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Last words…?
I have a lot more to say about this adventure because . . . there’s so much to be said. Here’s some of my learnings/take-away’s (sorry, occupational hazard). Awe makes us pause (aka gives us time affluence/we feel like we…
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Iguazu Falls — Up Close & Personal
The final stage of this grand adventure was visiting Iguazu Falls which Google says are “waterfalls of the Iguazu River on the border of the Argentine province of Misiones and the Brazilian state of Paraná. Together they make up the largest…
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Buenos Aires — What a Town!
Next stop on this “If you can dream it you can do it” adventure? Buenos Aires, at a warmer (and more humid) 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit for you imperialists). I was only there for a weekend but made the most…
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Antarctica — final look
I could probably post Antarctica pictures daily for the foreseeable future and . . . I did get to return to South America so will wrap up this part of the journey for now. More wildlife We saw more wildlife than…
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Antarctica — full immersion
Not sure if I’m typically like this (you can tell me if you know me) but on this trip, I was pretty much up for any opportunity to viscerally experience whatever was on offer. Example #1 – Camping. Yup. There…
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Yup. Antarctica has ice.
Yes, our Antarctica wildlife experiences were incredible but I gotta say, what I was most excited about, pre-adventure, was seeing the beauty of the place. And it did NOT disappoint. My only concern with sharing these pix is that you’ll think…
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Whales are really big
Our wildlife experiences haven’t been limited to penguins. The humpbacks have been visiting us often, showing off their tails and general awesomeness. I didn’t realize how huge they are — can get up to 50 feet. And how did I come…
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Early Arrival
I spot land from the window in my room??!! Yup. A full day sooner than any expedition that’s happened in the 4 years this ship has been sailing. And icebergs too!!! And see those dots on top of the hill? Zoom…
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Antarctica — getting closer
Antarctica is so so close. Met up with fellow expedition members today to explore the national parks around Ushuaia, including one end of the highway that starts in Alaska (or ends, depending on how you look at it). Yes it’s very…
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To the (almost) ends of the earth
Onto the next stage of the adventure — Ushuaia, the town at the bottom of South America. Not so many flights so I elected to take the bus. Yup. The bus. And no, chickens on laps or goats on roof weren’t…
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Farewell to the Trek of Awe
Our last night in Torres del Paine was at a giant tent city campsite. Mother Nature gave us a send off. Then we had our final Patagonia hike, and it was a classic: considered “Patagonia flat” (i.e. only a 1300 foot…
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It’s Alive!
Before heading out for today’s trek into the French Valley I noticed a sticker for our local food bank posted in the window of the refugio’s cafe (refugio = campsite). Why is it that unexpectedly seeing something from home when we’re…
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Water & Los Smiley Face
We resumed trekking after our first night camping (on a raised platform so not impossible for my not-as-young-as-when-I-used-to-camp body). The Towers were still in view. We stopped at a glacier-fed waterfall enroute to our next starting point. Apparently I had…
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Excellente! Bacan! Fantastico!
Mother Nature sure knows how to kick things off, this time a rainbow view from the hotel in Puerto Natales where I met up with the trekking group to do the “W circuit” in Torres del Paine national park. A not-so-easy…
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Away we go
There were clear skies for most of the 30 hour journey to Puerto Natales, Chile (closest town to Torres del Paine, iconic trekking spot). Vancouver put on a show for my send-off. Traveling to beautiful places isn’t always because we want…