To dream is to be alive!
Ever since I was a little girl I dreamed about visiting the Galapagos Islands. Little did I know, that one day I would achieve that dream, not from Montreal where I was born, but from the Yukon, in northern Canada.

All dreams have their origins and mine was inspired on a cold winter night while watching the northern …

We awoke in Darwin Bay to a view of Genovesa Island. It was but a short panga ride to the beach where Gaby and Pepe, our guides, introduced us to some of the local inhabitants - red-footed boobies, frigate birds, red-billed tropic birds, the nimble sally lightfoot crabs and iguanas. It was amazing how close one could get to the red footed …

Every morning I awoke with a smile on my face wondering what the day would bring. I was not once disappointed. I awoke early and made my way to the front of the boat in search of whales. They are sometimes spotted in this area, however not this morning. Instead, we watched a large pod of dolphins playing in the waves. They swam effortlessly under, …

During the morning hike on the lava strewn coast of Santiago Island we were treated to the sight of colourful marine iguanas, birds such as yellow warblers, plovers, anis, ostercatchers, finches, pelicans and a new species of sea lion - the fur sea lion.

We stepped close to the edge of blow holes and arches, mesmerized by the water rushing …

After an early breakfast we walked up the 350+ steps to the summit of the central volcanoe of Bartolome Island. From here we experienced great views of the nearby islands and were exposed to a landscape of volcanic desolation. We could see spatter cones, scoria formations, tuff cones and black volcanic sand. It was not entirely desolate, as the …

Santa Cruz was very lush and green, quite a contrast to the stark volcanic landscape of the past few days. The Prickly pears, (as tall as trees and with orangy red trunks) and the tropical flowers were a pleasant change.

Our first stop was the Twins, two collapsed, vegetated craters, sitting high in the misty sky. From here we went to a …

As usual, we awoke to a new location, this time alongside Espinosa Island. Our 2 hour walk brought us close to colourful "Christmas Iguanas" adorned in reds, greens and black. It was getting close to Christmas and thoughts of the holidays were in everyone's minds. I would soon be heading off to Merazonia, a wildlife rehabilitation …

From the arctic to the equator. A journey from a land of snow and ice to the lush green tropics of the equator and the harsh desolate volcanic landscape of some of the islands. A landscape that erupted from the sea millions of years ago and continues to do so today. Islands of volcanic origins continuing to persist, rising from the ocean floor to …