Isabela (Galapagos) – 
Puerto Villamil
Once again we have to get up way too early – having a “snack breakfast” we take a taxi to the pier. This time we have to pay a water taxi (2 USD/person), which takes us to the speedboat.
For real? When we arrived, the speedboat simply docked at the jetty.
The cruise is quite bumpy, and although I exchange my place at the stern of the boat (there it doesn’t rock that much, ideal also for photos) with a girl who is not particularly happy about the rough seas, it must be torment for her…
Santa Cruz (Galapagos) –
Puerto Ayora
A good 2,5h later we arrive in Santa Cruz and get – surprise! – once again to pay (1 USD/Person) for a water taxi for the ride to the pier… Taximafia .
Since our stomach is extremely growling and rioting, we allow ourselves a “real” breakfast in a snack bar near the pier. Having plenty of coffee and a savory bolon for each of us lifts our spirits noticeably. While we are eating, some finches tiptoe over the table – very interested in the rice of the bolons… You hardly see such trusting wild birds… Typically Galapagos, here the animals seem to be in general little afraid of humans .
In the hotel, where we spent our first night, our backpacks are already waiting for us – we repack our stuff and head to the ticket booth for the speedboats. Here we buy two-way tickets to San Cristobal and leave our backpacks there until the voyage begins.
Since we still have some time, we decide to spend some time on the beach at the Estacion and go swimming.
Ena didn’t forget my birthday today and secretly buried a small wooden treasure chest in the sand that I have to dig up: A brand new grill is waiting at our hardware store at home to make our summer on the balcony more interesting. Brilliant .
In the meantime it is already early afternoon and we should slowly make our way to the water taxi… We grab the backpacks and board the “Tropical Bird” (probably named after a native bird “Red Billed Tropic Bird”) – a bigger speedboat than the one to Isabela. This makes the crossing much more pleasant…
San Cristobal (Galapagos) –
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno
Arrived at last! Our accommodation “Grand Hotel Paraiso Insular” is located at the western end of the town, but as Puerto Baquerizo Moreno is a very tiny town you can walk there without any problems.
After check-in we stop by at the dive center “Wreckbay” to clarify the formalities and put our equipment together. I’m pretty impressed by the staff’s friendliness and look forward to tomorrow’s dive.
Slowly the sun is setting and before we look for something to eat, we decide to walk down the street to the harbour to watch the sunset. There is already another photographer there, with whom I get into conversation and also receive the suggestion to visit the beach of Loberia to photograph the Milky Way. Perfect! After all, we have a new moon today and it doesn’t look cloudy…
A few streets further to the city centre we discover the restaurant “Bambus” and have a seat. Excellent decision – the whole grain pizza that I order is generously coated and is delicious as well as the fish that Verena had ordered.
With a full stomach we watch out for a taxi that will take us to “La Loberia”. The driver is at first puzzled about what we want at the beach in the middle of the night, but after a short chat our intention is clear – for 8 USD he agrees to drive us there and pick us up again after about 30 minutes.
He stops at the parking lot behind the airport and we get out. As the taxi’s headlights disappear behind the bend and our eyes adapt to the darkness, we can easily see the Milky Way with our bare eyes. Wow. So little light pollution! Maybe an entire hour would have been necessary to take really good pictures (I don’t have that much experience) but I think it was worth it. With some pictures on the SD card we stroll back to the parking lot where the taxi soon arrives.
Our bed’s calling.
