Mahdi Earth is all about appreciating nature, natural healing and travel. Up until now though, I have spent most of my time blogging about environmental issues and overcoming personal challenges, so I felt it was time to focus some more of my attention on travel. Travel is one of my great loves and I can’t see myself ever getting sick of it. It makes me feel alive.
I recently went to ProBlogger on the Gold Coast where I met the wonderful Ashleigh from My Meow. She also loves travel and mentioned in passing that I could do a series of posts on the highlights of all the places I have visited. I thought this was a great idea and started writing a couple of ideas straight away. (Because it’s not at all strange to meet someone and immediately start taking notes about what they are saying while they are still talking to you.)
So, I introduce to you My Top Five Reasons to Travel to…. series. First up – the Galapagos Islands. My absolute FAVOURITE place in the whole world.
1. They do environmental management well
Having worked in the field of environmental management for so long, I have a real appreciation for places that can actually get people to care about their impacts on the planet. Before you even get off the plane in the Galapagos Islands, you understand how important it is to preserve their natural ecosystems. Prior to landing, they play a video explaining how unique but sensitive the biodiversity is there and what you could do harm it if you are not careful.
When you land, all of your luggage is thoroughly checked for prohibited items and there are signs and information all over the island reminding you not to litter and to stay on the official tracks. And, on each of the island tours, all tour guides are highly educated on environmental issues and they watch you like a hawk to make sure you are not doing the wrong thing.
Perhaps the most influential factor in taking care of the environment there is the locals. They sincerely care about the wellbeing of the island themselves and they lead by example when it comes to preserving nature.
2. It is home to a wide array of interesting and intriguing wildlife
My favourite would have to be the blue footed booby and not just because it has the word ‘booby’ in it. They are endemic to the islands and you cannot watch them without being impressed by their unique bright feet. The giant tortoise also calls the islands home – the ones that Charles Darwin’s crew almost ate to extinction there because their meat was considered better than anything else they had ever eaten.
There are so many brilliant animals to see there – sharks, whales, seals, iguanas. If you love wildlife, you’ll be in paradise.
3. You feel like an explorer when you visit
The animals are not scared of you on the islands. You can walk really close to them without them moving. They act as if they have never seen humans before and so are not bothered by their existence. They act the way they normally would whether you were there or not. Being able to watch animals so carefree is fascinating and heart-warming.
4. There are a wide variety of activities on offer
If you love the outdoors, you will not get bored here. They offer snorkelling, diving, walks, site seeing, kayaking, bird watching, fishing and more. They also have great education centres which explain the history of the islands and all about the native flora and fauna.
5. There are many attractive men there and they all speak sexy Spanish
Need I say more? The photo below is my case in point.
