltra Airport. The research station was about a 10 to 15 minute walk but it was raining - not so nice but everyone tried to keep their spirits up.
At the research station we had a nice walk around the site to see land tortoises & learn about the breeding programme. We even saw young tortoises of 3 months old to 3 years old. We also saw preserved body of Lone George who was the last giant tortoise of his kind.
When we returned to the hotel we had a few minutes to dry off and freshen up. Our luggage went, once again, through one of the back windows of the minibus and we piled into the bus.
On the way to the airport we stopped by Twin Craters which is really a collapsed lava tunnel, causing 2 huge deep holes in the earth.
Then onward to the airport, catching a ferry on almost the last leg of our journey. Our luggage was piled onto the ferry roof and offloaded onto public busses on the other side. Then the finally we arrived at the airport. Juan accompanied us all the way until we went through security. It was a very sad farewell for us. We had grown very fond of our guide who, by now, had become a good friend. Santiago (a guide who had flown across with us to the Galapagos islands) met us at the airport and went with us all the way through security - he was flying home until his next guiding assignment.
While we waited for our flight at Baltra Airport most of us sat in the food hall eating packed lunches, compliments from the hotel. We were kept entertained by sparrows flying inside, looking for crumbs. They got up very close to humans, sitting on the back of a chair, on the table & even on someone's hat rim.
When we landed at Guayaquil airport, Ecuador, Santiago stood at the door of the aeroplane and said goodbye to us as we left. The flight was continuing to his home town so he wouldn't be coming any further with us. I had the guests meet in a group so we could go out to the arrivals hall together. It worked a treat. We were met by tour group representatives who gave us our tickets and took us through check-in. They left us at the security gates as we made our way for our next flight to Lima, Peru.
After an uneventful flight we were met at Lima hotel by our new guide, Manning, who kindly had porters to pick up our luggage and take it to the Wyndham Costa del Sol Hotel airport, across the road from the airport. It was a short walk to the airport and there Manning gave us a briefing of what would happen in the morning and over the next few days, and handed out our hotel room keys.
After that - it was time for me to have a much needed bath and contact Paul.
PHOTOGRAPHS
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| Graveyard wall |
Charles Darwin Research Station
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| Lone George |
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| Young land tortoises - they are very small but wait until they grow up! |
Last look at our hotel
Collapsed lava tunnels site
Ferry and the airport
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| A sparrow in the airport dining hall, hoping for some crumbs |
It was good to get out and about after a sea day yesterday. The cooler weather is starting to kick in now that we are quite a bit further south, and staff had to start wearing their winter uniforms. 
Near Algarrobo we got a view of the world's largest swimming pool - until recent times. Although it was from a distance - it was huge! Then it was time for refreshments at El Quisco yacht club before heading back to the ship. We were also treated to a short traditional dance performance, at the yacht club, by father and daughter. It was really lovely and well done. 
