South Plaza features more of the giant cacti we saw earlier this morning on Santa Fe Island, plus incredible landscapes that blur the line between ecosystems — it’s part desert, part ocean.

And we encounter more Land Iguanas. They are typically yellow, but you can see over the next few photos how their skin adjusts color to blend in with the surroundings.

This guy didn’t fare so well… an iguana exoskeleton is left next to the trail so guides can show their tour groups.

These large prickly pear cacti (or Giant Opuntia if we want to get specific) grow to this size in part due to the remote and secluded location of the Galapagos Islands. Gigantism is common among species here because they are so isolated.

Yours truly:

Between the exotic animals, desert plants, dramatic cliffs, and aqua water, this island is just stunning. You’d think after so many days of looking at similar things they’d start to wash over us, but it feels fresh every time we set foot on a new island.

And if it seems like I repeat adjectives like “stunning,” “gorgeous,” or outstanding” a lot, it’s because many things on this trip ranked far above anything I’d ever seen before and I’m not used to plucking out vocabulary to describe such epic views. I’ll consult a thesaurus for my next post.

What would a Galapagos post be without a sea lion photo? Here you go.

Here’s a partial group shot, from left to right: Michelle, Agnes, Rob, Sarah, and me.

After our trip back to the G Adventures yacht, Sarah and I venture up to the captain’s chair.

I do “laundry” before dinner by borrowing a bucket from a crew member and digging out the mini travel detergent I packed along. After swishing my shirts around, I wring them dry and hang them over the side of the boat. I brought along the clothes pins for this very purpose.

I didn’t know it at the time, but this next photo would become my desktop photo at work for YEARS.

The boat docks in this particular spot to refuel (near Baltra). You can see the gas line below reaching all the way back to the fuel station on land.

And now it’s time for our Farewell Dinner… even though I’m staying for four more days. Free drinks!

It’s been a few years since this trip so my memory is a little shaky, but I’m 90% sure this guy’s name is Jimmy. He is our waiter/bartender extraordinaire and takes good care of us all week.

We end the evening with some dancing on the second floor deck.

Our group will have one last outing on North Seymour Island the following day. Then the others will go to the airport and I’ll hang out on a beach waiting for the new tour members to arrive. I luck out getting to meet extra people on this trip, and I’ve actually remained in contact with several of them over the years. Thanks for the memories and friendship, G Adventures!

FYI – I’d like to clarify that I was in no way compensated by G Adventures to write these posts. This trip was back in 2009 and I was strictly a tourist. Going forward, I would welcome the opportunity to blog about sponsored trips — and I’ll always be upfront when a post is sponsored. All opinions are my own and I’m not shy about sharing them!