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Published: March 13th 2006
Well its looks like I finally have some time to write to you all. Made it to Buenos Aires ok. Is a long time travelling to get here- 27 hours in total- but flights were good.
Had two days to wander aroung the city and now i know why they call it the Paris of the americas- i think this place is the same size as France!Oh my god - definitely glad i have lots of time to see the place.
Met the group for the trip south and all seem really nice. Flight down to Ushuaia was really scenic as we stopped in El Calafate on the way so the views of the glacier were really great.
And on to the ship! Quick tour of the national park before we got on the boat and met everyone else and then we were off.
The trip went something like this, two days to cross Drake Passage, four days to see the ice and two days to cross coming back. Needless to say breakfast on the first day was pretty scarce of people and i think some of them spent the whole trip in bed sick. Not so here
End-Start of the Road
OK Shani and Chris, now I just need you two and a few bikes for the ride northwith the help of the kwells on the first day and in fact it was sort of funny watching everyone stumble around as the ship rocked.
I was told the scenery here was amazing but i guess you don´t really get an idea until you are smack in the middle of it.
First stop was Elephant Island in the South Shetlands and a very rough trip in a zodiac boat to see a strip of land that Shackeltons men were stranded on for over four months. Next day was the stop on the Antarctic Peninsula and views of our first icebergs. Very spectacular!! More blue than I imagined. And the penguins- well they are everywhere and very cute. Very smelly but very cute. Saw mainly Chinstraps and Gentoo penguins and lots of Fur seals and Weddel seals.
Over the four days we stopped at Brown Bluff, Deception Island - actually a volcano that has filled in with water, Half Moon Island, Pt. Lockroy, Esperanza Base and a few others that I can´t remember right now.
The weather has been unbelievable. Only on one day we couldn´t land but the rest were sunshine and blue skies, even
though it is still only 0 degrees outside. Even got to have a bbq on the back deck of the boat. (I think they do that for every trip but at least it wasn´t snowing on ours!)
Anyhoo, am very impressed with the trip and will now have to make plans to see the Arctic and some polar bears!! Was very sad to leave the ship, all the staff were fantastic and fellow travellers were mainly great as well. ( i say mainly because as you know there is always a few that have to stand out for the wrong reasons for example wearing the same daggy blue trackies for the whole 11 days!!)
Last night in Ushuaia was a big night at the local Irish Pub and on to the local ´dance club´ and if anyone needs to know what the locals in Ushuaia call a ´dance club´ you will have to ask me when I get home coz i believe this is a family viewing channel!!
So now it is off to Buenos Aires for a while. Will update soon when i get settled
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Shani
non-member comment
OMG!!!
These photos are amazing!!! In fact, amazing doesn't cover it, so I can't imagine how more spectacular these would be in real life. Dyawanna do Antarctica again sometime and we'll tag along? :) :) Speaking of the bike thang, did we mention we picked up the CBR600F on the same day you left Oz? Hope you packed your bike licence; we can at least practise for the Pan-Am...