In many years time, when we look back on this trip, and maybe some of the people we have met are only vague recollections, and some of the places we have seen blur into one, the Galapagos islands and the experiences we had there will still be clear.

We booked out tickets while we were in Guayaquil, Ecuador. This saved us around $500 each. The trip was still $1500 dollars per person, with all of the flights, for only five days on a boat. But it was worth it.

Out boat slept 16 people. You stayed on the boat most of the time. They moved it from island to island in the night, or between meals, and stopped so that we could get out to walk around an island or snorkel at a few spots each day.

Each island is beautiful, white powder sand beaches, rocks and palm trees, and best of all, no people. Only your boat load is in one area at a time, and you might pass another group, but it generally it feels like a deserted island that you're on.

The wildlife was amazing. Land and sea iguanas, sea lions, bright blue and red crabs, and thousands of birds including the blue footed boobies and so much more. Both Jill and I proved how highly developed our senses of humour are as we sniggered ever time the tour guide said 'boobies'.

Each day we snorkelled: these were the best experiences. We had sea lions jumping and swimming around us, followed huge rays, had little penguins darting around, swam touching distance away from turtles bigger than dustbin lids which glided gracefully through the water, had ten sharks swimming around us, and a huge range of beautiful fish. The underwater camera came in very usefully.

The sharks were white tipped reef sharks. They were around two metres long, and looked like a typical shark, although maybe a little more narrow. Even though you are assured that they are not harmful at all, it's still a tremendous thrill to be near them. A fear that you can keep in check, but which still makes sure you are not short on adrenaline. At one point we were all on the surface, taking turns to swim down to under a ledge where the sharks were gathered. On my turn I got down level with them and one swam out towards me and missed by inches before it swam away into the blue.

The group of people we shared the boat with were great fun. This was really important as it wasn't a large boat. As we were there for New Years eve, the boat crew wanted to go to the largest island and into the town to celebrate with their friends and family. All the people on the boat decided to go with them.

There was an open space in the middle of the town where everyone gathered. The islands are thinly populated, so it felt like everyone was there as there must have been a t least five-thousand. Fireworks, live music, dancing and drinking with the locals until three in the morning and then we were back on the boat. An aussie called Warwick became my partner in crime and convinced me it was a good idea to have some of his whisky when we were back on the boat. We got to bed at around five.

Warwick taught me lots of aussie slang. My favourite is their word for ginger people. They call them 'rang-as'. This is short for orang-utan.

After two-hours sleep, I was still drunk when we were turfed out of the boat and led over rocks and beaches to look for wildlife. Then it was back on the boat while we moved to another spot. These four hours were perhaps some of the worst in my life. If you have ever been seasick, then try being so in a confined airless and windowless cabin, in a small coffin-like bunk bed, when you are hungover after two hours sleep on a combination of beer and whiskey, when the boat is in rough conditions. Nothing would stay on a table, and I was rolling around in the bed. Before long I brought up the apple that was my breakfast and that was me for the next few hours.

This experience aside, the Galapagos Islands were magical and I hope one day we can go back.