Because you asked

Hi Everyone,

Gosh, I didn't know so many people would be interested in Antarctica. I want to answer all your questions with this post.

What boat did you go on?
My trip was booked on the Marco Polo ship via Orient lines. It was the last Antarctica cruise for the Marco Polo and so many of the people were on the ship just to be on its last voyage. And this was the second and third expedition to Antarctica for many passengers.

The Marco Polo is like a second home to many passengers. It is a simple, small ship, sailing 850 passengers to far away exotic places. Many wonderful memories, experiences and stories have filled the air of this ship. Alas, the ship has been sold; even after much protest from the faithful, loyal passengers. It no longer sails the seas of Antarctica.

Were you afraid?
A cruise ship of the Antarctica contains as many passengers; as they have lifeboats to accommodate. We had 500 passengers; as we only had 10 lifeboats.

Make sure the ship has a balancing mechanism to keep it from rolling when the seas get rough. I saw Russian ships along the way that did not and at port I heard their passengers got very sick.

Also, make sure the captain is ICE Certified. We had two captains that were certified. And, our ship was equipped with ice cutting machinery.

How did you prepare for the trip?
Kim bought me a book, "Antarctica" published by Lonely Planet and it was a great help before and throughout the trip. The pages are worn and tattered now.

After I returned home a friend bought me a beautiful book, "Antarctica - The Global Warning",
photography and text by Sebastian Copeland. Many of the photos in the book are of the same views and objects taken by me.

It was a good thing I did not see the book prior to me taking my pictures; as it would have intimidated me and I would have left my camera in the cabin.

The cruise line provides a list of items to take with you. The one problem I had was packing for the different temperatures. I already told you about my tip of taking old clothes that you can throw away along the trip.

The cruise line will also give you a list of food, beverage and health concerns and considerations.

Before a trip, I call the Board of Health and make an appointment. I tell them where I am going, bring my health records and they advise me on what inoculations I need to get before I leave. Give yourself as much time as possible, because there may be time intervals between inoculations and lead time to order the vaccine.

A few secrets...
I realized another tip that would be valuable, especially with the current restriction on luggage weight and number and that is to share your clothes.

If you are traveling with someone who is about your size, you can alternate your heavy clothes and boots between one another. The gender of the clothes does not matter and really the size doesn't either.

The cruise ship will not let you off the ship to board the rubber, Zodiac boat if you are not properly dressed in your survival gear.

In the past, people have been left at a landing for days, because the weather turned suddenly prohibiting access to the ship. They would not have survived if the clothing rules had been broken.

Each cabin is assigned to a color group. The boarding and landings of the Zodiacs is planned a day ahead by color group. The color groups are boarded on a rotating basis; starting early in the morning and continuing throughout the day. A color group that boards early on one day may board late on another day.

I suggest making a request to your ships expedition leader to allow one person in your cabin to go with one color group and the other person in the cabin go with another color group.

This plan will allow you to share your clothes and reduce at least one suitcase.

For example: if you're traveling companion leaves on the first departure; you would leave on the last departure.

And, there is another advantage to this plan. Sometimes weather does not permit every departure and some people in cabins are not permitted to go ashore. Using this plan the odds of both of you missing a boarding and landing is reduced.

Please get approval from the cruise ship line prior to putting the above plan in action.

And, the most helpful item on my trip was the walking stick. I didn't bring one with me, but a kind man gave me his. It may have saved a broken leg or worse. You can buy a pair on Kim's web site store and each use one to keep balanced and steady walking through the ice, slush, mud and guano.

My trip was a month long; as I like to get to a country two days before meeting up with the tour.

We started in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. Our hotel was the Sheraton and it was right on the beach.
The famous Copacabana Palace Hotel is across from the beach, because years ago a huge avenue was put between the hotel and the beach. I liked the Sheraton better and it was a lot cheaper.

The cruise schedule: Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, Cross the Tropic of Capricorn, Itajai, Brazil, sail south on the Atlantic Ocean, Punta Del Este, Uruguay, Montevideo, Uruguay, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Montevideo, Uruguay ( good thing we had 2 planned stops; as the channel was closed on the previous scheduled stop ), south on the Atlantic Ocean, Puerto Madryn, Argentina, south on the Atlantic Ocean, Stanley, Falkland Islands, West Point, Falkland Islands, cruise The Strait of Magellan and Drake Passage ( I remember hearing these words in sixth grade ), cruise Deception and Cuverville Island, Lemaire Channel and Port Lockroy, Paradise Harbor, Half Moon Island, Cape Horn and Drake Passage ( the seas were really rough, only a handful of people at dinner and show ), Ushuaia, Argentina, Iguazu Falls, Argentina, Buenos Aires, Argentina to home.

South America is wonderful, our U.S. dollar is valuable there currently and it is a fun, exciting place to visit.

The expedition to Antarctica was a glimpse of simple, unspoiled nature. The animals were unmarked by humans and went about their life as if we did not exist.

We humans think we are so important in the habitation of the earth, but are we as beautiful as a bird flying across the sea, as gentle as a penguin with its egg, as wondrous as the towering ice burgs, as enduring as the majestic mountains, as loving to nature and the earth as we need to be?

Till next time,

Love,
Waldo