Getting it Wrong

“Oh my god, you’re going to FREEZE!” I heard this over and over and over in the lead up to my trip to Antarctica. Less hyperbolic pals had more practical advice. “More poof,” said Peter, referring to my lack of a fluffy down jacket. “You have room, take the ridiculous hat. And that’s not that …


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Seven

My travel expenses to Antarctica were covered by TravelWild, a Seattle area travel operator specializing in adventure cruises.  I slumped back into my chair, overwhelmed. My seat at the window faced the stern, we were sliding past giant blue glaciers, their cracked faces a wall above the blue black mirror of the Lemaire Channel. I …


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Penguin Ohana

Everybody say “Awwwwwwwww.”

Walking (and Riding) Santiago

It wouldn’t have been that hard to find a way to get out into the Andes, they’re that close. Or to the ocean, about an hour away, or, well, to any number of places besides skinny Chile’s capitol city. But I had been so far off the grid — I wanted city time. I wanted …


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Penguin Spotting

Everything that you imagine about seeing penguins, free range penguins, is true. You are, perhaps, unaware that you smell penguins before you see them, but everything else you know — that they are the perfect combination of adorable and hilarious — is completely accurate. There was a lot of yelling on our first day of …


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Santiago

Santiago is kind of the opposite of Antarctica.