End of Part One

So that's it, we're leaving The Galápagos Islands and bound once again for Quito. The next stage is the Inca Trail Hike. But that is a few days away.

After seeing such fabulous animals from the first few steps on these amazing islands, it would've been very easy for the trip to reach an anti-climax. For example, how on earth do you top swimming with turtles, or gazing at Marine Iguanas? With giant tortoises, obviously.

We spent yesterday watching in awe as these wild animals went about their daily business, albeit at a glacial pace. They cover about one mile every day in their 25 mile trip from the coastal plains to the mountains. It truly is a marathon not a sprint for them. 

Weighing in at up to 320kg, it is no surprise that they aren't galavanting around. Not to mention that they live for nearly 150 years. As I gazed into the eyes of a younger one of these animals, a mere 30 years old, I wondered what it would experience in their lifetime. A humbling experience.

And that may have been that, except today we took a short break on the way to the airport and an owl flew to a nearby branch to check us out. Apparently it will have been on the hunt for food, but found a group of brightly dressed humans more interesting. For a while at least.

It has been a fantastic experience, in no small part because of our guide Jose De La Cruz. No question was too dumb and no problem too big. Add to that is wide repertoire of animal calls, mating dances and local knowledge. 

So after a (too) brief stop in Quito, we will be one the move once again to catch a 4:10am flight to Lima. Hardly worth going to bed really. Maybe I could spend the time sifting through the 400 or so photographs I have taken.....

 

"Are you looking at me?"

 

Jose demonstrates how a human would look with a 50kg shell.....