Finally, after three years of waiting, my family and I were off to Ecuador and then to the Galapagos Islands.

It is said that the Galapagos have more unusual animals than any place in the world. It took three years of waiting for us because the Galapagos are a national park of Ecuador, and only a few cruise ships are allowed in that area each year. So if you are thinking about going, make reservations now.

Our flight from Minneapolis to Quito, the capital of Ecuador, was uneventful. We were staying two nights in Quito because I wanted to be sure we would catch up on our jet lag and our luggage would arrive before we got on the ship, and we were successful on both accounts.

Quito is located in the Andes and is the second-highest capital city in the world. We were careful and took it easy when we were arrived, as I was concerned about high altitude sickness.

We slept late the next day to catch up on our jet lag and then did an afternoon tour to learn about Quito. It was a holiday, so most of the shops were closed. We were advised not to leave the hotel for a walk at night.

The next day we were driven to the airport for our two-hour flight to the coast, where we got on the ship, "Celebrity Xpedition," and we were off to the Galapagos.

There was always a briefing about the animals and the terrain the night before we would go on land. Dinner on the ship was early evening and afterwards we would go to the deck to learn about the next day.

After breakfast, we would be taken to land for an hour or so hike, and then back to the ship for lunch and a rest. Later in the day we would go to another island to view the wildlife and go for a walk.

There were sea lions and blue footed boobies as far as the eye could see. There aren't many different types of animals, as the islands are far apart and the animals would have to swim to the other islands. Man is the only predator, so the animals aren't afraid of anything or anyone.

I think we were one of the few that didn't have our photo taken with our arm around a sea lion. When I asked why I didn't want a photo, I replied, "I don't care how used they are to humans, they are still wild animals."

One briefing warned us about the slippery rocks that we needed to walk over before we got to land. The three of us decided we would go out in the inflatable boat with the group, but not go on land. If I were to be breaking a leg, I would want to be in the backyard of the Mayo Clinic, not in the middle of the Galapagos.

While the group was on land, the driver of the boat took us into inlets and around islands and told us that the wildlife we were seeing could not be seen on shore by the group we just dropped off. So we had the best view, the sea was calm, and we didn't have to walk.

One day we were told that we were going to the post office. Great! That would mean we would be in a city or village and maybe get a chance to go shopping. My assumption was wrong: The post office was a barrel on a post by the beach. People put in letters that were addressed with postage. I think it will take a long time for the letters to get to their destinations.

We saw plenty of unusual plants and animals on this trip. We also saw a lot of historic buildings and learned the history of the area. It was a great trip and it helps me remember that America is very young and the best place to live.

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Galapagos Islands were worth the wait - Post-Bulletin