Antarctica and Patagonia

Well, we’ve reached our last day in Patagonia, and it did not disappoint. Good weather to take the full day trek to the Valle des Frances (French Valley). A bus transfer to the ferry, a ferry ride across an aquamarine lake, and then a big hike up a mountain. Quite...

There seem to be a whole host of the most strange and wonderful vans and buses in Patagonia. If you ever wondered what happened to all the old hippie vans from the 1960s, well, they are in Patagonia, and still running! Some of the cars are also worthy of a photograph,...

(Or horses, damn horses). Before we got to Torres del Paine, we were told IF you get a sunny day, go to the Towers, otherwise you won’t see them. Well, the Good: we had a glorious sunny day (we got sunburned), we got to the Towers and they were clear as can be....

Karoo-type scrubby bush, green hills, forests, enormous snow-covered mountains, ice-blue rivers, lakes and glaciers. All beautiful on their own, but put them all together in one area, in abundance, and you have Patagonia. Absolutely stunning, no matter which way you...

It was raining, but we set out on a hike anyway. We reached the snowline, and the rain turned to snow, turning the mountains and the forest into a snow-covered wonderland! Very very pretty. We hiked to the first viewpoint (where the view was none at all!), and then...

What a strange little frontier town! With just 1000 inhabitants, this little town exists entirely for tourists to hike the trails around this area. There are hikers and climbers wandering all over the small town wearing cold-weather gear, hiking boots and carrying...

From El Calafate, we visited the Perito Moreno glacier. What a sight! A massive wall of ice, 60 metres high, faces you. Behind it lies 30km more ice, pushing forward two metres per day. At the front edge, massive pieces of ice break off and fall into the water below...

Well, we’ve been to Antarctica, and it was every bit as spectacular as we expected. The place is incredible, and photographs simply do not do justice to the scale and astounding beauty of this remote place. Anywhere you stand, you have incredible 360 degree views of...

* Pics of actual plunge to follow Both Nige and I took the ‘Polar Plunge’ and we both survived! The worst part was walking down the ice cold metal steps to the ‘launch pad’, where Juani (a South African, no less … we felt betrayed!) strapped an even icer-cold (is that...

The kayaking option in Antarctica is amazing. It’s an incredible way to get onto the water and get up close and personal (within a safe distance of course) to the incredible glaciers, cliffs and icebergs. Our kayak guides, Becs (a Kiwi) and Scott (a Canadian) were...

Quintessential Antarctica – penguins! I LOVE penguins! We saw an Emperor penguin (a single one, as they are currently out at sea, feeding), and Adelie, Chinstrap and Gentoo penguins by the gazillions, and I loved each and every one. Here is some photographic evidence...

My first time to be snowed on! Looked like the village idiot come to town trying to catch snowflakes on my tongue, and laughing like mad every time one landed on my nose! Discovered that there was an Aussie from Western Australia doing the same thing! Silly sunny...

Our first view of Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world – great excitement now! We have a high of 4 oC, and it is snowing on us! Nige is singing Cliff Richard’s We’re all going on a summer holiday. Salmon and king crab, with a nice Argentinian Malbec for the...

Although I am not mad keen on cities, we have really enjoyed Buenos Aires. The city seems to be a wonderful mix of civilised (first world) and relaxed (developing). You can sit in a sidewalk café and think you’re in Paris … until a man comes along and tries to sell...

The Iguazu Falls are simply incredible. Photographs don’t do the falls justice – you need to stand before them to understand the sheer scale of the falls, to hear the roar of the falling water, to see the clouds of spray and to feel the immense power and energy of the...

Quite possibly the most magnificent natural wonder I’ve ever seen. Iguazu Falls in Brazil is simply incredible. This is where the movie The Mission was filmed. Today, we saw the Brazilian side of the falls, including a helicopter flip over the falls. ''Flip'' indeed...

Getting goods together for the Antarctica trip. All documents and travel vouchers in good order, now packing the gloves, beanies, hiking boots, thermal undies and waterproof jackets. Great excitement!