As an author, and having researched the environmental work that takes place on the islands, what effect has this had on you in today’s world? Yet their priorities change as they find themselves falling for the beauty of the Galápagos and each other. In Shipped, Henley and Graeme battle with the expectations and stresses of everyday life.
So if you want to travel, but also want to do so respectfully and sustainably while contributing to preservation of the environment, choose eco-tourism! Lindblad Expeditions (the inspiration behind my fictional cruise line in Shipped), for example, is a carbon neutral expedition-cruise company that has been committed to sustainability, responsible travel, and environmental conservation for more than 50 years. But travel can be done sustainably and responsibly, and there are eco-tourism companies out there leading the way. The travel industry on the whole gets a bad rap (for good reason!) for its negative impacts on the environment.
What is eco-tourism and how does it benefit our planet?Įco-tourism is travel, most often to wild or remote places, that promotes responsible exploration and conservation of the natural world. This may still be a new idea to many travellers. As Henley finds herself falling in love with her new (and often challenging) environment, she makes a powerful decision to try and take the company in a different direction: eco-tourism. Shipped is set aboard a cruise liner (Seaquest Adventures). The Galápagos is one of the most special, unique places on earth, which is why I was inspired to share it with readers through the setting of Shipped. To have the chance to hike amongst endemic marine iguanas and past nesting waved albatross, snorkel with endangered Galápagos penguins, spot giant tortoises roaming in the wild, and more…and have the wildlife not be afraid of me…it gave me this feeling of being connected to nature and the larger world-a feeling that hasn’t left me.
I was familiar with the islands and the opportunities they afford to have up-close-and-personal encounters with wildlife, but I never imagined how profoundly the experience would touch me on a personal level.
Sure! For my day job, I manage conservation and education programs for Lindblad Expeditions, a small-ship expedition cruise company, and a few years ago I had the great good fortune of traveling to Galápagos on a Lindblad voyage. Can you tell us what drew you towards the setting of the Galápagos? The way you combined conservation topics with romance was a breath of fresh air, and the gorgeous book cover screams at days we can only dream of (at present!). This was delightful escapism at its very best.
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