Today was our last day in paradise, an adventure which seems dreamlike; we all bonded as one even though we are from different places. The Galápagos brings magic to our souls and minds. From Fernandina to San Cristobal islands, the youngest and one of the oldest in the archipelago, on 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, searching for 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; the peaks of tuff high in the sky make this site very different from what we have already observed. 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 pictures as a farewell to this wonderful week.
Later we repositioned to Kicker Rock, an impressive tuff formation standing massive out of the shoreline. As we were navigating, just prior to lunch, we spotted a whale! What an impressive place. Once we reached our site, we deployed our Zodiacs for our last activity, which was snorkeling; back onboard, we then circumnavigated as the sun was setting, remembering this is the place where we just snorkeled with sharks, turtles, rays, fish and friends.
We are now together at the bow celebrating life; today was our last full day in the islands. We are now enjoying our slideshow, full of our own impressive pictures. We made it to the Galápagos and it was not easy. Of the seven billion humans in this world, only a few visitors make it here every year; Egypt: 11 million, Hawaii: 7 million, Yellowstone Park: 3 million, Machu Picchu: 1 million visitors and finally, Galápagos Islands: 163,000 per year, a fraction compared to other places. This is why I say, today we are honored to be part of this unforgettable experience and hope one day our guests have the will and power to make a positive change in this wonderful world of ours, as they are now our ambassadors, seeing first-hand how far a single choice, an idea from the Ecuadorian government, made an encouraging, impressive impact for humankind.
Our expedition is now over; life goes on, but we are now sure this place has changed many lives. This is a place which can never be fully described. We all came with different backgrounds and yet we are now one, sharing this magic which will exist in our hearts and minds forever.
Farewell amigos.
