Do you see what I see? Caption this photo

E179: Galapagos adventures - San Cristobal.

Not staged! [478 words]

Cropped and highlighted for effect. But definitely not staged.

Attn: Asia Pacific Tilters, I’m in Goa, India February 20 until March 20. Let’s meet or call!

Take only pictures. Leave only footprints.

Dateline: Galapagos.

I’d just been sitting on the bench by the pier, watching the early morning light gradually glowing up the scene in front of me, staring at the tsunami¹ zone sign and minding my own beeswax, when along comes this lovely creature, sideling her way towards me.

“Watch for the Sally Lightfoot crabs - they are brilliantly colored and photograph beautifully!” Beverley had messaged me earlier in the week. So I stalked this little beauty as my special photo gift for Beverly. When my mother went into hospital a year ago, Beverly crocheted me a “hug” scarf, keeping me virtual company in my vigil.

I debated doing a closeup, but the cigarette stubs littering the sidewalk didn’t scream ‘responsible Galapagos visitor’ and upset me.

Then this happened:

“No one is going to believe me!” I thought. I had to document it.

"No. Surely not. OMG!"

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Over to you:

Caption that photo!

Conversation starters:

• How do we showcase the effects of trash on the local turtles, seals and fauna?

• “Local jelly fish are opaque. That is why the turtles and sea lions are attracted to clear plastic. I’ve watched baby seals choking on the six-pack rings for soda cans and beers.” What is the scariest such story you have come across? Make a list of 3-10 possible solutions.

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Stay healthy. From there all else becomes possible.

Until next week …

Karena

© on all photos and video in this edition Karena de Souza. Please ask for permission before downloading.

1. That Tsunami zone sign worked like a time warp. It ratcheted me right back to the effect of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami on our RTW trip 20 years ago with the kids. I’ve been sharing memory snippets with my children from these days twenty years ago in a private substack.

1. The tsunami left a huge impact on all of us. We’d celebrated US Thanksgiving on the same Phuket & PhiPhi beaches a mere month before - and the children remembered the servers and speedboat captain.

2. The beach that would normally slope to the water’s edge in Goa became a 3-foot cliff overnight. My kids - who loved to play in the water - suddenly developed a fear of the waves.

3. We had to change our itinerary, replacing the Maldives with a visit to Cochin.