Thankfully, we have good traveling weather. We're happy to postpone the rough seas for as long as possible. We wake at 7:00am to a very bright room. I guess that is the danger of leaving the balcony drapes open. At breakfast, we are again impressed with the food selections. We sampled mini-waffles, pancakes, fresh fruit, cheese and smoked salmon.
Next we select our red expedition jackets, which we can take home at the end of the trip. The extra small is quite roomy, but hopefully it will shrink.
We attend a mandatory IAATO briefing where we all agree not to get too close to the animals or to litter. IAATO stands for the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators, which is an organization that promotes safe and environmentally responsible private-sector travel to the Antarctic. During the meeting, we also meet our naturalist team. Then we go to the bridge and watch prions, albatross, and petrels and hear a short lecture about the navigation system. Interestingly, Rolls Royce, Saab and Shindler all make parts for our boat.
Lunch is another formal affair. We eat quiche, salmon salad, and fresh fruit and yet another dessert bar. Wow!
The captain announces that we will be arriving at the Falkland Islands around 8:00pm. We attend a meeting soon after to learn about our first embarkation: Grave Cove in the west Falkland Islands. The naturalists tell us that we will see a rookery of gentoo penguins, which means we will see a breeding colony and hopefully some penguin chicks.
We get ready for the formal Captain's Welcome Gala where the crew serves champagne and appetizers. Live music plays while people filter in. We aren't the best dressed as many women brought fine jewelry, and the men are donning suits. Still, we liked the idea of traveling light, so we could bring back treats and souvenirs!
The dinner following the welcome speech is a four-course meal with soup, risotto, veal, foie gras custard creme brulee and an opera pastry for dessert. The food is good as always, and it is fun chatting with new friends.
The boat makes its approach into the cove and you can really feel the boat hang a sharp right before dropping anchor. We go to the theatre to watch ''Paris,'' a singing and dancing show. It feels a little like Vegas, but it is definitely entertaining and fun.
Back in our room, we prepare our belongings for the first disembarkation in the morning.
Kelly and Rhenee were excellent to work with on planning our trip. The logistics all worked smoothly and everyone was friendly and on time. Our accommodations were very good, particularly the incredible Patagonia Camp in Torres del Paine! Our guides on every excursion were outstanding and made the hikes memorable! Overall we had a wonderful trip with incredible memories!
Scott Gibson
1 day ago
Adventure Life is definitely a first-class safari tour company, and our representative was Franny Friesz. First of all, she responded immediately after we contacted Adventure Life. We told Franny that we had never been on a safari, and she was more than eager to offer a mountain of information about the trip. She informed us fully about all the ups, downs, and all arounds! She even prepared a number of packages for us to review -- even after we made changes to the areas we wanted to explore. Friendly, helpful, professional, and extremely knowledgeable -- these words describe Franny, and what a wonderful trip she prepared! We couldn't have asked for better service than Franny of Adventure Life. We HIGHLY recommend her and her outstanding company! Bon Voyage!
Prima Burke
2 days ago
The staff at Adventure Life made planning my family's trip to the Galapagos Islands as easy as possible. They listened to what we were hoping to experience and made thoughtful suggestions about how to accomplish our vacation goals while meeting the needs of travelers ages 17-76! They patiently answered questions and follow up questions in the months leading up to the trip. They helped us trouble shoot and customize the trip in every way possible. The logistics involved in traveling from Boston to the Galapagos are innumerable. The Adventure Life staff helped us arrange every detail and the team they assembled in the Galapagos was tremendous. I have never done a trip this big before and after working with Adventure Life this time--would not hesitate one second in working with them again.
Jennifer Howard Schroeder
3 days ago
Kevin got right on our request and had us booked within the week