A Place You Will Never Forget

Pulse Perspective by Dayana Huayana

It felt like being on another planet. It was a sunny day, with clear water surrounded by animals everywhere... What more can you ask for?

I’m not religious but this makes me believe that I was Eve surrounded by animals and fruits. It makes you wonder, what would have happened if humans and animals got along and lived together? One early morning I went on a walk, and in a matter of minutes, I encountered a sea lion, seagulls, iguanas and pelicans. I was amazed by what I was seeing because if I was in another part of the world, these animals would fear me. But here it felt different, it felt like for the first time, humans and animals could get along.  Even though the animals are cute, and you want to touch them, it’s forbidden, and you must stay 2 meters away from them. There are a bunch of rules you must follow so that this place stays as clean and protected as it is. When I went on the boat rides to the different islands, I learned so much about the unique species of animals like the Blue-Footed Booby. The tour guide told us even though the mom gives birth to two to three birdies, only the strongest survive and the parents even go as far as to neglect the weak one. Walking around one of the many islands, you can find eggs or skeletons left behind. Even though it's sad, I had to learn that it’s part of nature.

Next thing was to go snorkeling and even though this was my first time doing it, I was excited yet scared. I encountered so many kinds of fish, sea turtles, sharks, manta rays, jellyfish, dolphins and whales. We even made a stop at a nearby beach and little did I know, I was going to have the time of my life. As soon as the boat dropped us off, a sea lion approached me and was swimming near me. At first, I thought “Why me? There are plenty of other people out here, and you chose me?”. Then we swam together and made flips. People saw this and started to approach us but as soon as the sea lion saw that, he would leave. It felt like he only wanted to play with me. It felt surreal and nothing I’ve ever experienced before. I’ve always loved animals and am fascinated by them. But this is a memory I will never forget. If you are a big animal lover, love to travel, and like tropical places, I would recommend going to the Galapagos Islands.