- Stanley, Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
The last port of call for me will be Stanley, the capital of the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas). Over the centuries, the islands have welcomed Charles Darwin in HMS Beagle, countless whalers, sealers and explorers.
5% of the islands’ gross domestic product is a result of tourism. 43% of that 6.6 million GBP is generated by cruise ships. An equal amount is the result of tourists arriving by air. Most surprisingly, 14% of the tourism dollars is domestic. There are only about 3,000 inhabitants. I wonder what a local does when he or she is a tourist in his or her own community?
Perhaps I’ll find out. I’m looking forward to visiting a ‘camp’. That’s the local word for a farm, I believe.
One of the many reasons I was so eager to join Emperors and Kings was the fact that we will spend a portion of the expedition in the Falklands (Malvinas). Getting there by air from North America is inconvenient to say the least. Expedia did not know how to cope with the flight request when I queried it.
