Sometimes standing on top of the world means going to the very bottom.
G Adventures
Introduction: long fascinated by Antarctica after learning of Ernest Shackleton’s failed Endurance voyage of 1914. Caroline Alexander’s book (1988), includes the black and white plates from the ship’s photographer. It is amazing that all 27 crew survived 20-months under such harsh conditions; successful failure. Two years ago, scientists discovered the Endurance preserved at the bottom of the Weddell Sea.
I’ve only known two people to venture to this region, and consider the experience a great privilege, once in a lifetime opportunity. As the trip approaches, it often feels surreal, and at times, emotionally overwhelming.
During the month, exit the semi-arid region of western Argentina, and return to Buenos Aires, for the four-hour flight to Ushuaia, southernmost city in the world. Following the astral summer cruise to Antarctica, disembark and celebrate the winter holiday at Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales, Chile.
SUN 01 December: depart hostel 4am, fleeting perfume of desert air, only during the cooler hours between dusk and dawn. Three-mile walk to the bus station; there is a street party wrapping up, perhaps to avoid intense sun and heat during the day. Un-nerved by the number of people out and about. I am mostly ignored, except for the prostitute outside the bus station, who wants to make conversation.
Sky is overcast, desolate road, no cell service. Windswept detritus – soda bottles, plastic sheeting – along the roadside. Not a place to break down, car or bus.
There is a decal next to the bus boarding door, it reads, “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” (The Falklands are Argentine), which reminds me of the 1982 Falklands War between Argentina and the United Kingdom. I am old enough to recall seeing events unfold in world news; 72-day battle incurred nearly 1,000 casualties. Argentina declares the Falkland Islands as part of its provinces by law. However, the islands continue to operate as a self-governing British Overseas Territory since 1841.
Bus pulls into San Luis station, and immediately feels like I made an error in judgment. Sensation isn’t improved by the bleak, three-mile walk to the hostel. Part of the reason to pass through San Luis, was to visit Sierra de las Quijadas National Park. Rental car is required to reach the park, because it is remote, and the park requires $50 USD tour guide to enter the park; underwhelming reviews.
Unlike other parts of Argentina, locals don’t ask if I speak Spanish or English, they simply speak to me in Spanish. They don’t speak English. There is no alternative.
Huggy Wuggy, and its friend, Kissy Missy, finally make an appearance in South America. Plush toy is ubiquitous traveling the world, a bit like, “Where’s Waldo.”
San Juan and San Luis were both underwhelming, geography too, and that is okay; don’t wish to criticize a person’s home. Tried and failed, never quite get it right. Seen some amazing places in this world, Dome of the Rock (East Jerusalem), Treasury at Petra (Jordan), Pyramids of Giza (Egypt), not everything may be great. There is a sense of freedom, and liberation, to let things be, and to accept things as they are.
TUE 03 December: hostel serves coffee before I depart; it is strong and black. Add milk, but, the coffee doesn’t change color.
Bus arrives from Mendoza, for the onward 7-hour ride from San Luis to Córdoba. It is a tedious ride, driving past un-cultivated fields, and through small towns. Should have traveled via overnight bus; eight-hour ride is my usual threshold.
Bus arrives on-time in Córdoba, pleasant surprise. While walking to the hostel, recall Ricardo Montalbán – rich Corinthian leather – and check into the hostel before dark.
THU 05 December: check out of hostel, counter staff looks at me crooked when I decline pre-dawn taxi to the bus station. One-mile walk to the bus station, all the freaks are out – takes one to know one – I suppose. Dance club is still pounding away; prostitute approaches, but does not ask for the time (que hora). It is not my favorite time of day. Some people have been drinking and smoking, and are in an altered state. Other people are in “packs” and behave more aggressively than if they were alone.
At the bus station, homeless people sleep on the platform. Perhaps there is an un-written rule; at 6am they quietly pick up their blankets and depart without argument.
Bus arrives Rosario at mid-day. Rosario comes across as a smaller version of Buenos Aires; imagine that neither city would appreciate the comparison.
Thunderstorms overnight, sky dances with flashes of light. First precipitation in six weeks. Slow start to the morning, wanted to run; lingering showers keep me indoors.
AirTag battery died after two years, surprised to find replacement at local hardware store (ferretería). Get a razor blade at local barber shop, barber doesn’t charge me, but, asks me for a haircut. Remove my hat, and show that my hair is already cut short.
SAT 07 December: there must be a nightclub nearby, if didn’t know better, the bed crawls across the floor, as if it is trying to escape the noise; who needs sleep.
Morning bus, it is one of those days where I am grateful that the bus arrives at the platform and departs without incident; no departure screen, no announcement. Passengers disgorged at Retiro Station, perhaps the armpit of Buenos Aires.
Another nearby night club; bunk bed dances across the floor in rhythm until sunrise. Wake up irritable and grumpy, and wonder if I ever fell asleep. Feel like the living dead; should have a warning label, and try to avoid all human contact. Light rail to visit Tigre, but find it underwhelming. Return to Buenos Aires Ciudad; re-visit the art museum, one of the few experiences that makes me feel human.
Bare foot run, four miles, it’s been a while. Worst injury to date, stubbed toe on broken concrete in South Korea; follow the trail of blood until the bleeding stopped.
TUE 10 December: can’t fall asleep; toss and turn in bed; local bus to airport, and sleep during the four-hour flight south to Ushuaia Argentina, located in Tierra del Fuego archipelago, southernmost city in the world. Walk four-miles to city center; deep blue ocean, partly sunny skies, 45-degrees and blustery, despite being summer.
It is a mostly tiring and tedious day of coordinating travel details. Ushuaia, town of 80,000 people, resembles that of a weather-worn frontier village, with similar vibe to Deadhorse Alaska on Prudhoe Bay, or Hakodate Japan on Hokkaido Island.
THU 12 December: arrived in Ushuaia several days early; assumed that flights could be delayed or cancelled. Expedition guests stay at two nearby hotels prior to embarkation. Pick-up waterproof pants and mittens; renting was cost effective; gear is new with original tags, pleasant surprise.
Day starts off warmer than normal; Wait for the afternoon to warm-up, 50-degrees, for 3-mile run, with shoes, lots of broken pavement. Afterwards, rain shower passes through with blustery wind, and temperature plunged back to normal.
Wonder how locals view expedition ship tourists; cruise fare likely exceeds what a local citizen earns in a given year. Somehow, the locals are kind and pleasant, and show now sign of disdain. At the hostel, when asked about my onward travel by other guests, I demurred, and tried to obfuscate that I was traveling to Antarctica.
With a journey like Antarctica, it seems all too easy to set artificially high expectations, expectations that may never be satisfied or achieved. Certainly, the story of my life, as almost everything has ended in chronic disappointment. Risk is that I travel to Antarctica, and the experience is underwhelming.
FRI 13 December: it is a tedious day of waiting; there is nothing else that I wish to experience in town. Waiting in Ushuaia is better than being stranded in Buenos Aires.
Passengers board MV Expedition at 4pm; all 130 passengers fit in the forward lounge. Ship’s medical officer prefers that passengers take Meclizine (Bonine) tablets every 12-24 hours, instead of wearing Scopolamine patch, due to side effects.
Vessel departs Ushuaia harbor at 6pm, followed by dinner, single seating in the dining room. It is loud, and I don’t enjoy shouting to be heard. Don’t enjoy small talk. Don’t speak. Wiped out. Used up all my energy to be outgoing and polite during the day.
Saturday: ship exits Beagle Channel past midnight, and enters the open ocean of the Drake Passage; mild, 12 foot swells – for the less initiated – invokes queasiness.
Wake up early; don’t enjoy getting pitched around, even with a wedge to keep me from falling out of bed. Crawl to the bathroom; insert contact lenses without poking out my eyes. Drink coffee, and watch albatross dance across the ocean waves.
Learned about G Adventures from my friend, Jo, whom I met in Cappadocia Turkey; she is a fearless and intrepid traveler, and I owe a debt of gratitude for the wonderful recommendation. Completed reservation 15-months in advance; ten-day cruise cost $8,000, far less than the $30,000 to $50,000 that could easily be incurred aboard Abercrombie & Kent, National Geographic, Quark, or Viking. G Adventures allows single travelers to share a room with other travelers, and does not charge the single supplement. Passengers range between 30 and 60 years of age.
MV Expedition began life in 1972 as a car ferry in the Baltic Sea. G Adventures refurbished the vessel in 2009 for $13-million, to replace MV Explorer, which struck an iceberg and sank in 2007. MV Expedition carries 130 passengers and 50 crew.
Incidents occur crossing the Drake Passage. Viking Polaris, a brand new vessel, was struck by a rogue wave in December 2022; shattered window killed a guest on board.
Sunday: visit the bridge early in the morning; modern, digital displays and instrumentation, and for a few minutes, feel like Captain Kirk. Bridge has radar detection for large icebergs, and up to four watch officers during periods of low visibility. The most dangerous iceberg is the iceberg that goes undetected.
Drake Passage is calm; ship arrives Melchior Islands at Dallman Bay on the Antarctic Peninsula ahead of schedule, and time for Mark V Zodiac excursion before dinner.
Monday: Zodiac landing in the morning to Danco Island, and morning hike to the summit. Step foot on all seven continents: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia. Gentoo penguins frolic in the clear water, accompanied by a pair of humpbacks – whales – not people.
Ship transits to Paradise Bay in the afternoon; small icebergs, growlers and bergie bits (up to 5-meters tall and up to 15-meters long), scrape along the hull, most terrible noise. Zodiac tour to Brown Station, an Argentine summer research station.
Tuesday: trade brilliant blue skies for grey, flat light, high wind, and cooler temps. During breakfast, ship encounters nearly a dozen (type B) orcas, free-slipping at the bow of the ship, before passing through the narrow Lemaire Channel.
Before mid-day, ship arrives at Girard Bay; passengers brave 29-degree (-1 Celsius), icy water for polar plunge. It is a festive occasion, with music, laughter, and high spirits. Wet passengers are greeted with warm towel and shot of aquavit. In the afternoon, ship arrives at Yalour Islands for Zodiac landing and excursion.
Wednesday: large storm moved into Drake Passage overnight; high wind, large swells, and freezing precipitation. Ship travels southwest to avoid the arms of the storm; it is a turbulent night of sleep, as the ship tumbles into deep troughs.
Greeted in the morning with flat light and light snow. Zodiac to Port Lockroy, former British research post, operated today as a museum and post office. Afternoon Zodiac excursion at Damoy Point, where several humpback whales show off their flukes.
Thursday: Neko Harbor, high winds turn the waters into an angry, white froth, and sink the temperature below zero. Conditions improve during the afternoon, at Orne Harbor.
Friday: ship enters Drake Passage for northbound trip to Ushuaia; lectures during the day (birds, marine life, geology, history). Stubborn migraine keep me in bed.
Only thing worse than a migraine, is a migraine crossing the Drake Passage. There is an emergency medical button in the stateroom; but, don’t want to be that passenger. Pain does not subside after 24-hours; summon the strength to walk to the infirmary.
Doctor takes vitals. Everything is sloshing on-board the ship, including my stomach; he injects Ketorolac (Toradol), and asks me to wait outside his office for 15-minutes. Step outside the office and lie down on the floor, in agony. Passengers and crew walk past in horror, as if, a crime scene investigation. Doctor steps out, and moves me to a chair. I crumble in half, head on my knees, as if I am a broken mannequin. I survive.
Saturday: ship exits Drake Passage, enters Beagle Channel, and docks at Ushuaia. Antarctic Circle lies at 66-degrees south latitude. Antarctica winter sea ice extends as far north as 55-degrees south latitude. South Georgia Island, where Shackleton and his crew were rescued, lies just above this point, at 54-degrees south latitude. The region that we explored will be frozen over, and impassable, in less than six months.
96% of the world’s water is saline, only 4% is fresh water, with 65% of this amount locked up in glaciers and ice sheets. Antarctica is the largest source of fresh water in the world (70%), contained within 7-million cubic miles of ice, followed by Greenland.
SUN 22 December: passengers disembark Sunday morning following breakfast. Walk down the street, stagger like a drunk sailor, and check-in at the local hostel.
Antarctica was sincerely good experience; high expectations, and did not disappoint. Experience was surreal and emotionally overwhelming at times.
Would have enjoyed visiting South Georgia Island, the location where Shackleton and his crew were rescued, but, did not want a three week expedition, or pay $21,000.
Recommend G Adventures; affordable expedition, enthusiastic crew, and good food, certainly better than pemmican. No locks on stateroom doors; likely testament about crew and passengers; safe deposit boxes were available at the purser’s desk.
MV Expedition is not a fancy ship, but it is a good ship. Its small size allowed navigation of the narrow, 600-meter Lemaire Channel. There was a distinct focus on safety, particularly with the Zodiac excursions. By the end of the week, knew many of the passenger and crew by name; once in a lifetime experience.
TUE 24 December: there are easier ways to reach mainland Chile. There is no bus terminal in Ushuaia, no sign post, simply a street intersection. There is an YPF petrol station across the street. Show my bus ticket to an employee, who points to some cracked asphalt and begins to laugh. I have traveled long enough to know that if you don’t understand the joke, than you are the joke.
Bus-Sur service operates three days a week during peak summer (Tue, Thu, Sat); bus is new, clean, WiFi, power sockets; drivers are pleasant and helpful.
Shortest distance between two points is a straight line, unless you are traveling through Patagonia, the southwest corner of South America, which has more holes than Swiss cheese. Bus drives north, exits Argentina, enters Chile, crosses the Strait of Magellan via ferry, and than drives south to Punta Arenas, in nine hours, good time.
It often feels like culture shock when I arrive in a new country, and it feels compressed to arrive on Christmas Eve, when stores close early. I gain an impression of the city as the bus approaches the terminal; if it is an ugly city, I am in deep trouble.
Currency exchange desk is closed, but, get to the grocery store before it closes. Check into local hostel. From its balcony, observe cargo ships pass through the Strait of Magellan, 350-mile natural passage between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
There is a concrete boardwalk along the Strait; go for barefoot, five-mile run, because everything is closed, and there is nothing else to do.
FRI 27 December: wake up to glorious sunshine streaming across the Strait; Bus-Sur provides reliable service to Patagonia, three-hour ride to Puerto Natales. Lupines, in various shades of purple and pink, thrive in this cool, summer climate. There are no deciduous trees, only a few gnarled and disfigured conifers.
Puerto Natales is tired with its rusting, corrugated steel buildings, and weathered wood doors and windows. How much more weary would the town appear without the large influx of tourists who transit through Patagonia.
Stay at one of the better hostels during the past two months in South America; appreciate some down time before the January bus trek north through Chile.
MON 30 December: idle time, four-mile run, with shoes; no dedicated running space, dodge cars and gravel. In the evening, embark Naviera de Magallanes (Navimag) ferry, MV Esperanza; vessel departs 6am Tuesday. Travel three full days through Chilean fjords from Puerto Natales to Puerto Montt. Best wishes for the New Year!
Walk 6-miles per day, 400-miles over two months.
Passport status: 30 pages available; Argentina scans, Chile stamps.
Cost: cumulative travel costs, during the past 63-days.
Lodging: $781 total | $12 day
Transport: $1,691 total | $27 day (plane | train | bus | ferry | taxi)
Food: $89 total | $1 day
Other: $8,681 total | $138 day (FX | ATM | visa | tourism | RV & motorbike)— G Expeditions | MV Expedition > Antarctica | $8,400 (10-nights)
Total: $11,242 total | $178 day | $65,000 annualized
Antarctica . . . priceless . . . once in a lifetime.
Conclusion: if you are going to travel to the bottom of the world to visit Antarctica, might as well take a little more time to visit South America, too. Ushuaia flights are practically limited to Buenos Aires; 22-hours with one connection to New York City.
Travel through semi-arid region of Argentina was underwhelming. In January, will travel by bus along the 2,000-mile spine of Chile, hopefully the experience is more interesting. Don’t need to be entertained, travel is not the same as tourism.
Maybe I am doing it wrong, but, I have found South America to be underwhelming. I don’t regret visiting, but, I struggle to see anything of interest to merit a return visit, although do anticipate returning to visit Amazon rain forest and Machu Picchu.
In January, travel north from Puerto Montt to Santiago via bus, and detour to Easter Island (Rapa Nui). Have we traveled far enough to allow our tears to fall.
garthmonroe 