Yes, it’s true. That’s true. What he or she said was correct. It’s all true.
Anything you’ve heard about that mysterious and enticing string of islands resting hundreds of miles off the coast of Ecuador is entirely as it sounds. Good or bad, word about the Galapagos travels as fast as it wants, but is seldom over-stated.
Yes, you may be caught off guard by some of her truths. There are in fact far more tourists than you may have expected. Perhaps you did not see the impossibly high level of taxis and gift shops in your travel guide. And I’m pretty sure white-guy dreads was not in that beautiful coffee table book you saw a few years back, but that’s also not why you bought your ticket, right?
Here in one of Mother Nature’s last great strong-holds, it seems nearly anything is possible. The natural world blends seamlessly with the man-made, and to both, no rules seem to apply.
As with any national, and in this case much more international, park, there are, in fact, a laundry list of do’s and don’ts. However, once you actually hit the ground, so long as your itinerary does not include punching a sea lion, then just about anything is fair game.
Feel like feeding a bird out of hand? Go for it. Want to share a bench with a sea lion or race a sea turtle? Why not? Or perhaps you would rather star gaze on the runway of your local airport. There’s no doubt a rule against it, but the door is never locked and I am not about to stop you. All of the above are likely bad ideas, but when supervision is more of an idea than anything, your imagination is really you only limitation.
Now that the lawlessness that applies to man and animal alike has set in, it is time to learn your place in the madness. If you happen to be a bipedal mammal(i.e. human), then your status is simple:bottom feeder. You are worth less than the bugs that feed on you and you paid good money to like it. That being said, your nothingness does come with a burden.
Though insignificant in it all, you are the ones who keep it all afloat($$$) and whom have the power to destroy it all. Wildlife can be anywhere here, so be careful where you step, swim, surf, or sneeze. One wrong move and you will be on your home soil faster than an entire continent can curse you out.
So here you are, expenses paid, and a general understanding that the only law around is that you mean less than everything else, be sure to enjoy yourself! There is no feeling quite like living in a zoo. Hail from the city, country, or anywhere in between, and you are still bound to see or do something entirely new.
Just pick your island or boat(and do try to change your scenery now and then as well), then get out and explore. Watch an iguana feed under water, play tag with a sea lion -also true, most have a better personality than most of your co-workers- pet a shark, watch rays dance around a light or take a dip with Equatorial penguins.
Whatever you decide to do in a place like this, never limit yourself. After-all, everything you heard is true.
Ryan
