The Joys of Travel and Life: Our Place in the World

blog by Ken McAlpine

Welcome to our weekly blog about the joys of travel and life. For the two are one. Travel, like life, is about making the most of our moments, for we only have so many. With that in mind, another moment together. Thank you for coming along for the ride…

Our Place in the World

One evening I wandered the shoreline of Santiago Island. The sun balanced atop the dark-blue Pacific, its honey-soft light spilling across tide pools filled with life. The salt air vibrated with barking, hooting, whistling, cawing, great belches, and snorts. Sea turtles rose in grottoes; dozens of sea lions lolled on the pinking sand. Bright orange Sally Lightfoot crabs scurried over the dark volcanic rocks; marine iguanas lay languid and still. It was Eden in the gloaming, though some were moved in different ways. There was a great blurt. Immediately on its heels wafted a smell not unlike month-old salmon pulled from the fridge. “Mother of God,” a woman said. Five yards away, three hundred pounds of blubber gave a contented snort. The denizens of the Galapagos do not care if you are impressed. Retreating upwind, our guide Alex Arregui turned to us. “Why do you think the animals of the Galapagos ignore us?” We stood pondering amidst the snorting, honking, farting mass. “Because they are used to us?” someone said. The trifling answer – because most of the animals have few, if any, natural predators – would come in a moment. But first Alex smiled. “It has nothing to do with us,” he said. “Man only just got here.” — Ken McAlpine has traveled the world as a writer, from the depths of Palau to the heights of the Andes, but no matter where he goes, he can’t wait to come home to Ventura. We hope his stories remind you of why you love the place you call home, and this gift called life. For more info, please go to www.kenmcalpine.com. Top image by Channel Islands Adventure Company.