First Time Visitors

I was a first time visitor to Antarctica a few years back..It was a trip of a lifetime although at that time when I was "summoned" to go by my boss as it was a company sponsored trip, I was not too thrill to learn that I was going to get seasick and the dates were going to clash with Chinese New Year celebration.

Anyway, we made the necessary bookings with Quark Expedition and we chartered the entire vessel for our entire group! It was pretty cool and well, costly too I must add..We were on Kapitan Khlebnikov a converted Russian research vessel designed for Antarctica conditions. We flew to Ushuaia and from there we boarded the vessel.

Once we were out in the Drake Passage, hell broke loose literally..The seas were very rough and there was no way we could stand up straight at any time..We all got sick -pretty sick I must add and since the journey via the Drake Passage was going to take all night, sleeping was no easy feat. My luggage bag and water bottles were rolling from one corner of the room to the other but I just did not have the energy to get up from my bunk to get them . I was literally tied to the bunk to ensure I don’t roll off the bed! It was a rough night but the next morning, we were greeted by the most serene of environment all white and peaceful. I remembered looking out and feeling very alone…(in a good way that is..)

The next days were spent in calm waters, getting close to the famous Antarctica penguins, landing on icebergs, helicopter rides and having a BBQ on the open deck of the Russian vessel..

The food that were served were excellent and we ate to our hearts’ content due to the cold except when the ship is rolling , we have sandwiches sent to our bunks and where we eat lying down ..going to the toilet when the vessel was rolling was another experience altogether..

We got back to Ushuaia safely and in one piece and my advice to first time visitors is not to take the cruise ships that is not really built for Antarctica conditions as the ship can only go to limited places and as such, you can only see so much stuck on a ship.

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