Travel Photo Collection

We were on board the holiday 2011 sailing of L\'Austral with stops on the Falkland Islands, South Georgia Island, Antarctica, the South Shetland Islands and Cape Horn.

My Antarctica Journal: Having crossed the Arctic Circle, Cancer, Capricorn, the Equator and International dateline, I was determined to complete the list by crossing the Antarctic Circle. I embarked on the Sea Spirit for their Southern Antarctica Expedition Cruise,

What a breathtakingly beautiful area Patagonia is! It is a land of contrasts: with flat arid plains around Puerto Madryn and Peninsula Valdez and its penguin colonies and Estancias, to the awesome glaciers and otherworldly rock formations of El Calafate near the central western border of Argentina. At its southernmost tip are the enormous craggy mountain ranges and tranquil shores, and wooded islands found along the Beagle Channel. Amazing vistas met us at every turn on our trek through this never-to-be-forgotten region of God\'s world!

November 2011 voyage on the Ocean Nova to the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, South Shetlands and the Antarctic Peninsula. When my wife and I finally went to Antarctica in November on the Ocean Nova, a Quark ship that carried us and 62 other passengers, it was the highlight of the year, if not a lifetime (well not yet!).

First to Buenos Aires, then to Ushuaia at the bottom of the continent where we hiked and visited a penguin colony. Next to El Calafate where we stayed on a sheep ranch, visited a glacier in Glacier National Park, and went for a great horseback ride.

It began as a whim or perhaps more a dream as 3 long time colleagues acknowledged the effects of aging on their bodies but not on their spirits or sense of adventure. WE MUST do an adventure while we are all able and willing, they declared. So despite anxiety regarding care for their three aging mothers during this adventure, the dreaming and research began...... First, the date. Between work and family obligations, professional conferences, classes, and the holidays, we finally agreed upon a vacation schedule--well, almost. Janet was able to leave earlier so the first few days of this adventure are her solo travel experience. So, next, the destination. Where is the weather good for outdoor adventure in December? None of us had been to Argentina and Pagatonia beckoned to us. Carol Jo had previously traveled with Adventure Life. The pieces were falling into place! Monika at Adventure Life arranged a wonderful trip, taking into consideration my solo travel on the Custom Buenos Aires and the Falls Tour, and meeting up with Kathy and Carol Jo on the Awesome Argentina 8-Day Tour. Finally, the travel day arrived! This is our most excellent adventure.

It was an extraordinary trip; Antarctica, a continent, is an environment of monochromatic beauty accented with remarkable lighting. All the shades of white, grey and black in the skies, clouds, ice, land and sea depict a calmness, a serenity, a cohesiveness that is almost hypnotic. Watching the landscape/seascape never grew old. See the MonoAntarctica attached photos. I\'ve now had the honor of visiting all of the earth\'s 7 continents.It is so important to care for each of them.

...to finally walking up the gangplank of what everybody had been anticipating for more than a year. Would it do justice to expectations? Suffice it to say at this stage that Silversea\'s brochure seems to thrive on British understatement.

From the first contact in Ushuaia, Argentina, to the drop-off in Punta Arenas some nine days later we were safely guided through some of the most spectacular scenery in the world and provided some of the finest in service we had ever had.

An exhilarating and amazing trip of a lifetime to Ushuaia, El Calafate and Perito Moreno Glacier, Torres del Paines in Chile, and Iguazu Falls.

A voyage for two heading for the White Continent aboard the Antarctic Dream - filled with birds, marine wildlife, interesting lectures, new friendships and many memorable moments. This was early in the summer season so all was pristine. The time spent in the Antarctic seems like a dream.

From India to the \'End of the World\' - And Exciting Argentinian Adventure!