Up early yet again (5:45am!) with breakfast at 6am and off the boat at 6:30am. There were three sharks off the back of the boat this morning, about a metre or so long, just playing in the water. We were anchored off Santa Cruz Island in order to visit the Charles Darwin Research Station before our departure. It was quite sad saying goodbye to the crew of the boat as we'd been treated so well during our short stay with them - it really was like you were visiting long lost relatives who took great care of you, showed you what the Galapagos had to offer and were able to have a bit of a laugh too.

We were at the research station by 7am and had a look at a load of different native animals that they run breeding programs for, including a number of species of Galapagos tortoises, land iguanas and endemic plants. By 8am, we were waiting for our bus, which after 45 minutes, dropped us at the port for our short ferry ride to Baltra Island and another bus ride to the airport. Here, we had to say goodbye to Enrique, our guide from the trip and wait for our plane. The plane makes a stop in Guayaquil for 30 minutes to refuel and then on to Quito. We finally all got our luggage and headed out to find that whilst people from the same tour company on another boat had a transfer, we didn't. We'd been travelling since 8am, it was now 4:30pm and the airport is almost an hour from anywhere near the city! We said goodbye to Bob and Karen from Canada and eventually, some of our group got in with the other group and the rest of us had to get into taxi's. Peak hour was not fun in an already busy city and it was after 6pm before we got to the hotel. But we got there!

Those of us from G4 back on the mainland headed out for a night walking tour of Old Town Quito. It was actually really interesting and very pretty with all the lights. Turns out there had been a big football game between an Ecuadorian and Argentinean club so it was a bit busy in places but there were police everywhere. We saw.... The tour guide is a professional photographer so gave some tips on photos too :)

He also recommended a restaurant near our hotel that served traditional Ecuadorian food including cuy (guinea pig!). I was definitely not feeling brave enough so managed to order some pollo (chicken). We enjoyed a last drink together at the hotel before saying goodbye to most of the group as we all head our separate way!