Antarctica, Our Last Big Frontier
I've read about Antarctica, watched documentaries and movies about Antarctica and considered going to Antarctica for as long as I can remember. The two reasons ex-Marine (husband, Steve) and I haven't visited?
- The cost. There is no such thing as a cheap trip to Antarctica. Less expensive perhaps, but never cheap. The least inexpensive way to visit would be apply for a job and work there. The second way is to select a shipboard cabin with shared facilities which brings me to the second reason...
- The Drake Passage. The Drake Passage is considered to be the roughest body of water in the world with waves over 30 feet high. This body of water carries a huge volume of water through the Passage and around Antarctica via the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. The Passage can be as smooth as glass or, to be indelicate, you can spend two days flat on your back, getting out of your bunk only to heave up your guts. There is no way that either of us would share toilet facilities with anyone else if the Drake Passage turns out to be the latter. If I'm going to spend a day on the floor of a toilet, it's going to be my toilet - shared with ex-Marine of course - no one else!
Time has flown and ex-Marine is now 68 and I'm 66, fast closing on 67. How many more years will we be able to climb in and out of zodiacs, spend 12 hours on an airplane and deal with extremely cold weather? God has not appeared with reassurance that we'll both live to a healthy old age and global warming has been added to the mixture. Small vessels are not equipped with special provisions for people with limited mobility or who use assistance devices, the metal decks can be slippery and it was going to be now or never.
To the rescue came a brochure from Geographic Expeditions listing all their Antarctic Expeditions for 2007-2008. If I had won the lottery, or the good fairy had dropped gold, Euros or English Pounds in my lap, I would have chosen the ultimate in expeditions - a Semi-Circumnavigation of Antarctica on an icebreaker, 38 days, at the extremely considerable price of $38,400 for a twin cabin! $76,800 FOR THE TWO OF US? And that's without airfare or hotels in Buenos Aires! If we sold our house and lived in the car...maybe.
Since my first choice was definitely eliminated, settled for "Classic Antartica," a 12-day voyage on the 110-passenger M/V Lyubov Orlova, with 59 outside cabins, all featuring PRIVATE FACILITIES, for November with an early-bird discount. At less than $4,500 a person, this was the bargain of Antarctic cruises. It may not sound like a bargain but, trust me, it is. Look at some brochures for yourselves.
This settled, it was time to plan all the other details and talk to my Doctor about a prescription motion-sickness remedy in case we are among the unfortunates having a rough crossing...
