International Expeditions was thrilled to welcome World Wide Will from MedjetAssist on a recent Galapagos Islands adventure cruise aboard the

Get caught up with DAY 1, DAY 2, and DAY 3 of Will’s Galapagos Islands vacation.

There is nothing quite like starting off your morning with a swim. Particularly if what you are swimming in are the warm equatorial waters of the Pacific ocean. You really do have to pinch yourself every now and then on this trip.

After a hearty breakfast we put on our wetsuits and headed out in the pangas to a spot of calm water just off Santa Cruz Island. This was our second snorkeling adventure and it was obvious that everyone was more comfortable in the water at least until we spotted the sharks. OK, so they told us we would see sharks and they told us that they would not hurt us.  However, it was still a bizarre experience to look down and see these ancient underwater predators cruising beneath you. Lots of them actually. But you know, I would give anything in the world for the experience.

The sharks were beautiful creatures. They moved gracefully through the water close to the bottom. After I got over the initial shock and slight fear I started to swim down towards them so that I could get better pictures. They paid me no mind one way or the other. And interestingly enough, most of the fishes did not seem to be bothered at all by their presence. I say most because there were about five of a blue and yellow variety that suspiciously became my new best friends. I was thrilled at first but when it became apparent to me that I was now Operation Human Shield I quickly shooed them away. I was not about to get in between anybody’s breakfast.

After our morning snorkel we dried off and rested our salty limbs on the back deck of the Evolution as we headed closer to Santa Cruz. Giant outcrops of long expired volcanoes dotted the sea behind us as we watched an impromptu display of stingrays arching out of the blue waters, soaring briefly in the air and then crashing back into the ocean. Another amazing site and it was not even lunch yet.

Once everyone was on board we headed onto the island. We were greeted by the usual entourage of marine iguanas. Their black bodies blended into the dark lava rocks of the shoreline as they watched us disembark from our boats. Once we were on land we headed up the dock to a bus that was waiting for us. We drove to the Charles Darwin Research Station for a tour of its world famous tortoise breeding program. At the center we got to see Lonesome George, the last surviving member of the Pinta Island subspecies and we learned about the vital work being done to study and preserve Galapagos wildlife.

After leaving the center we headed up into the forested highlands of the island to look for wild giant tortoises. We stopped for lunch at a great local spot and had BBQ and fresh fruit then headed into the open grass areas behind the restaurant in search of the gentle giants that graze these parts. We saw so many tortoises that I stopped counting. These creatures were amazingly massive with some estimated to weigh 500 pounds or more. Despite a few grunts they were not at all bothered by our presence and were very obliging when it came to pictures.

While in the highlands we also explored the forest and walked around a pair of craters named Los Gemelos. We saw vermillion flycatchers and we even got to explore an underground lava tube. The misty forest was quite a departure from the usual scenery. The diversity of the island’s terrain and wildlife was amazing and exposed us to a side of the Galapagos that I never imagine existed.

We left the highlands and headed back to the village of Puerto Ayora for some free time to walk around and get a sense of what life for the human inhabitants of the Galapagos is like. After some shopping and an ice cream bar or three we got back on the pangas and headed to our floating home away from home. It was a wonderful day filled with sharks, scientists, dragons and giants. Yep, you really do have to pinch yourself every now and then on this trip.

Check out more from World Wide Will’s adventure on the Medjet blog.

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I think our Galapagos trip was incredible. It was really fun and I learned a lot about the animals and the islands themselves. It was a great experience because most of the animals and birds are endemic, so you can’t see them anywhere else; so it is a once in a lifetime chance to spend time with them. The other thing that is so nice is that the animals and birds are not fearful, so you can get really close to them. I never imagined that I would swim with giant sea turtles, and a sea lion pup would nibble on my sandal! I hope I have a chance to return to visit these amazing islands again, and I recommend it to anyone who values and respects nature.

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Giant tortoises disappeared from Pinta Island in 1972, and goats introduced to the island accelerated Pinta’s degradation before they were eradicated in 2003.

“The relocation of these endangered reptiles, known as Geochelone nigra, is part of a long-term management plan, which will allow the restoration of the ecosystem integrity and the re-establishment of ecological processes characteristic of this island.

“The 39 giant tortoises being introduced to Pinta are between 30 and 70 years old and they are sterile hybrids with the purpose of conserving the ecological and evolutionary processes of the archipelago.”

Click here for more information on this project.

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Are you familiar with Guayaquil? If you have any restaurants you’d like to pass on, leave us your comments below.

1. BLU
   Mediterranean Cuisine / Formal Attire
   Phone: 288-4954
   Víctor Emilio Estrada 701 y Ficus,
   Monday-Friday (lunch & dinner)
   Saturday (dinner)
   Lunch – 12:30pm-4:00pm
   Dinner – 7:00pm-Midnight
   Prices starting at $25 per person
2. EL PATACON
   Ecuadorian Cuisine / Casual Attire
   Av. Las Monjas y Calle Cuarta en Urdesa
   Daily 7:00pm-Midnight
   Phone: 288-0566
3. LA RIVIERA
   Italian Cuisine / Semi-Formal Attire
   Víctor Emilio Estrada E.707 y Ficus
   Daily 12:30pm-Midnight
   Phone: 288-8298/3790
   Prices starting at $10 per person
4. TRATTORIA DE ENRICO
   Italian Cuisine / Semi-Formal Attire
   Bálsamos 504 y Las Monjas
   Daily 12:30pm-3:30pm & 7:30pm-11:30pm
   Phone: 238-7079
5. CARACOL AZUL
   Seafood / Formal Attire
   9 de Octubre y Los Ríos, esquina
   Monday-Saturday lunch & dinner
   Lunch – Noon-3:30pm
   Dinner – 7:00pm-Midnight
   Phone: 228-0461
   Prices starting at $20 per person
6. AROMA CAFÉ
   Ecuadorean Cuisine / Casual Attire
   Malecon y Padre Aguirre
   Open daily for lunch & dinner
7. ANDERSON
   Gourmet Beef & Seafood / Formal Attire
   Víctor Emilio Estrada 505 entre
   Ébanos y Av. Las Monjas.
   Monday-Saturday 12Noon-Midnight
   Phone: 288-0690
8. RED CRAB
   Primera, Guayaquil 0904, Ecuador
   Open daily for lunch & dinner
   Prices from $5-$10 per person

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If you could be any animal, what would you be?
I would love to be a hammerhead shark — they live on the edge.

What is the most interesting place you have ever visited?
Victoria, Canada was fantastic! It is very pristine and wild outside in the country, but also a modern, organized city.

Is there a past vacation or place you’ve visited that got you hooked on travel?
Not in particular. I just like traveling, and if I did not have to work I would only travel and take pictures.

Where will you visit next?
I am planning a 10-day trip with my family to Argentina and Chile. We’re going to the cities to eat and sample the Chilean wines, then heading to Iguazú Falls.

Given that you’ve lived in Galapagos and visit so often, is there anything in the islands that still surprises you?
Galapagos is a very special place and the wildlife in general surprises me all the time, but it is really the underwater world that I love so much! That’s why I love taking Evolution guests snorkeling there is so much to experience.

April’s issue of Delta Sky magazine featured International Expeditions’ Galapagos Island cruise and your skills as a naturalist. Has being a “big star” changed your life?
I am nowhere near a big star, but almost half of the people that traveled with me in April had read the story. It was fun to have guests already know my name and background before we ever got on the ship!

Read Delta Sky’s article about our Galapagos tour.

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“‘Populations of cottony cushion scale in 2002 were so high and spread across so many islands that several endemic and native plant populations were thought to be going into decline because of heavy infestations,’ said Hoddle, a biocontrol specialist.

“Combating the cottony cushion scale was a joint effort between the Charles Darwin Research Foundation and the Galapagos Islands National Park Service

“‘Soon after release, the lady bug beetle readily established and spread,’ Hoddle said. ‘Subsequent monitoring indicated that it was having the desired effect on the cottony cushion scale populations, which were collapsing because of feeding by larval and adult lady bug beetles. Our project was to follow up to see whether the lady bug beetle is still exerting high levels of control over the cottony cushion scale and whether the project was safe as predicted by lab studies.’”

Read the complete story on ScienceDaily.com

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Get caught up with DAY 1 and DAY 2 of Will’s Galapagos Islands vacation.

“Ever find yourself daydreaming about turquoise water lapping over a stark white sandy beach? You know the dream I’m talking about. You’re completely alone, toes digging into fine sand and a temperate Sun warming you from the outside in. The sounds of sea lions playing in the distance, barking at each other and splashing in the cool surf, are carried in on salty sea breezes. An old straw-hat shades your eyes as you gaze out onto a landscape painted by more shades of blue than you ever knew existed. That dream, my friends, is how the day ends on Espanola.”

Check out more from World Wide Will’s Galapagos adventure on the Medjet blog.

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As for her Galapagos experience aboard M/V Evolution, Elbert writes, “The Evolution embodied casual comfort, with spacious, well-appointed rooms and public areas, and the staff was accessible, helpful, and friendly.”

For yet another insider’s look at “the living laboratory that inspired Charles Darwin back in the 1800s,” check out Elbert’s own pictures from the Galapagos trip on deltaskymag.com.

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Start with Day 1 of Will’s Galapagos vacation.

“…After circling Kicker Rock a few times we headed to Cerro Brujo. We landed on a powder-white sandy beach that we learned was close to the exact spot where Darwin first landed in the Galapagos many years ago. To the right of the beach was a large colony of sea lions. Our time on this beach included a walk around the area looking at the wildlife. I saw the first of many blue-footed boobies, more sea lions and scores of the now famous Darwin finches. We also saw iguanas, ghost crabs and my favorite, the Sally Light-Foot crab. When the walk ended we had two options before returning to the ship. We could explore the tidal area or we could go back to the landing spot and take a swim.

“We swam for a good 15 minutes when I noticed that my friend was looking at me with the strangest expression on his face. It was not fear necessarily but it was not calm either. Then I herd this noise behind me. It sounded like a cross between a snort and a sneeze. My heart jumped into my throat and I yelped like a frightened child. When I spun around I found two big brown eyes staring directly at me. It was a young sea lion and he had come to, well, to play. I let my heart slow some and then I dove back under the water and started swimming.

“The rule here is that you cannot touch the wildlife but the wildlife can touch you. So as I swam around, my new found friend swam beside me. He circled me a few times them swam off, no doubt unimpressed with my lack of grace in the water. I don’t think I stopped smiling until I finally fell asleep later that night. I know that I did not stop talking about it until well after dinner. What an experience of a lifetime.”

Learn more about Day 2 of Will’s Galapagos tour.

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This adventure started with an extra day in Ecuador’s massive port city of Guayaquil. We were met at the airport by the lovely Isla, one of International Expeditions’ (IE) organizers on the ground in Ecuador. Her energetic spirit jolted us out of our jet lag haze and reminded us of the wonderful congeniality that is so typical among South Americans. We arrived in the middle of the night so we were taken directly to the hotel where we poured ourselves into the bed and crashed into a deep sleep.
When we woke up we began exploring the city of Guayaquil. Even though it was early, the city was already bustling with businessmen, shoppers and street vendors. We walked down the main street, Avenue 9 de Octobre, towards the massive Rio Guaya. As we meandered through the city we shopped and ate empanadas from little food vendors that have literally set up shop in little holes in the walls of the city’s buildings.

About halfway through our journey we detoured to the right and checked out Park De Iguanas. This considerable patch of green in the middle of the city has for years been home to scores of feral land iguanas. These large and docile lizards stroll around the park eating and interacting with the locals.  Their beautiful colors seem to blend perfectly with the colorful facades of the surrounding buildings. On one side of the park an imposing cathedral rises into the air as if it is keeping watch. Bronze statues dot the green park and offer resting perches for the pigeons who, by the way, seem to have no problem pecking around the iguanas in search of a bite to eat. I think the true magic of this park is that somehow all of these unrelated items seem to find a beautiful synergy and harmony that ultimately makes the park what it is.

READ MORE about Will’s Galapagos adventure

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