Countless people have told us over the years how much we would enjoy a trip to the Galapagos. The animals and scenery would surely impress us. As card carrying members of the "bird eater" club instead of the "bird watcher" club, we were very hesitant about commiting to a week on board a boat watching blue-footed boobies do their thing.
Still, with a long trip planned to South America, we felt a trip to the Galapagos could be fun. Furthermore, we were delighted to find a premium tour company that offered a new multi-sport trip to the Galapagos. By day we would snorkel, hike, sea kayak and cruise. And, at night, we'd stay in hotels and eat in restaurants. This had lots of appeal to us as we don't really like spending lots of time on boats and Deborah wasn't all that keen on snorkeling as she has had trouble breathing through a snorkel in the past.
What a mistake we made.
Our trip was often frustrating and at times rewarding. The rewarding parts included seeing all of the animals, of course (see some pictures). The turtles and iguanas - on both land and sea were impressive. Getting to swim with the turtles and marine iguanas was very cool. We also enjoyed snorkeling with sea lions and literally dozens of white tipped reef sharks and Galapagos sharks. Surprisingly, Deborah learned how to use the snorkels we had purchased and actually enjoyed the snorkeling more than any other activity. We think the dry snorkel (basically a type of snorkel that inhibits sucking in water) really helped make the experience enjoyable. And, the marine life was really beautiful - as nice as people described. We had the good fortune to enjoy a beautiful all day hike on Isabela to the second largest caldera (volcano) in the world. The landscape there was really other-worldly. And, our all-too-brief sea kayak excursion off of San Cristobal Island was also quite enjoyable.
Sadly, those highlights were mixed with the worst logistics we ever experienced on an "organized" trip. The Galapagos are a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma - or something like that as Churchill would say. If you are a tourist on a boat, what is happening on land is largely shielded from your view. You motor from isolated spot to isolated spot on the islands - believing the illusion that this is a pristine place - it is as it was in Darwin's time. Sadly, the mystery is revealed as you spend time on land. On land, you are treated to the enigma of both too little and too much development. Too little to support the kind of eco-tourism that is thriving in other parts of the world and too much haphazard introduction of alien plant/animal species as well as just really ugly development. And, while this may sound really harsh, we came away thinking that in some places over there, the now "native" population is suffering from too much in-breeding (remember, there are no indigenous people on the Galapagos). As two process oriented people that love to optimize things, never have we witnessed the array of idiotic planning and execution as we witnessed at every level while on the islands - the government, the businesses, etc. We also came away feeling that there was something really missing in how we saw the animals. It was wonderful to get so close to them and interact with animals that don't have an inate fear of man. But it felt like a zoo and the sense of discovery that one gets from happening on that herd of mountain goat while backpacking or glancing that bear in the woods while mountain biking just doesn't exist.
So, for us, this was a one-time excusion. We would strongly advise against a land based trip to anyone considering it and have lots of reservations about recommending a trip there in general. That said, we are sure that families with kids would love a trip to the Galapagos. We also know that our view is in sharp contrast to many who view the Galapagos as the most magical place on earth. We'll stick with our stolen glances of true wildlife encounters in the future.
No comments:
Post a Comment