#7. We’re born courageous. Fear is learned along the way
Source of inspiration: Galápagos Islands
My phone reminds me again of what’s becoming an old trip, but hopefully not a forgotten memory.
A photo of our guide contemplating the beautiful scenery. Galápagos Islands, being a protected area, is mandatory to travel with an official guide.
It happened during COVID-19; we had chosen Ecuador as the destination. Influenced by Darwin and his discoveries, we also looked into going to the Galápagos Islands. Including that part of the country in our itinerary seemed complicated, but somehow, we made it possible.
We booked two seats in a boat and paid a significant deposit through a website. We crossed our fingers, hoping we weren’t victims of an Internet scam.
The day arrived, and we flew from Quito to Seymour Galapagos Ecological Airport. A bus picked us up at the exit and took us to the bay, where we took a small boat. We glanced at the horizon, and finally, a beautiful yacht appeared.
This would be our accommodation on the sea for the next seven days. And probably one of my best and most inspiring travel experiences…
In the middle of nowhere, without internet or phone reception, it was easy to focus on what was in front of us.
What was so inspiring?
Being disconnected from everything, especially technology.
What would you do if you were stranded on an island? How would you spend your time if you were free from responsibilities?
Our modern societies are so connected, and technology has become so present in our lives that focusing on the present moment has become the exception, the luxury.
Today, one of the dangers we face (philosophically speaking) is unawareness, meaning becoming passengers in our journeys. We are constantly distracted by notifications, driven by a perpetual sense of urgency, and absorbed in our multiple devices.
I was so grateful for the gift of presence when travelling to these Islands. When we arrived on the main island, we briefly had an internet connection on the first and last days.
During this trip, I drew so much in my sketchbook. Every day, we had different excursions, which focused my attention on the uniqueness of this place, the endemic species, and the peculiar trees and vegetation that adapted to survive in such isolated areas.
I didn’t need to look for inspiration or to ‘recharge’ my batteries. Everywhere, there was a living thing more beautiful than the next.
The most luxurious aspect of this trip was the proximity to the wildlife—the fragile illusion of coexisting, of living like neighbours. Two sea lions captured my attention in this photo: a mother feeding her cub.
Artwork inspired by this trip
Today, I still find myself expanding my comfort zone and wanting to paint different subjects. I often return to what I enjoy most: drawing nature, painting animals, and studying flowers and wildlife.
Here are a couple of sketches from that trip and others I painted later, inspired by photos I took:
Featured animals: sally lightfoot crab and sea lions.
It is not in the Galápagos per se but inspired by llamas, alpacas, and vegetation spotted in Quito.
Everything I saw and experienced
One of the most curious things, and hence the title of this Momentos, was the proximity to animals.
Often, when we go to a zoo or run into wildlife in the city (or elsewhere), even when we want to approach animals kindly, they usually have a natural reflex to escape. Most species fear us humans.
A quick visual recap of what I experienced during this trip: birds, crabs, sea lions, giant turtles, lizards, penguins, mangroves, different ecosystems, and so on.
In the Galápagos Islands, animals are not scared of us.
The Galápagos Islands are secluded by natural and geographical conditions, protected by the authorities, and regulated regarding tourism access. Animals behave differently in these conditions. They are curious. They want to play with us. The guide often reminds us that we have to keep our distance, so we are the ones who move away and let them be.
In one instance, we were scuba diving, and I felt something tickling my foot. It was a baby sea lion wanting to play. There was even one marvellous day when I wanted to capture the undersea with my phone, and a penguin swam right in front of my eyes.
It made me wonder if I were an animal living there, which one would I be, and why? Maybe the wise turtle living for centuries to share her discoveries, perhaps an adventurous penguin swimming until the bottom of the ocean searching for food, or a playful sea lion honing its water skills but making friends in the process, or who knows? A blue-footed booby impressing everyone around with my peculiar bright blue feet, plunge-diving and fishing skills.
Luckily, I don’t have to choose. I can appreciate their uniqueness and extraordinary talents from where I stand.
After an exciting week, it was time to return to everyday life.
After this unique experience, it was time to return to the mainland.
We traded the silence of being almost alone in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with the hectic noise of the streets in Guayaquil. The view changed from the bluest place full of free animals and vegetation to concrete buildings and a space where humans rule over everything.
Once again, it all feels surreal but understandable. As animal species, we have evolved in our own ways and created new mechanisms for the survival of our kind.
That week spent in Darwin’s skin feels like a faraway experiment, a constant reminder that we, too, are part of nature.
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