Hey Togg,
You got me thinking seriously now about this Gallapogos Islands thing.
I've been pondering the issue of visiting, but in so doing further buggering up the delicate ecology there, as you described - which has been so efficiently undermined by other insensitive sods like me.
But... I want to meet those giant tortoises. I want to give one or two of them a seriously fat lettuce sandwich. I've been looking forward to that for years, but never had the money. We want to go for it in 2007.
What does one do? It is a serious dilemma. The authorities are letting people in. Why? Why are they doing this if it is at the expense of the very land the creatures live on? It's a mystery to me. I did my homework, but I'm still none the wiser... not really.
Are you seriously questioning whether to go or not, or just saying that? I need to make a decision soon.
Ta
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Is it worth asking what you're talking about?
In one of the other threads, Greg mentioned that he was going to use the royalties from one of his books to go on vacation to the Galapagos Islands. Togg mentioned he was planning to do the same at some point, too.
That bit makes sense.. but Greg still doesn't.
Poppy... Is it worth asking what you're talking about?
GB: I'm looking at going to meet giant tortoises. They fascinate me. How could they not?
Togg is having to ponder the same dilemma as me and I was wondering what decision he'd made.
This original comment came out of me explaining why I would not be sending the royalties of my book to Richard, for QZ consumption. I had explained that due to all the 'publicity' on QZ, good and bad and bad and badder, about my Q live book, it had suddenly sold over 800 unexpected copies. This baffled and pleased my publisher and he asked me why I thought it had happened.
It is due to my lovely adoring fans at QZ, I told him. All publicity, it seems, is indeed good publicity... even the mad zombies on QZ who love to hate my stuff. You know how popular I am Poppy. Right?
Anyway... an unexpected tangent grew. Tortoises.
Now, do you think it was worth asking what I was talking about?
GB: I'm looking at going to meet giant tortoises. They fascinate me. How could they not?
Togg is having to ponder the same dilemma as me and I was wondering what decision he'd made.
This original comment came out of me explaining why I would not be sending the royalties of my book to Richard, for QZ consumption. I had explained that due to all the 'publicity' on QZ, good and bad and bad and badder, about my Q live book, it had suddenly sold over 800 unexpected copies. This baffled and pleased my publisher and he asked me why I thought it had happened.
It is due to my lovely adoring fans at QZ, I told him. All publicity, it seems, is indeed good publicity... even the mad zombies on QZ who love to hate my stuff. You know how popular I am Poppy. Right?
Anyway... an unexpected tangent grew. Tortoises.
Now, do you think it was worth asking what I was talking about?
Well, no, but thanks for explaining.
I can almost hear violins when you two talk.
Well, yes I do have some issues with this, on the one hand it would be amazing to see them, but at what cost? if we all decide to go there then in time it will become another Disneyland and they will be just another more expensive version of a ride in the park.
I want to take my daughter, but she can't go until she's twelve (five at the moment) so do we wait and show her at that point or do we go and see something that may not last much longer.
I believe in showing children as much of the world as possible and both my wife and I have always wanted to visit the islands. A few years ago we went to Alaska and I can honestly say it was the most interesting holiday I have ever been on, hoping over to Spain just doesn't do it for me anymore (not that it ever did!)
However, the last thing I want is to be part of the downfall of such an amazing and unique place and simply visiting and increasing the demand will like it or not have a knock on effect.
My guess is that my curiosity will get the better of my conscience and I will visit shortly, however, it will definitely not be next year as we finally decided and booked Australia this weekend, so the Galapagos will have to wait until 2008 when we will go through the same issues and questions.
If you do decide to go, I would be interested in your views on returning.
I want to take my daughter, but she can't go until she's twelve (five at the moment) so do we wait and show her at that point or do we go and see something that may not last much longer.
I believe in showing children as much of the world as possible and both my wife and I have always wanted to visit the islands. A few years ago we went to Alaska and I can honestly say it was the most interesting holiday I have ever been on, hoping over to Spain just doesn't do it for me anymore (not that it ever did!)
However, the last thing I want is to be part of the downfall of such an amazing and unique place and simply visiting and increasing the demand will like it or not have a knock on effect.
My guess is that my curiosity will get the better of my conscience and I will visit shortly, however, it will definitely not be next year as we finally decided and booked Australia this weekend, so the Galapagos will have to wait until 2008 when we will go through the same issues and questions.
If you do decide to go, I would be interested in your views on returning.
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Zebonka12 wrote: [/QUOTENAME]I can almost hear violins when you two talk.[/QUOTE]
LMAO.
LMAO.
Hey Zebonka...
I can almost hear violins when you two talk.
NO OFFENCE, BUT I CAN ONLY IMAGINE YOU DRIBBLING SPIT DOWN YOUR CHIN AND ON TO YOUR STAINED VEST, WHEN YOU TALK.
NO VIOLINS MATE.
NO VIOLINS WOULD BE A GREAT NAME FOR A SONG.
I can almost hear violins when you two talk.
NO OFFENCE, BUT I CAN ONLY IMAGINE YOU DRIBBLING SPIT DOWN YOUR CHIN AND ON TO YOUR STAINED VEST, WHEN YOU TALK.
NO VIOLINS MATE.
NO VIOLINS WOULD BE A GREAT NAME FOR A SONG.
If you do decide to go, I would be interested in your views on returning.
OK Togg. I'll let you know.
We have established that such a trip is hugely expensive. MUCH more than we thought, and we were thinking big.
I need to sell another 1,000 books.
Can anyone suggest a good way to REALLY get tongues wagging here on QZ? That last bunch of apparent bad press did wonders for sales... rather curiously.
It's looking like we too might put it off til 2008. Like you said, Togg... you'll go all that way, finally make it to the GI's, and there one evening you will find me chatting at length with a 150 year old tortoise!!!!!!!
What a prospect.
OK Togg. I'll let you know.
We have established that such a trip is hugely expensive. MUCH more than we thought, and we were thinking big.
I need to sell another 1,000 books.
Can anyone suggest a good way to REALLY get tongues wagging here on QZ? That last bunch of apparent bad press did wonders for sales... rather curiously.
It's looking like we too might put it off til 2008. Like you said, Togg... you'll go all that way, finally make it to the GI's, and there one evening you will find me chatting at length with a 150 year old tortoise!!!!!!!
What a prospect.
If that's the case for god's sake don't tell him about the missing 17mins of Bo Rap, it might be just enough to shock him into a coma at 150 years old ;-)
I wonder what a family of giant tortoises would do if we left a tape machine playing, not too loud, the Bo Rhap backing track, somewhere close to where they all gather?
They's be curious I guess. I imagine they would respond to a certain pitch or frequency. They'd probably love John's bass!!!
They might hate Queen.
James Blunt might be more their thing?
They's be curious I guess. I imagine they would respond to a certain pitch or frequency. They'd probably love John's bass!!!
They might hate Queen.
James Blunt might be more their thing?
Well they say give 12 monkeys a type writer and they will eventually write the works of shakspear (or something like that)
Working on that assumption, maybe they would be able to sing the harmonies to the middle section if left long enough!
Working on that assumption, maybe they would be able to sing the harmonies to the middle section if left long enough!
Now I have to say if I do eventually visit the Islands and I do come round a corner to see you and twelve tortoises singing the middle section to Bo Rap I will certainly stand you a beer!