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Tag Archives: Galapagos Islands
If we were to do it again – what changes would we make?
We’re back from our 7-month trip to South America, and the trip exceeded our expectations. Even so, it’s always good to look back to assess what really went well and what we might have done differently. We’re guessing that honing … Continue reading
Our Best of the Best: wildlife, beaches, snorkeling
As soon as people hear that we’ve been traveling nonstop for almost 4 years, they immediately ask “What’s your favorite country” or “What’s your favorite… ?” (Then they fill in the blank: destination to view wildlife, beach, places to snorkel, … Continue reading
Posted in Best of Travel
Tagged Aruba, Baby Beach, beaches, Bermuda, Galapagos Islands, Mark Thornton Safaris, safari, Sanibel Island, snorkeling, the best, travel, Whangaparaoa, wildlife
4 Comments
Charles Darwin’s finches
Somehow, many millions of years ago, a finch arrived on the Galapagos Islands. Did it float on a raft of greenery and logs from the mainland? This was long before a boat would have carried it across the thousand miles … Continue reading
Expectation vs Reality
We never thought this trip would happen for us, but it did. No matter how much we read about the islands, the animals, and birds, our expectations didn’t prepare us for the reality of the surprisingly diverse and wonderful adventure … Continue reading
Posted in Ecuador, South America - 2016
Tagged Andy Swash, Ecoventura, Ecuador, Galapagos Islands, Rabida Island, Rob Still
8 Comments
Procreation is in the air
It’s time to get on with it: do a little courtship, select a mate, fix up the nest, and reproduce. What’s true in other places is amplified in the Galapagos where so many birds make frantic efforts to mate in … Continue reading
Posted in Ecuador, South America - 2016
Tagged birds, blue-footed booby, common noddy, Ecuador, Galapagos Islands, magnificent frigate bird, Nazca booby, travel
2 Comments
The big question: what’s the difference between tortoises and turtles?
On our flight to the Galapagos Islands, one of us napped and the other crammed like a school exam would be given on arrival. So, the big question: what’s the difference between tortoises and turtles? Did we somehow miss this … Continue reading
The 1,000th
We had not been chasing numbers, only delighted to see new birds and record them on our list. Before we arrived in Ecuador, we had seen 970 birds on our travels across North America, Asia, Africa and Europe. There are … Continue reading
A surprisingly creepy and dangerous place
When we stepped onto the sand beach, the warm summer sun and turquoise water gave us the feeling of a tropical paradise in the Galapagos Islands. Things are not always as they seem on the island of Fernandina. As we … Continue reading
Posted in cruise, Ecuador, South America - 2016
Tagged Ecuador, Fernandina Island, Galapagos Islands, marine iguanas, Sally Lightfoot crab
7 Comments
Things happen no matter where you are
A few years ago, we slept through a typhoon in Kyoto, Japan; and now we’re faced with an earthquake in Ecuador. We were having our last dinner on board the ship, a grand finale to our week-long visit to the … Continue reading
Posted in Ecuador, South America - 2016
Tagged Canoa, earthquake, Ecuador, Galapagos Islands, Guayaquil
12 Comments
one way to plan a BIG trip
It all started with three great destinations: Galapagos Islands off Ecuador, Machu Picchu in Peru, and Bahia Bustamante in Argentina. How could we possibly choose between them? They’re on the same continent, so we reasoned, “Wouldn’t it be possible to … Continue reading
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