While on my vacation in the Galapagos this past week, I learned 5 things that are true all over the world:

1. If you still have a choice, don’t give up. Our flight was canceled to Miami on Fri 12-21 because of snow. The airline said there were no other flights for 9 days. I found one on the internet departing from Detroit in 8 hours. We rented a car, drove 4 hours through the night and got on that flight to Miami. It was in time for our flight to Quito. Miracles still happen.

2. Simple things make a big difference. While going through customs in Ecuador, the agent said: “Welcome to Ecuador. We are glad you are here. Enjoy your visit.” It made us feel good about the country right from the start!

3. Modern people know a lot, but so do ancient civilizations. The original people of Ecuador, the Quitos, documented that they lived on the Equator, in the center of the world. It was only 200 years ago, that modern man figured it out. The Quitos were pretty close to the exact GPS location.

4. No matter where you are in the world,  employees will be on their cell phones instead of doing their jobs. At least my frustration is international!

5. Our mind can trick us into believing anything to be true. At the Equator, I saw water spin clockwise and counterclockwise just a few feet from each other (not a true phenomenon). I saw rocks in the ocean I thought were turtles.

In your travels, what did you find out to be true?