We get onto the bus and head to the airport. “We” are two large buses filled with SilverSea Galapagos bound travelers. We stay to ourselves pretty much and are trying to adhere to all of the group travel guidelines. Stay together, move as one entity, stop as a unit, wait, go stop…….on and on and on. It all makes sense but it is hard to do. We get to our gate and wait. Soon we are boarding our flight to Guayaquil and then onto Baltra. Once in Guayaquil we cannot get off the plane. It was an okay wait. I would say about 40 minutes or so. We survived! Then we take off one more time and are in the air for 2 hours as we make our way to Baltra, Galapagos.
We land in barren land that is part desert part lava flow. Really nothing is there ….it is not the most welcoming arrival. The air is heavy with moisture, the landscape bleak and the sky gray. We go through immigration one more time and then wait in room for our shorty bus ride to the port. We are on the first zodiac to the ship……..YAY! We are welcomed with a glass of water or champagne…….champagne for me and quickly find our stateroom. It is nice with a big window and we are starving for lunch. We find our way to the 5th deck to enjoy lunch al fresco as we wait for our luggage to find its way to our room.
The first day is about discovering the boat, life aboard the ship and the people. All is good and we are pleased to be staying unpacked and in one floating hotel for a week.