I love sea turtles

The Galapagos Islands were amazing. Words cannot describe how incredible it was. With a bit of luck and last minute-ness (sometimes it pays to be last minute), we got an incredible deal on a luxury 8-day cruise around the islands. It really was the way to go. Though I did confirm that I suffer from seasickness (if you come, and do get seasick, bring lots of seasickness pills to help you out...).

I´m sure everyone knows how Charles Darwin´s journey to the Galapagos in the 19th century was key to formulating his theory of evolution. Animals are similar to those on the mainland, but just that little bit different. Tortoises seem to have developed longer necks, cormorants smaller wings. And because they haven´t had to adapt to many human predators, they are so tame. You can walk right up to a blue-footed boobie (it´s a bird, Grez), and instead of flying away, he´ll walk towards you and do his funny dance. The boobie dance (Alicia can show you).

We started in San Cristobal Island, and visited Espanola, Floreana, Santa Cruz, Isabella, Fernandina and Bartolome. Isabella and Fernandina, the islands furthest west, are also the youngest. And for me, the best. Most of the islands are uninhabited, but for San Cristobal, Santa Cruz, Floreana and Isabella. (Yes, people actually live on these amazing islands!)

I got my wish: I swam with sea turtles! They were so beautiful. And so big! But they just went about their business paying us no heed, while we snorkelled but centimetres away from them. We also swam with sea lions (one might call it magical :P) and penguins! And fish, of course. Poor fish, they took a back seat to the sea turtles. Even the reef sharks.

The lava islands were pretty incredible. The landscape looked so barren. But then you´d see a lagoon, with flamingos! We also saw tons of iguanas: marine iguanas, land iguanas, hybrids. And sally light-foot crabs, and finches, and stilts, gulls, boobies, and albatrosses doing their funny sword-play with their beaks. Did I tell you how amazing it is?

Alas, paradise had to end. We are now back on the mainland. Having to fend for ourselves, not being fed three-course meals three times a day. And actually having to plan our own itinerary! We´re on the south west coast of Ecuador now. Maybe we´ll see some whales? And then it´s off to Peru, where we´ll realize how unfit we are and how badly I packed as we brave the treks and the cold!