Why do people travel? For some, it’s to get away from the day-to-day and unwind. For others, it’s to make memories or maybe even to make a difference. What if it could be both – and also be so memorable that you still talk about it, years later, to anyone who will listen?
Exploring Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, with a group of Australian veterinarians, was such an adventure for me. All the boxes were checked, all “the feels” were real. Fun? From Day 1, the group had it in spades! Easy going, adventurous, inclusive…it made the difference, for sure, and the little hiccups along the way – a bus break down necessitating a several mile hike to the animal hospital we were visiting, uncooperative patients at the same hospital causing a minor injury, one or two missteps, and even a few illnesses on the cruise throughout the Galapagos Islands – didn’t squash the enthusiasm. And oh, was it worth it!
Seeing animals, like the legendary Blue-Footed Booby, that you won’t see anywhere else in the world…truly spectacular! Likely to be forgotten? Never!! The entire group, traipsing in the hot sun across miles of lava rock, to see the Galapagos Island’s unique creatures must have been quite a sight to the casual observer. To us, it was one of many wonderful memories during that trip.
Did we make a difference? Sure, to the Ecuadorian veterinarians who both sought and gave helpful advice, but also to the Galapagos officials and guides lending their hand to insuring the continuation of these rare species. That’s what making a journey to another country, in a nutshell, means to me…leaving a little piece of yourself and bringing a little piece of another country’s culture, traditions, and uniqueness back with you. Happy travels!
(Check out this video on the Charles Darwin Research Station/Charles Darwin Foundation)
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