While not exactly a hangover, it sure feels like it when you get up at 03:40 in the morning. A nice shower to wake us up and we were off to wait in the lobby. Thankfully, we all had negative COVID tests so were able to board the bus to take us to the airport. I was thankful for our G Adventures representative, Kathy, who helped us navigate the confusion of the airport. We scanned our luggage first, in a not so secure area, where they locked and tagged our bags for the flight. Then it was time to get our transit control card. Well I should say it was time for our representative to get our card. We chatted amongst ourselves while she waited in the long line. Last, but not least, we checked into our flight where they verified the negative PCR results, the transit control card, and our ID. Woo hoo! We were past security and feeling a sense of relief. On the plane we looked around and could see the smiles of anticipation on the faces of all our new friends. The flight had a quick stopover in Guayaquil and then it was off to the Galapagos Islands.
Landing on the islands lived up to what we thought the Galapagos would be like. We were greeted by a cacophony of birds singing while a lizard casually strolled by us as we deplaned. After an efficient check-in process, we navigated the requirements for entering the Galapagos and were soon officially on the archipelago of the Galapagos. We met our guide, Omar, for the first time. We expect by the end of the trip we will feel like we have known him forever. We promptly went to the boat where we checked out our new home away from home for the next couple of weeks. The rest seemed like a whirlwind. We met the boat staff, had a quick lunch, and then were off to visit Bachas beach. It was our first experience with learning the history of the islands and seeing some of the animals in their natural settings. We saw many birds, including flamingos, a bunch of marine iguanas, some sea lions, and a bunch of red Sally Lightfoot crabs The island allowed the group to test the temperature of the water and learn the basics of snorkeling. The day ended with an opportunity to meet the group again, learn a little bit about them, and meet the crew.
The highlight of the day was…….THE BILLS WON!!! And we are in the playoffs!! Go Bills!
Wow, sounds so exciting and busy.