If you are a budding photographer, a wildlife enthusiast, a sucker for baby animals, an evolution admirer or just enjoy relaxing on the calm ocean waters in a comfortable boat with a few interesting people and an excellent cook; the Galapagos is the place for you.
These Islands are inspiring. They are beautiful in an odd way and incredible because they are nothing quite like you have ever seen before. They animals are strangely tame, not because they come when you call them, but because they are unafraid of humans in a strange trusting, undisturbed way. You wander around an island, sparse of vegetation, composed of incredible black volcanic rock, where the turquoise ocean crashes onto the shore and you walk amongst hundreds of birds that just sit at your feet and look up at you. Blue-footed Boobies are the funniest birds. They look like big seagulls but have big blue eyes and bright blue feet. On one island they were nesting everywhere. There was a range of chicks from a few minutes old to months old and as we kept reasonably strictly to the trail they just sat and watched us walk by. Some of them had made their nest on the trail but instead of being afraid as we approached and gawped at them, snapping the cameras like paparazzi they just sat and gazed back. One chick had hatched 20mins earlier and was on the path with its parent standing over it, making no attempt to hide or protect it from us.
The sea-lions similarly are brilliant. We would walk along the beach with maybe 60-100 sea-linos; mothers, pups and of course the big bull and with the exception of the rather noisy territorial male, you could go up to them and lie down with them, look straight into their eyes and almost communicate with them. The rules are that you don´t touch the animals, that you keep about a meters distance and you don´t use flash Photography!
We spent hours each day snorkeling, swimming with the sea-lions who seemed intrigued by you and seemed to want to play or at least find out who you were. They made you feel like a clumsy elephant in the water as they darted about, swimming so gracefully and effortlessly. Similarly the giant green turtles allowed you to swim along side them as they relaxed in the waters near the beach, preparing to go ashore and lay their eggs at night. They were so graceful and calm. The sharks on the other hand were not so calming and although small (!) guarenteed a masking filling with water in panic episode!
The other highlights were the other bird, Friggots with a wing span of 245cm that would fly over the boat as we moved, sometimes catching a ride on the circular aerial on the top of the boat. and Pelicans that enjoyed the scraps of fish thrown out from the kitchen as they were preparing dinner.
Our group of 18 people were fun. You always get the odd couple who you despare at, but generally people were interesting, interested and all inspired by where we were.
We will upload photos asap which shown you so much more. we absolutely loved the Galapagos and would definitely recommend it to all who don´t wind a bit of a flight and some hot traveling!
