Update from the Galápagos Islands
Our eight days and a short morning in Galapagos delivered us a decade’s worth of fabulous, otherworldly, and life-enriching experiences. Nearly a hundred and ninety years since Charles Darwin set foot in the archipelago, the birds and animals there still show no fear of people, and everywhere we went we were treated like mere furniture by the hawks, warblers, finches, sea lions, lizards, and more. We were gobsmacked on our first day as we walked among the giant tortoises and caught up with some of the rarest of the “Darwin’s finches,” then in subsequent days were further blown away as we walked among fearless nesting boobies and frigatebirds and foraging endemic mockingbirds and doves. We snorkeled among schools of fish on many days, when we were also teased by Flightless Cormorants and sea lions and wowed by graceful rays and sea turtles. Our time aboard the catamaran Nemo III was simply lovely, with an outstanding and hardworking crew, and our excellent local naturalist guide Jairo took us on hikes to some of the highest elevations on several islands in search of the scarcer endemics and amazing views. Most of us were still rubbing our eyes with disbelief at the end of the tour and are looking forward to the next time we can return to this amazing place.
