Coconut radio

From the moment we arrived in Galapagos,  things were very confusing.  We had paid for a last-minute ticket and a guide would meet us at the airport.   

An itinerary would have been very helpful.   What we had was an email, on company letterhead,  that basically only told us that we had a ticket on the boat and that a guide would meet us at the airport.

A guide met us when our flight arrived.  He would take us to Puerto Ayora and then to the Darwin Center, where they raise the massive Galapagos tortoises.   It's not a long walk from the hotel, in a straight line along the coast.   You would need to be creative to get lost.  We had a guide.

After some talk of turtles,  we tried to determine what would happen the next day when we were due to meet our boat.

"We were told by the office in Quito that we would meet our boat in Floreana.  Does anyone meet their boat in Floreana?"

"No, but it's possible.  You should go to Floreana," said our guide who claimed to have 35 years experience on these islands, in this town, even.

"Floreana has no port.  The biggest port in Galapagos is here in Puerto Ayora.   Are we meeting our boat in Floreana?

"Yes, it's possible.   I will check with the agency."

"But are we meeting our boat in Floreana?"

We waited to hear back while the island's Coconut Radio went into full effect.  

"You have dinner included in your package.   No hard drinks."

"Um, okay.  Dinner is nice, but where do we meet our boat?"

"Still not sure,waiting to hear back.  Someone will come to your hotel tonight, 7pm."

A guide showed up at our hotel by bicycle right at 7pm to escort us to a restaurant that was 300 meters from our hotel in a pretty straight line along the main strip.  We told her we could make it by ourselves, where do we meet our boat?

"Tell them you have a reservation,  no hard drinks.   Someone bwill be here at 7:50 to meet the boat."

"So we meet the boat here?"

"Someone will meet you here to take you to the boat at 7:50am."

A delicious dinner goes by, then breakfast.   then 8am.  Eventually,  a taxi shows up with another guide.

"We're meeting our boat, the Tip Top III?"

"Yes,in Floreana. "

"Does that happen? "

"It could," he said.Similar responses from the man at the docks, the man piloting the boat, everyone. 

"The agency paid for a one way trip to Floreana.   There is a hotel there,  you can ask them."

The lady at the hotel had no Iidea who we were or why we were there.  "No one gets picked up here.  It's very strange, " she said.

We sat down, had a beer and enjoyed the views.  After about 45 minutes,  she returned. 

"Your boat is in Puerto Ayora.   It leaves tonight.  You need to go back," she said,  shrugging. 

The port at Floreana.