Just a Touch of Paradise

I think that we can all agree that John Farnham is the greatest living Australian. By a long way. He has single handedly taken the pressure down, identified us as a (collective?) voice and has broken the record for Last Time, Final Tour concerts, a record previously held by Lazarus.

But, undoubtably, his greatest work is the 1986 hit "A Touch of Paradise"1, a song no doubt inspired by his little known visit to the Galápagos Islands.

Almost on the equator, the Galapagos are known for, primarily, their association with Charles Darwin. Darwin's observations of the Galapagos Iguanas, which in contrast to their continental counterparts had evolved to swim, set in motion his Evolution of the Species and changes the lives of creationists everywhere.

But for most of us, the Galapagos Islands are best known as a magical tropical paradise off the coast of Ecuador.

There's simply no good words that will adequately describe just how beautiful the "Enchanted Islands" are. Semi-arid and unbearably hot for most of the day, this archipelago is nonetheless something stuck in a time warp - indeed the whole experience feels a little like living in a 1960s era Bond movie. People walk for the most part, not that there's much end for a car as the capital, San Cristobal's, total road length is measured in the tens, not even hundreds.

Here, the boat is king. Food is by and large caught in the sea, and grilled on a coal BBQ. Beans and rice are also staples, like the soup that seems distributed before every meal. Yes, even breakfast.

And it's easy to see why. A boat ride away are some of the most fertile free-diving areas imaginable. At shallow depths, the most beautiful fish can be spotted - tiger, sea-lion, turtle and shark all glide past you or stop for a play.

And the action is not limited to the sea, above cormorant's dive for their meals while pelican's gracefully swop on unsuspecting fish. Even the famous marine iguanas bask in the sunshine.

Two days in and we're already contemplating opening a cafe and staying. Good coffee and John Farnham isn't a bad way to spend your life.

Cam

1. Not actually a hit.