GalapaGloss(tm) Here is My GalapaGloss(tm) because I obviouly have too much time on my hands.

A is for Americans, very prolific in this area, brightly coloured, noisy and slow moving, usually friendly.

B is for Birds, again very brightly coloured, Pelicans, Albatros, Frigate Birds, Hawks, Finches, Mocking Birds you name it and at some point it will attempt to defacate on you.

C is for Charles Darwin, he put the Gallapagos on the map by growing a beard and writing a book I think it was called "My father was a monkey" or something like that!

D is Dolphins - To be seen surfing the bow wave of your boat, heart stoppingly magnificent - when I die I want ot come back as a Dolphin!

E is for the Equator - Running right through the Galapagos - your in the middle of it all here.

F is for Fishes - Every colour, species you can imagine - all just inches away.

G is for Germans - again very prolific, scantily clad and mostly in large groups....dont mention the war!

H is for Hats - Wear one or risk stopping the traffic on your return!

I is For Iguanas - Marine Iguanas, Land Iguanas - you won´t need a zoom lens so much as a broom to move them out of the way!

J is for Juice - The Gallapagoans like to drink the Juice of the Tomato Tree (different from the tomato plant) - It has the taste of 1 part tomato juice, 5 parts wallpaper paste.

K is for Killer Whales, I didnt see any, but they are here apparently hiding.

L is for Lonesome George, the last tortoise of his species in the Darwin Research Centre on Santa Cruz. - For years scientists have tried to tempt him with a harem of attractive femail tortoises from similar species in the hope he will reproduce, unfortunately George has taken a vow of celibacy.

M is for Money, you will need lots of it here - I had to pay $2 for a Snickers Bar!

N is for November - I went in wha is supposed to be low season, rough weather etc scares off your average joe punter, but I have to say the weather was perfect, and the sea was pretty calm.

O is for Ornatologists, amusing to watch as they stumble about with their cameras and tripods, frightening off most of the birds for miles around.

P is for penguins, this far north? - yup siree, the farthest North you will find them apparently.

Q is for Questions - Each yaught has its own guide, who will fit in to three classes - number 1 will have read a book abaout the gallapagos, number 3 will have written it!

R is for Rays - Mantas, Sting Rays, Starry - every type and size of very short very fat fishery.

S is For Sea Lions, usually they approach you whilst you are snorkelling and blow bubbles in your face before proving how clumsy you are in the water compared to them.

T is For Tortoises and Turtles, great big vegetarian wash basins on legs - the former I am told can live to 200yrs old.

U is for Underwater - if you dont go snorkelling you will miss half of the beuaty of this place.

V is for Views, Stunning Sunsets - Volcanoes and Geology from a Star Treck movie.

W is For White Tiped Sharks - Loads of them - sometimes swimming in 1 foot of water, I am told they are Vegetarians!

X is for X-Factor - because it allways is on these things!

Y is for Yaughts 300 or so in all - from Economic to First Class there are 4 Classifications, in the former, think the lada of the ocean going world, whereas if money is no object you can expect rolls royce all the way.

Z is for Zzzzzzzzz - These sea sickness tablets make you really drowsy..
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