Groggily we deplaned at dawn in Atlanta. Connections after this point were pretty routine,
As we flew homeward I reflected a bit on our travels. It occurred to me that had we made the same trip a decade or so ago, before I had adapted to the digital age, I would have had to shoot the equivalent of 125 36-exposure rolls of film to shoot as many frames as I had over the last three weeks.
We had debated in planning our trip whether to take the hiking tour or a boat cruise and we elected to do a combination and I'm glad we did because we were able to see a greater variety of sights and creatures than we would have with either trip alone. And the Sacha Lodge side trip was a delightful bonus that provided a striking contrast to what we found in the islands.
I had wanted to see the Galapagos for more than 35 years - ever since I read an Annie Dillard essay in which she rhapsodized over the Palo Santo trees. Now I had my own memories and images of the flora, fauna, geology, history, and people - enough to last a lifetime.
Thinking about the fragile ecology of this truly unique spot on our earth I was reassured by something that our guide Andres had said. Granted, there is a danger of loving the Galapagos to death by the tens of thousands of tourists visiting every year, he said. But with the establishment of the Galapagos National Park and enforcement of protective regulations, it is actually the interest and concern of the tourists that keeps the islands in the international spotlight and ensures the preservation of this treasure.
Arriving home in Great Falls we stepped out of the airport into - what else? - a Montana snow squall.
Adventure Life has been an extraordinary travel resource for us over the years and today was no exception. Our River Cruise booking was handled by Jess (who has been our personal trip planner for several years) the same day as our inquiry. Suggestions were given for cabin choice and pre-trip options (that were not shown on the cruise line's website) like airport transfers and prepaid gratuities. Trip insurance recommendations followed and we were assigned a travel co-ordinator till the end of the tour. All we have to do is show up! Great service from friendly folks.
APtravelwell
1 day ago
My representative Kevin was very responsive generally and in crafting our itinerary to our specific priorities.
Rocco Labella
1 day ago
Although there was a lot of paper work, I received help and guidance when I needed it.
Donna Kirby
2 days ago
Our travel was flawless! The rider pickup (airport, hotel, ship) was seamless. Jane's recommendation for Emerald Cruise Sakara was everything I wanted but the experience was soooo much more. Adventure Life took care of each and every detail and this was the easiest of all my travels.
Anne Petty
3 days ago
Follow up was effective any questions were answered in a timely manner