Day 1 - Baltra Airport / Santa Cruz Islands - The Twin Craters / Highlands

I arrived in Balta Island Airport Galapagos and was happy to find free wifi and my last for the next 7 days!

I met the guide Victor and the other passengers - 16 in total so a full house! 

They consisted of:
9 Americans (a professor, teachers aid & 7 students who have undertaken a Galapagos subject at University of New England in Maine, USA and are undertaking their 'lab' time on board!)
2 Swiss-French (an older couple, 1 of whom can't speak English or Spanish)
2 Dutch (a couple similar age to me, backpacking for 4 months and only 3 weeks into it)
2 Canadian (a couple older than me also backpacking and started in Mexico where they'd been teaching for a year and a half - making their way down from there).

From the airport we were bused 15 minutes to the port, then took the inflatable over to our boat, 'Floreana' in the inflatables.

We were then briefed by our guide and allocated rooms.

I was shacked up with one of the female students. A sweet girl from Maine who is my perfect room mate, as almost deaf without her hearing aids!  I have discovered this trip that I'm a snorer! I didn't realise I was that bad but the things you find out about yourself when you travel ...!

The rooms were very small! Just a bunk with standing room beside it and a couple of shelves for our bags.  There was also an ensuite which was an ok size and nice to have our own facilities.

We had lunch straight after ... Spaghetti bolognaise with bread - glad I took the time to tell the agency twice that I couldn't have wheat or dairy. I told them again then on the boat ... Normally I know I'm blazay with it but I was hoping to have a nice healthy week feeling my best & not drinking or eating the food I'm allergic to!

We were advised we couldn't just swim off the boat anywhere as there are sharks!  He also advised to tell someone if you are going to swim as the currents could sweep you away to Costa Rica! Dam and to think I just spent all that money on a god damned plane ticket!!!

We had a dry landing that afternoon which is apparently one where you don't get your feet wet ... We then drove for about half an hour on the island of Santa Cruz and stopped at the head of a trail.

We were told we were looking for the