Back to reality

All

Well we are back from the journey of a lifetime.

A couple of hours in Ushuaia then up to Buenos Aires. We then overnight and then the long flight home.

It is hard to express how great a holiday it was. So I am going to put up a number of pictures - remember they are low quality Camcorder ones The proper pictures will blow you away.

The sights and sounds will stay with me always - probably just like the penguin guano smell ( UK customs do NOT want to open my case)

I will add more in after I am back in the UK.

TLC

Tom (formerly) of the Antarctica

Final update from Antarctica

17/12/2007 - 8pm

Well this morning the boat dropped anchor in Neko Harbour. It was beautiful.
We headed out in the Zodiac at 8:30. On the way to the beach I spotted a Minke Whale. So we stopped the boat. Then a second whale appeared and swam around the boat. We all got great photos in the crystal clear water.


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We spent about 2 hours on land visiting some penguin areas and relaxing
in the sun. Most of us were down to T shirts- The sun was burning -
everybody had SFP 45 on. Including chapstick with sun factor 15 in it.
We had lunch then went whale watching. After about an hour the Captain found a couple of humpbacks. The pair spent about 1 hour swimming around the boat and posing for pictures. An amazing day!!
We had a traditional Russian dinner tonight with the girls in costume.
Then there is late night Zodiac cruise around the island. Hopefully some more whale spotting and who knows what.
I also got issued my Certificate of Insanity for swimming in the Antarctica sea.
We head back across the Drake passage tonight and tomorrow. A long 36 hours
Then up the Beagle channel and a party night.
There will be no more updates until I get to Ushuaia on the morning of the 20th.
It has gone quickly but so many memories.

Tom of the Antarctica

Lemaire Passage

Wake up call at 5:45 so we are up and fed before we cruise the Lemaire
passage at 7am. 11km channnel with wonderful lighting. Spent an hour
doing that

We then visited another island with some history and whale bones.
This afternoon we headed to Port Lockery. This is an old whaling station and then a British base during the war.
A group of Brits have restored the site and run a museum and post office here. There is also a souviner shop as well. (US dollars and Sterling)
So have some one offs for the family and friends. There is a full whale skeleton on the island- but covered in snow.
The snow was thick and fast. We were having snow ball fights from the
Zodiacs as we passed each other. Like a bunch of kids. The retired people were the worst.
Well back on board and dinner later.



Tmrw is the the last day of Zodiac visit before we start the long journey back over the Drake passage. (ear patches on)
Tom of the Antarctica


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How about this

[For all those IT/Data Centre pals of Tom of the Antarctic. Here is a link (thanks to Ray O'H) about how Tom could turn this adventure into a career!! - stw]

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&taxonomyName=storage&articleId=9049898&taxonomyId=19&intsrc=kc_feat

Deception Island

We entered the harbour on our third attempt. Really bad weather. But once inside the Volcano Caldera the weather cleared and we could land.



It is an old abandoned whaling station- including a cemetary.
The place is spooky.

But most important we went swimming in the the Antarctica sea. Boy was it cold.

But everybody will be glad to know of the first 5 people, 3 were Brits.

We pushed off from there and across the straits- a very rough crossing- so we just headed for bed and skipped dinner (plates flying everywhere).

Neko- landed on Neko- absolutely brillant- an nice penguin colony.

But as we came in on the Zodiacs a Leapord seal caught a penguin. It started throwing it in the air and playing with it. An amazing but gruesome sight to see.

Then I sat near a colony and the penguins were come it within 5 feet of me. The birds can directly up to you.

We then moved onto Paridise Harbour- there are some research station there.

We took the Zodiacs out to the Glacier- WOW.

We also saw a Minke whale - he came up to the boat.

We then landed at a research station and we hike up the mountain. We were sweating a bit by the time we got there. Some great panoramic views.

We caught the Zodiac back and had a scenic tour of some other areas.

The dinner people threw a BBQ on the back deck in the snow. The snow stopped after 15 minutes. I could not describe what it was like to be surrounded by glaciers in the boat drifting while we ate and drank.

Well off to another location tonight and more adventures tmrw.

Tom of the Antarctica

Half Moon Island

62'35.732"S 059.54.182"W

Half Moon Island

[Photos courtesy of Google Earth until Tom puts the real ones here - stw]





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We were first out today. Snowing and about 2 degrees

Mainly Chinstap penguins but we did find one Adeide. He was all alone.


Nice hike around the island.

Then Terry yelled out that he saw a seal. We all looked to the water and there were 2 Welldell seals. They are huge.


We then headed back to the boat to dry off and have a cup of coffee.

The boat is repositioning to Deception island. This is an old whaling
station, but there is a narrow inlet into the volcano caldera.

We hope to go swimming here.


Update tmrw

Tom of the Antarctica

Icebergs!!

61'17.07"S 060'53.798"W

It is 10:30 and we can see a long line of Icebergs. And in the distance land. These are the South Shetland islands. A lot of the seasick passengers are feeling much better in the calmer water.


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They announced we will attempt a landing after dinner. So at 7pm we dress warmly in layers and waddle out to the gangway.

We are in the Shackleton group so we are last today but first tmrw

We are on shore in 10 minutes and there are 1000's of penguins. There are normally two types here Gentoo and Chinstrap. Pretty impressive.

But we have a really good bit of luck - There is one King penguin in the herd. He has got lost and been adopted by this colony. He is twice their size.

His closest family would be South Georgia 700 miles away.

Some really good photos and video here.
Back to the boat at 10:30.
We then spent the evening in the bar with Camill (ship's photographer). She has just had a book published and done a lot of UN work.

Early start tmrw morning.

The day has arrived

17 months of discussions and planning have finally come to this point.

We see our ship berthed up at the pier. Impressive.

Luggage goes at 9am and then us.

So here we go.

Special message

John The three of us have done a number of adventures together. We are sorry you could not make this one. We will be thinking of you. We will try and bring a souviner back from the Antarctica. Tom and Terry

Ushuaia Day 1

Lat Long
54´49.91"S 068´21.15"W

Well up early and a nice breakfast and some photos

The we caught a taxi to the Quark hotel. They let us check in at 9 45 so that was good. We then headed off around town for a wander.

We then headed to the Prison-. very famous. sort of like Papillion.

There was also and Antarctica expibition there.

Lunch which took for ever but OK

We then caught a taxi to "Train station at the end of the world." I was just going to get normal ticket but Terry said lets go first class = only a couple of Quid more.

We were the only people in First class. They server us coffee and biscuits. We also got souviner ggody bags. Any we wave like the Queen at all the second class passengers.

The train followed the route the prison train used. Lovely area with great views of the mountains

Got back to the hotel at 6pm and met the Quark rep. Everything is AOK. The boat is inbound and has not sunk. And they have our reservations

So a quick trip to the park in the glacier park in the morning and then onto the boat.

So might be a day till you see any update. Also no pictures until I get back to civilization.

Flying today

9 Dec 2007

Well MarCLI picked us up at the hotel and got us to the airport on time
The flight back to Buenoes was nice and quick
The flight down to Ushuaia was a long haul = over 5 hours.

We had to stop in Rio Gallenos for 1 hour and pick some people up.
It is known for three things
1) Coal
2) Gas-Oil
3) The major military base for the attack on the Falklands

Myeslf and Terry decided not to get off here.

We landed in Ushuaia around 9pm

Two things about this place
1) Astounding beauty with the snow capped mountains behind
2) A lot colder than Buenos and the Falls' 5 degrees

The hostel was brillant only 10 rooms but very friendly and warm ( maybe too warm)

We had dinner in town at a very good fish place' = Patagonia Salmon hmmm good
and a beer or two.

Well more tmrw

Day 2 at the Falls

Well up and early for breakfast then MarCLI picked us up. ( Any person with CLI in their name is a good omen for a Cisco person)
She got us through immigration in 5 minutes and to the falls on the Brazil side.

She went off to read and we started the adventure.

The Brazil people have the view on their side of the falls. WOW! So we saw the falls ( some photos attached)

Lovely weather as well. - 90s and sunny- weather report said rain and cloud- They are just as good as the UK weather office

Very Impressive. The Devil's throat was awesome. No picture could ever do it justice.

We then came back by bus and Marcli met us and got us back to the Hotel.

We then caught the Green train to the Argentian side of the Devil's throat. Wonderful. Almost a kilometre hike over bridges over the multiple rivers.

We even saw an Alligator-

The view is breathaking- and yet again hard to convey in any photo or video.

We headed back and are relaxing a bit before packing for tmrw then dinner.

Well the two flights use up most of the day tmrw getting down south. So will probably not blog any.

We are going from 40 degrees to 5 degrees - going to be a big change. :)

More soon.

Note - the photos are off the camcorder - so low resolution.

Iguazu Falls Day 1

Lat Long 25´40.77"S 054´26.69"W 191 Metres

Well caught a morning flight- Checkin to gate in 10 minutes ' just like the good old days of flying in Europe. But then a 1.5 hour delay on the flight. typically!!

We landed and got a great taxi driver. She got us setup on an adventure day and then she is taking us to the Brasillian side tmrw morning. She will be our guide for 4 to 5 hours.

The view through the hotel main lobby window is right out at the falls
We got checked in and then raced to make the bus for the adventure tour.

It started with a 4x4 truck tour thought the rain forest. Very nice.
Then onto the Rapids boats. Lifejackets, and big canas bags to protect the cameras etc. Then we jetted up the river to the falls. We shot some nice rapids. They stopped at several falls ( There are 210 of them) and we got soem good photos and video. We alsoi got wet.

We then put all the cameras away and they drop the boat up to the falls end and then let it drift back, We did this a number of times. Wonderful seeing the falls coming down on you.
We were also soaked to the skin by then.

They dropped us off at the base of the falls and we hiked the path up. We worked up three levels and were able to see most of the falls. Some great rainbows and even a double one.

We spend hours doing this. Then headed back tot he hotel for a shower and a meal.

The food was excellent and the steaks as large as bricks.

The hotel food was twice the price of the Buenos food. The steak cost a whole 11 pounds


Well off the Brazil side tmrw abd another part of the Argentina side.

Buenos day 3

Well after that terrific dinner we decided we need to walk the steak off.

So off around Buenos and the districts.

One area we visited was the City ofthe Dead. A walled cemetery within a suburb.
You have never seen so many ornate graves. All styles and shapes

Also Evita is buried here we found it on our second try.

We then had lunch and hike back to the docks. they have renovated the area like in the UK. Never beleive that Argentina is a poor country

We then lounged around the pool in the Hotel for the couple of hours. Lovely 90 degree weather and blue sky.

They are very liberal over here. They allowed one 24 stone woman to wear a bikini in the pool area. Luckily myself and Terry had sunglasses

Then out for Armenian dinner last night. WOW great place. ' like Greek with a slight difference in flavour. I cannot tell you what since we could not read the menu.

Then the taxi ride from hell home. He was a total nutter. We were just aboutto hop out at the lights and throw some money at him and the hotel appeared.
He did not get a tip

Imagine a rollercoaster and double it.

So we fell off to sleep but Terry´s alarm woke us at 3 30. He had forget to set the clock part back 3 hours ' so back to sleep and now just getting breakfast.

Then off to the airport for the next part of the adventure.


Note' excuse some spelling, punc etc' this is either being done on spanish keyboard or via my Nokia with wireless.

Day 2 in Buenos

Lat/Long 34'36.05@S 0 58'22.44@W

Well yesterday we walked about in the mornign till Alan our tour guide picked us up.
He took us on a gret walking tour of the centre and the main highlights

Highlights
Congress buildings
Revolusion house
The mothers of the revolution
Subway withhe 1913 carriages and manual doors
The presidents house- with the balcony that Evita stood at- got a pricture for you Christine
Coffe shop - old fashion with tango room

A really great trip

In the evening we had dinner at a local steak house
We splashed out on the T bone- a 30 ounce steak arrived and 1.5 inches thick.
and only 8 pounds

Well off to Evita grave today, the docks and Armanian food tonight. We fly early to the falls.

more later

Arrived in Buenos Aires

11:45 GMT-3
We have arrived via Milan. The dumb things we do to save money.
Wonderful city great architecture and very friendly people. sort of place you ask somebody for directions and end up having coffee with them.
We are having a private walking tour in a couple of hours - see all the historic places then tonight a meal of the famous steak

FG

Off today

Lat/Long - 0 25' 41.79"W 51 26'43.77"N Time 8:42 GMT

Well flights just after lunch- so the adventure starts today.

Both myself and Terry are over our baggage weight limits. That is the problem with having to pack the heavy winter gear. And we still have to carry the big parka over our arm. Mind you we are turning them inside out so the yellow colour does not blind anybody at the airport.

Well like Santa Claus we have checked our lists twice and everything is there.

Next update will be from Buenos Aires in 24 hours time.

Map of the route

Somebody asked for a picture of the route

The image is from the Quark Expeditions website. It is group we are travelling with.

http://www.quarkexpeditions.com/

They have been so helpful with the trip.

Final day

Lat/Long - 0 25' 41.79"W 51 26'43.77"N Time 14:50 GMT

Well in less than 24 hours the adventure begins. I am beginning to feel like Indiana Jones. Jungles, waterfalls, high speed boat rides, Russian icebreakers, and looking for the final treasure on the final continent.

Well I took some advise from a website. Pack all your stuff, unpack and cut it in half then repack. We can live with this. P.S. - there is a laundry onboard the ship so the smell will never be too bad.

Got everything done around the house I think. Could not leave Christine struggling for Christmas.

Well back to work as I have a couple of items to finish up before I depart.

3 days to go

Lat/Long - 0 25' 41.79"W 51 26'43.77"N Time 09:50 GMT

Well got the last couple of items including a larger sealable waterproof bag. Handy for the Zodiac rides

We have also located a guide in Buenos Aires. He takes you on a three hour walking tour of BA. Including the underground with the 1913 train carriages

Well the Italian transport workers were on strike on Friday. So left s hope they push the next strike off till Wednesday, at least