Today is our last day in paradise, on this adventure which seems unreal; we all bonded as one, even though we are from different places, as the Galapagos brings magic to our souls and mind. Traveling from Fernandina to San Cristobal islands, the youngest and one of the oldest in the archipelago, this expedition has been a journey of discovery through time.
San Cristobal Island is one of the oldest in the Galapagos. Today we opted for a fun Zodiac-ride in search of red-footed boobies, and soon after we landed on a green olivine beach for a 1.5 mile walk. The volcanic scenery that we observed during our intense hike was spectacular, and for the first time in many years, we saw blue-footed boobies coming back to nest in this area. Our ghighlights also included the red-footed boobies, pioneer-plants and the landscape; the peaks of tuff high in the sky make this site very different from what we have already witnessed. Back on the beach, we enjoyed swimming and playing with a small colony of sea lions—our ever-present friends. Today some of us took family photos as a farewell to this wonderful week.
Later, while we were having our last lunch, we repositioned to Kicker Rock, an impressive tuff formation standing massive out of the shoreline—what an impressive place. Once we reached our site, we deployed our Zodiacs for our last activity of the week, which was snorkeling. Afterwards, we circumnavigated Kicker Rock as the sun was setting, and we stood out on deck, remembering this is the place where we just snorkeled with Galápagos sharks, turtles, rays, fish and friends.
We are now together at the bow celebrating life. We made it to the Galapagos, and it was not easy. There is a deep appreciation of all to take the time to visit the islands, especially to the children. Statistics said that out of the 7 billion humans in this world, only a small number make it to the Galapagos; in contrast, Taiwan gets 24 million visitors per year, Hawaii: 12 million, Yellowstone Park: 3 million, Machu Picchu: 1 million, and finally, Galapagos islands, with only 204,000 visitors per year—a fraction compared to other places. This is why I said, today we were honored to be part of their unforgettable experience, and we hope that one day they will have the will and power to make a positive change in this wonderful world of ours.
Our expedition is now over; life goes on, but we are now sure this place has changed many lives. This place can never be fully described. We all came together, from different backgrounds, to share this magic which will exist in our hearts and minds forever.
