I'm back & better for the experience

Wow, what a trip! The Antarctica landings (going from the ship to shore via Zodiacs) were difficult tasks, but very rewarding. I felt I was being prepared by a personal trainer with each landing being more challenging.

The first stop was Port Stanley. We used tender boats (life boats to take us ashore) - nice. And, there was a wonderful town and dock. We saw Upland Geese, Dolphin Gulls, King, Magellanic and Gentoo Penguins.

We even saw a very rare white Leucistic Gentoo Penguin. The white penguins do everything the other penguins do, but they only live 18 years, instead of 30.

We rode all around in a Land Rover seeing and feeling the rocky terrain and sheep.

The next landing was West Point Island in the Falkland Islands/Malvinas to see the Rockhopper and Black-browed Albatross rookery. We used tender boats and there was a lovely new dock that the owners of the island were very proud of. They get 28 cruise ships full of people visiting their island in the summer.

The walk to the rookery was a 1/4 mile at a 45 degree angle. It was covered with mud, guano and ice. I got to the top and found there was an equal amount of distance to go under the same conditions and then about a mile and a half of level walking.

I was cold, nervous and sweating at the same time. I really did not want a broken body part for the rest of the trip.

When suddenly, a gentleman and I do mean gentleman in the truest sense of the word, gave me his walking stick to use. He said it would help and that he would not be using it that day. The walking stick was a bone and rookery seeing saver. God does put people there for me when I need them.

I was in such a state that I did not remember what the gentleman looked like. When I got back to the cabin, I cleaned the stick, put a note of appreciation on it and left it in the pre landing meeting area.

A woman knocked on our cabin door with the stick and said her husband wanted me to have it. They would not let me pay for it, but I took their name and address; so I could send them something showing my appreciation.

Now, armed with my walking stick, sub zero clothes and Peter Hillary's lectures on survival ringing in my ears, I was finally ready for Antarctica.

Peter Hillary was a lecturer on our ship and a part of our Antarctic Expedition Team. He is a real adventurer and exciting speaker. If you ever have an opportunity to hear his lectures or read his book - do it.

His father is: Sir Edmund Percival Hillary, was a New Zealand mountaineer and explorer. On 29 May 1953 at the age of 33, he and Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers known to have reached the summit of Mount Everest. They were part of the ninth British expedition to Everest, led by John Hunt.

I will post more about this amazing trip soon. I'm off to play with my grandson now!

P.S. Here at home, I am using the walking stick on my walks around the neighborhood. My son-in-law borrowed mine last week for a walk in the snow. It's great to help keep your balance. My daughter Kim got one for herself to use on her hikes up Camelback Mountain. And now, she is selling them on her site named after me -- Waldo's Walking Stick! Click here to check them out.