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Heading to Antarctica!

Aussiedog

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Yup - I am off to Antarctica next weekend!

Should be an amazing trip - co-hosted by National Geographic with an emphasis on wildlife photography. I have 58gb of memory cards packed with my camera!

DH hates cold weather (as do I!) and refuses to go so he will stay home with the dogs. Not sure what I am more stressed about - going through Drake's Passage on an icebreaker or leaving DH to care for my "kids" :rofl:

My trip starts here in Raleigh and I travel on to Dallas and then overnight to Santiago - all on American Airlines (this is how I use my AMEX Rewards points). Then we take a charter from Santiago to Ushuaia, Argentina where we board the ship. Communications via internet and satellite phone are possible (but spotty) and the ship has internet access in every cabin so I bought a little Acer computer - we'll see.

So keep your fingers crossed that my body and my baggage make it to Santiago on the same day! And no fair picking up great TS deals on EBay when I am not looking!

Ann
 
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KristinB

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Wow, Ann, that's one of my dream trips (with the emphasis on the wildlife photography). 58 GB sounds like a fair amount! I hope you have a good supply of extra batteries for your camera too -- the cold tends to drain them faster, so you'll need to swap them out more often (keep them close to your body before you need to use them). What do you shoot with?

My hubby hates the cold, too, so I get to go to Jackson Hole in January 2010 for a wildlife photography excursion without him (although I've booked a timeshare for my lodging to save money). So I can relate. Although we only have four dogs and two cats...
 

Aussiedog

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Yes - I have 5 batteries and 3 chargers. We also have to take waterproof camera bags because every shore excursion is via zodiac.

Your trip sounds great too!

Ann
 

DEROS

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Yup - I am off to Antarctica next weekend!

Should be an amazing trip - co-hosted by National Geographic with an emphasis on wildlife photography. I have 58gb of memory cards packed with my camera!

DH hates cold weather (as do I!) and refuses to go so he will stay home with the dogs. Not sure what I am more stressed about - going through Drake's Passage on an icebreaker or leaving DH to care for my "kids" :rofl:

My trip starts here in Raleigh and I travel on to Dallas and then overnight to Santiago - all on American Airlines (this is how I use my AMEX Rewards points). Then we take a charter from Santiago to Ushuaia, Argentina where we board the ship. Communications via internet and satellite phone are possible (but spotty) and the ship has internet access in every cabin so I bought a little Acer computer - we'll see.

So keep your fingers crossed that my body and my baggage make it to Santiago on the same day! And no fair picking up great TS deals on EBay when I am not looking!

Ann

So what timeshare resort is in Antarctica?:D

Have a great time!
 

TUGBrian

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holy cow...I wish I could get you the banner!!!
 

Dori

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Have a terrific time . We will look forward to your pictures when you get back!

Dori
 

Aussiedog

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holy cow...I wish I could get you the banner!!!

If you can get it here I can make it happen!

I could rename one of the research stations with some kind of catchy TS name.:D

Ann
 

rhonda

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Ann,

Tips from our visit in 2000:
  • Bring a cheap pair of galoshes that you don't plan to bring home. (You'll be invited to leave them on the ship and you'll want to do that ...)
  • Carry at least one "space saver" compression bag. You'll use it to contain the interesting smells carried by your outerwear from landings before packing for the return trip.
  • I had to keep my camera batteries near my body to prevent them from losing charge due to cold. An outer pocket wasn't sufficient.
  • The ship may not have really steady voltage ... carry a conditioner and be ready to lose it. (Mine gave up early ... died entirely.)
  • Everything you carry on the zodiacs should be sealed in waterproof bags.
  • Consider a mono-pod walking stick from REI or similar. I used mine to support/steady the camera ... and to stop myself from sliding down a crevasse. (The slide bent the heck out of the stick ... but I'm alive and well to tell the story!)
Have a great time!
 

Aussiedog

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Ann,

Tips from our visit in 2000:
  • Bring a cheap pair of galoshes that you don't plan to bring home. (You'll be invited to leave them on the ship and you'll want to do that ...)
  • Carry at least one "space saver" compression bag. You'll use it to contain the interesting smells carried by your outerwear from landings before packing for the return trip.
  • I had to keep my camera batteries near my body to prevent them from losing charge due to cold. An outer pocket wasn't sufficient.
  • The ship may not have really steady voltage ... carry a conditioner and be ready to lose it. (Mine gave up early ... died entirely.)
  • Everything you carry on the zodiacs should be sealed in waterproof bags.
  • Consider a mono-pod walking stick from REI or similar. I used mine to support/steady the camera ... and to stop myself from sliding down a crevasse. (The slide bent the heck out of the stick ... but I'm alive and well to tell the story!)
Have a great time!

Great tips - thanks!

REI and I have "bonded" over this trip! Picked up my polar ice boots at MuckBootsOnline - they insist that we carry good waterproof boots with either no seams or completely sealed seams to the knee.

Ann
 

swift

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Wow Ann!!!! Have a great trip!!! Can't wait to see the pictures when you get back. :wave:
 

Timeshare Von

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Lucky you Ann! I hope you have a trip of a lifetime and bring back plenty of wonderful photos to share.

Funny how many of us have DH's who won't go to the cold weather places. Mine has missed out on Fairbanks (twice) and Churchill over the past couple of years due to his unwillingness to get "just a little colder" to see some cool places and wildlife. (Afterall, we live in Wisconsin where is gets below zero from time to time.)
 

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WOW! Have a fantastic trip. We will be waiting for your photos and trip report.
 

Aussiedog

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Lucky you Ann! I hope you have a trip of a lifetime and bring back plenty of wonderful photos to share.

Funny how many of us have DH's who won't go to the cold weather places. Mine has missed out on Fairbanks (twice) and Churchill over the past couple of years due to his unwillingness to get "just a little colder" to see some cool places and wildlife. (Afterall, we live in Wisconsin where is gets below zero from time to time.)

Well, he is a southern boy, born and raised in the county we live in now (I have only been in NC 26 years).

One year I tricked him into going on an eco-trip to Patagonia and the Beagle Channel (the bottom of South America) by telling him that the area was "sub-tropical". He was all excited and told everyone how warm it was going to be and never checked the facts himself! He actually enjoyed the trip - the scenery was beautiful, the water in the Beagle Channel was very calm, he rode horses with the local cowboys and the wildlife was fabulous. But......it was in the 40s almost every day - too cold for him.

I did not actually lie.......it is "sub tropical, isn't it? VERY, VERY subtropical :hysterical:

Ann
 

bigrick

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Ann, WOW! Have a great trip! Where will you go in Antartica? Will you get to the South Pole?

(I feel like I am corresponding with Shackleton.)

Please keep us posted on your trip, whether during or upon your return.
 

KristinB

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Lucky you Ann! I hope you have a trip of a lifetime and bring back plenty of wonderful photos to share.

Funny how many of us have DH's who won't go to the cold weather places. Mine has missed out on Fairbanks (twice) and Churchill over the past couple of years due to his unwillingness to get "just a little colder" to see some cool places and wildlife. (Afterall, we live in Wisconsin where is gets below zero from time to time.)

Well, my hubby does have a good reason -- he's got a problem with his hips that's exacerbated by the cold. So I can't blame him... He won't even visit his two sisters in Minnesota in the winter! (But I would love to visit and go snowmobiling.)
 

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Awesome!!!!!!!! It's the only continent we haven't been to, but plan to do it on a less demanding, Princess cruise ship itinerary.

Have a great time!
 

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It sounds awesome. We are also taking the Mimi route. We are doing a Princess cruise on Feb 14 from Buenos Aires to Santiago.

Have fun and please do post pictures.

Joan
 

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I just found out that my BIL and SIL are going the first week of February!
 

GrayFal

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What a fascinating trip - please keep us posted!
 

Aussiedog

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So today I am questioning my sanity.

In reading the daily reports from the folks who are on the trip just ahead of mine I see that they have endured several days of 20+ foot waves and one day the winds exceeded 70mph. :eek:

Finally the winds died down enough that they could enjoy some shore excursions. The captain plowed the ship into some shelf ice and then they lowered a ramp so that people could have the experience of walking on ice shelf. :eek: :eek:

My DH is grinning ear to ear, confident that he made the right decision to stay home.

My Sunday departure is getting close.....no turning back......I want to kayak in the Antarctic!

Ann
 

rhonda

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So today I am questioning my sanity.

In reading the daily reports from the folks who are on the trip just ahead of mine I see that they have endured several days of 20+ foot waves and one day the winds exceeded 70mph. :eek:
But these are all part of the adventure -- the very things that prevent "most" folks from visiting this area. They will become part of your life's story ... and will remain vivid memories! Have a great time -- live the adventure!
 

pranas

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Have a great time. Hopefully, I will be able to take this trip in a few years.
 

Timeshare Von

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Ann . . . have a great time and please share some photos with us here :)
 

djyamyam

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One year I tricked him into going on an eco-trip to Patagonia and the Beagle Channel (the bottom of South America)

Ann

Which eco trip was that? We're back down to the Patagonia this Feb to hike the circuit at Torres del Paine and wouldn't mind seeing what other trips others have done int he region.
 
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