From Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
Some places are so famous, so revered, that we half expect them to disappoint. The Galápagos never do. Humans are not considered a threat, so the animals simply don’t fear your approach. Which means I got to watch blue footed boobies performing their wonderfully elaborate mating dances up close.

Much arching, preening and stamping of bright blue feet later, this male's performance won himself a cursory hop on/off his mate.

From Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
I underestimated how intimate wildlife encounters are from a kayak. Curious sea lions came to investigate, excitedly darting side to side beneath me. I spotted a penguin perched on an outcrop. As I quietly paddled over, it didn’t move an inch. It just stared as I slowly floated past.

Drifting across the bay, a large fish leapt out closeby. I say fish, it was actually a white-tipped reef shark which, according to my guide, was "just playing”.

From Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
Signposts told us there were iguanas nearby. So we stopped our bikes and followed the trail down to the seashore. There they were. Right there. Heaps of marine iguanas, skittering across the dark black volcanic rocks and slithering into the blue sea. We had to be careful where we walked there were so many.

Even better, it was just us there. During the day, cruise ships send people to this beach to see them, but by now all the tourists had gone.

From Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
You can swim anywhere within Gardener Bay, so I floated off to go snorkel on my own. Minutes later I came across this turtle, grazing on seaweed. For 20 minutes or more we drifted together, at times just inches apart.

There was nobody else out in the bay, no big group to rejoin, just time alone to swim with a sea turtle. That was the moment it struck me how privileged I was to be in the Galápagos, how lucky we are that this place even exists.

From Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
Isabela has a giant tortoise sanctuary and although we didn't know it, rescued tortoises are released right along the side of the path. We rounded a bend and there was a giant tortoise, all by himself, camouflaged in the bushes.

We stopped to take photos then pedalled on. Soon after we came across another, then another. All the way along the trail more would appear. At one point we almost had to literally steer our bikes around one. Where else do cyclists cede the right of way to lumbering tortoises?

From Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
“I think that's a whale! Let's go a little closer!.” We sat in our humming zodiac, a little precarious. But before we could move, it started to come towards us - a humpback with her baby. Utterly enormous. "I think she's following us," he said.

We're in this tiny inflatable boat, with a huge beast swimming towards us. It was a moment of pure adrenaline - excitement, fear and vulnerability. If it flipped its tail the wrong way, we'd all get very wet.

From Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
Puerto Ayora is the busiest Galápagos port. There are cars and noise, tourists and boats coming and going. It's a culture shock after the deserted beaches and rare wildlife.

But putter across the bay in a water taxi and you step into another world. Here there’s little development, just a smattering of one-storey houses. The Waterfront Inn sits here with its own jetty, one of the oldest hotels on any island, run by an original settler family.

From Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
This was downtime for us after having visited five incredible islands. Over the week I had swum with turtles, had penguins tap my mask, snorkeled far above hammerhead sharks. A seal had even sidled up to me as I sat quietly at a beach bar.

This day was set aside for relaxing. I remember how at ease the wildlife seemed to be and how they, as much as the people, seemed to be 'the locals' in Galápagos. Perfect tranquillity.

From Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
Something big came into my field of vision. It was a moment of pure panic as I tried to make sense of it. I was totally unprepared. Face to face, something was swimming right at me. At literally the last second it dodged around me. A sea lion pup.

They're very used to seeing people snorkelling and the young ones are particularly playful. He came round again and swam straight at me once more. Suddenly I realised he wasn't alone, and that I was making a memory never to be relinquished.

From Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
Some of Isabela's hotels are rather fancy. Casa Marita is by comparison a simple little hotel, but without question my favourite. It’s snugly tucked between palm trees right on the beachfront, with wide windows overlooking the lapping sea. The beach isn’t officially private but it's hard to get to, so it feels that way.

The location is just perfect. I can't imagine a better spot to wind down after the excitement of a cruise.