Guest host this week, and our natural guide through the wilderness is Dianne Millard of Rambling ranger – ”I don’t want to see groomed gardens or animals in the zoo. No people or signs of people. I want to see and revel in the natural world in your posts. Where’s the wildest place you’ve ever been? Where do you go to let Mother Nature regenerate your spirit?”
Most of you know I am a great nature lover and I always do my best to protect her and … taking only photographs, leaving nothing but footprints.
But love of the wilderness is more than a hunger for what is always beyond reach; it is also an expression of loyalty to the earth which bore us and sustains us, the only home we shall ever know, the only paradise we ever need – if only we had eyes to see.
Edward Abbey
Seeing how Dianne lives her life, I can only admire and love her for what she is doing. I share her love of the wilderness, but I guess I was not made for such a tough life that she is living in Alaska… Go see her amazing adventures and photography!
We can all find and love pieces of wilderness at home – but this time I went back to one of my wildest and most loved adventures. Ecuador, the Amazon and Galapagos. I will start like Dianne – with my morning view, of the Napo river.
Every morning after breakfast we went by canoe into the jungle – for a new adventure.
Climbing to the top of the canopy, we could hear and see many birds – but from a distance only. We spent our last night high up in a Kapok tree, watching the sunset over the Amazon basin. And I was also enchanted by all the glorious wild orchids residing in the trees.
To really get close encounters with the wild life – we then went for almost a week on a sailing boat to the Galapagos islands.
Here a close-up with one of the most special animals connected to these islands – a giant!
So many adventures we had together, mostly on the water, and incredible close contact with the animals! We met so many lovely faces, and if we only kept a two meter distance, everything was OK. My favourites here are the little yellow warbler and the Mocking bird…they used to come up to me and look me in the eye. The mocking birds tried to steal things from my bag. Paradise is not having to be afraid of one another ♥. We spoke softly together.
Late evening, and both the iguanas and the boobies seemed to love the last rays of sun – just as much as we did.
And every island has its own endemic inhabitants – blending in perfectly. A survival kit we all need.
Thank you so much for sharing last week’s wonderful colours with Tina and the rest of us! And thank you Dianne, for letting me return to another wonderfully wild place on planet Earth. We are looking forward to seeing more wild things, from home or on travels, linked to Diannes original post.
Next week, Patti will be offering LAPC #151, so be sure to check out her site then! Her theme is From Large to Small. Pick a colour and take several photos that feature that colour. Start with a photo of a big subject in that colour (for example, a wall) and move all the way down to a small subject in that same colour (for example, an earring).
Leya 
Hi Leya
There I was reading along in your post, enjoying the little monkey and feeling the gliding sensation of the canoe and then my heart jumped into my throat at the sentence of your “…and us waiting for an anaconda to swim up beside the canoe…” Yikes. Anaconda? What a very engaging post you have written.
Here’s my slightly tardy submission for this challenge.
Best, Babsje
Well, we were looking for the anaconda – our guide knew its whereabouts…Thank you!
Oh that’s good to know that your guide could look out for it and for you! 😊
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You must have had a wonderful time .. such beauty! Isn’t nature superb! Thank you for sharing
♥
Beautiful photos. I love the close-ups!!
Thank you, Nora –
Wonderful images Ann-Christine and what a treat to see the wildlife up close! Thank you for letting us travel along with you here 💜
Thank you for coming with me!
🤗💜💫 xxx
Leya, these are particularly lovely, the colors, the gentle, calm ambiance – so amazing. I wish I could infuse your eye for photography. That tortoise is looks like eyes in a cave. The golden iguana looks like his bumps gathered every bit of mustard pollen in the world. You open a world many never see.
You are so kind, Marsha – but I am happy to share my memories!
That is a big part of the joy of blogging. If we didn’t get to share some of our experiences, what fun would it be?
Right!
Such beautiful captures of your adventures – I have been trying for ages to get down to this region but I think that it will closed off for awhile longer. At least I can admire your vision of the area.
Please go when it opens again! You will never regret it!
A-C … only one word -WOW!!!!! You’re just AMAZING – what an adventure you took me on. Thank you so much, the images are superb. .
I am glad you came along, Wivi – see you in Autumn safari at Wanås!
So beautiful Ann-Christine
Happy to share some beauty!
Wonderful photos from your adventure, Ann Christine!
Thank you, Susan!
I can’t help but say WOW in every photo. Such AMAZING captures of the WILD, Ann-Christine.
So happy to share some wilderness, Teresa!
WOWWWWWW. Totally amazing, and WILD!!!! What a treat.
Thanks, John – about my own words over there…every day!
A beautiful ode to nature Ann-Christine. I loved your images and thoughts about your Amazon adventure especially. I could honestly feel the density of the foliage and hear the birds through the silence. Glorious! And of course the Galapagos are so well known for their ecology and for how carefully tourism is regulated there. They are a model we might hope all such places would adopt. Terrific response to Dianne’s challenge.
Thank you, Tina. I had to choose this journey again…it is my wildest one for sure!
Wild, indeed! That orange iguana looks like he’s laughing inside about something! Makes me wonder what he was up to. 🙂
Well, they climbed the giant cacti and ate from them…fighting to get the biggest chunks!
How exciting! Love the orange colour of the land iguana.
Thank you. I loved the land iguanas most. Their faces are not that strange!
How different things are on a nearly disconnected land mass. That monkey’s face reminded me of a Phayre’s leaf monkey, but the coloured hand and robust tail and entirely different. And then in the islands you get to see an incredible variety again. How ecology and chance create species!
Glad you liked my post – and I had to look up your monkey because I had never heard of it. What masked eyes they have! Incredible.
I so agree with Manja about ‘Paradise is not having to be afraid of one another’ echoing in my mind after viewing this glorious collection of photos. And loving monkeys as much as I do guess which photo brought forth the biggest smile . . . thank you !.
I am so happy you liked these, Eha! These islands have always represented Paradise to me.
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These photos are just amazing and what a fabulous adventure Ann-Christine. Thanks for taking me along 🙂 🙂
I am happy to have you – I could go any minute again…
🙂
Delightful images! Of course, I liked the Galapagos related ones the best.
Of course!
Stunning collection of Wild photos. I think the iguanas are smiling for you Ann Christine!
They are indeed – loved their faces!
Thank you for sharing your adventure, AC! What an amazing photo selections. These creatures are beautiful and precious. The opening capture is incrdible, so are the rest of these images.
Thank you, Amy, you are very kind and generous. These are precious memories to me.
What a fantastic wild post, A C…..fabulous images, all 😊😊
♥ Fond memories.
I’m sure!
Loved your post. What an amazing experience, Ann Christine! I wish I could be there and loved seeing it through your eyes. The monkey is my favorite, but there are so many wonderful images in this post. The gargoyle faces of the iguanas, that wonderful shot of the boobies and iguanas, The gray forest blooming with flowers and lizards… Thank you so much for sharing and taking us with you as you revisited these special places.
Thank you for hosting a wonderful theme, Dianne – you are a bit of my idea of a role model!
Amazing photos! The huge tortoise is my favorite!
Isn’t he gorgeous? Glad you liked him too.
”Paradise is not having to be afraid of one another ♥ ”
This is the one thing that I wish to all of us. Wonderful memories. Much love to you.
Love back to you, Manja. I too wish us all peace and joy. ♥
I’m speechless. The places you described, I’ve only seen either on the screen or read in books. Yes, I’m green with envy. What an adventure it must have been! Your words and pictures transported me to this other wild world. Fantastic post, Ann-Christine!
Thank you for your kind words, Sheetal. I am glad to have trransported you a bit…to this fantastic world.
OMG, these are all marvelous photos. I fell in love with the turtle, the lighting is gorgeous. What a fabulous post. 😀
Thank you, Cee. Oh, he is great, isn’t he!
Fabulous images but that first one of the bird on water is outstanding.
Thank you, Sandy! That bird took me hundreds of photos to nail… They run on the water beside the boats.
You’re so honest 🙂 One of the reasons I could never be a good wildlife photographer is that I’m too impatient. Given the quality of your photos, I think you must have a lot of skill and patience!
Thank you very much, Sandy, for your kind words! I have friends who sit hidden for hours and hours to get ”THE” photo. I am not that patient! But honest I am…
Great photos and souvenirs for you to remember and us to enjoy.
♥ I am grateful we got there before it is disappearing. The islands are sinking and the waters are getting too warm for keeping the sea food for the Marine iguanas.
I have always wanted to go to Galapagos, but so far haven’t made it Great images, from the interior as well from the islands. Most have been quite the experience.
Thank you for commenting, Otto. I have thousands of photos from there, and they are very precious to me. Now that the islands are sinking and will finally disappear, you should try to go. The Marine iguanas are dwindling already because of the warmer waters – their food is disappearing. We are a sad species, humans.
Indeed we are. We have not done much good for the world…
I live in my own bubble…
Thanks Ann Christine for sharing your amazing adventure with your wonderful images. These are amazing photos. Love the tortoise.
Thank you, Anne. Big they are indeed, and I like them too.