27.02.2008 - 08.03.2008
This voyage log has been written by passengers and crew members on our trip.
27.02.2008, Depart Ushuaia & Drake Passage: Today is the day we're on our way to the great white continent of Antarctica! For many of us this is our lifelong dream about to come true. MV Akademik Shokalskiy departs the world's southernmost city Ushuaia, Argentina with a total complement of 76 persons aboard. We are en route to the most remote continent on earth. After settling into our cabins and meeting other passengers we sail down the famous Beagle Channel and out into the Drake Passage. But not before a mandatory safety briefing and lifeboat drill to ensure we're prepared in the event of an emergency. We were all shown our bulky orange lifejackets and made our way to the lifeboats to clamber inside an experience what it's like to have 35 people in a small round orange boat. After an official welcome from Captain Igor Kiselev and an introduction to all of the expedition staff we enjoyed our welcome dinner and the last view of both civilization and land until we sight Antarctica in two days. Our adventures begin...
28.02.2008, Drake Passage en route Antarctica: We awake to an average day in the Drake Passage and many of our shipmates have succumbed to the ships motion. But our journey continues and so too does the education programme on board, albeit it not with 100% attendance! Firstly Geoff made a presentation introducing us to Antarctica. This was followed by Juan introducing us to the seabirds that we're likely to encounter during the expedition. The days lecture programme then concluded with Ingrid telling us everything we need to know about whales. Those that spent time on the open decks or on the bridge were rewarded with sightings of a variety of seabirds including the magnificent Wandering Albatross, Giant Petrels, and Cape Petrels. As the day wore on, more and more people surfaced, perhaps becoming used to the rolling motion of the ship and feeling a little better. But if we want to get to Antarctica to fulfill our lifelong dream - then this is what we have to either enjoy or endure!
29.02.2008, Arrival to Aitcho Islands: This afternoon we sighted land through icebergs and bergy bits. The winds were calm, the sun behind low clouds. It peeped through occasionally to brighten segments of the distant snowy landscape, but only briefly. That bit of sun makes all the difference.
"HO" (Aitcho Island) is named for the hydrographic office of the Admiralty and was a fun place to begin our Antarctic adventure. The island has a flat beach of volcanic black sand and pebbles with cliffs rising on one side and sloping moss-covered mounds and valleys stretching off into the distance. A large colony of Gentoo and a smaller group of chinstrap penguins mostly ignored our invasion of their territory as they hopped around feeding their over-sized chicks and bickering with their island mates. Most adults are moulting and it appears to put them in a foul mood. Besides nearly grown chicks, the crowded conditions on the guano-laden rocky terrain, the prospect of leopard seals waiting just off-shore to devour them, and the general nervous edginess that accompanies any sort of major life change. In a few short days or weeks the islands of the Antarctic Peninsula will be mostly free of penguins. They will be off feeding as the ice sheet returns to this part of the Southern Ocean. It's easy to anthropomorphize that they long to get back into the wide-open ocean currents and swim to freedom!
Zodiacs zoomed us back aboard the Akademik Shokalskiy and we continue cruising toward Erebus and Terror Gulf aiming for the historic site of Paulet Island. A Norwegian story of OAE (Old Antarctic Explorers) is chronicled on the narrow beach of Paulet Isle. The remnants of a stone hut erected by a party of 6 men dropped off by the sailing ship Antarctica in 1902 still survives among the hundreds of penguins and fur seals who now call the island home. One grave remains but the rest of the crew of the Antarctica lived to tell the tale of their long winter night on the Ice. Their story was brought to live by a reenactment, of sorts, during our debriefing session in the ship's bar. Thanks, Shane! This whole place is heaped in history and you can not journey here without imagining the ordeal endured by others. The constant damp cold, the ever-changing threats from sea and sky and ice and winds - the early OAE must have been super-aware, using all their senses ALL the time to survive in this hostile and unforgiving region. Maybe that's part of the draw. You feel more ALIVE here, more aware.
A cenotaph overlooks the Ross Sea on the opposite side of the Antarctic continent. The giant cross was erected on a hill about a mile from the hut that sheltered Robert Falcon Scott and his party of explorers prior to their 1902 fatal attempt to reach South Pole. The inscription reads "To seek, to strive, to find and not to yield". The words memorialize not only the men but also the pull that humans have felt for this place since its existence was first imagined.
01.03.2008, Antarctic Sound: Overnight, we traveled across the Bransfield Strait on our way to Paulet Island. Although calmer than the Drake Passage, the seas in the strait were rough enough to have effect on some. As we sailed through Antarctic Sound, the seas calmed somewhat as we got our first glimpse of the Antarctic mainland. A stiff wind met us at Paulet Island making our planned landing impossible despite turning around for a second attempt when the wind abated briefly. We were still able to see the Chinstrap and Gentoo Penguin colony there. Snow fell as we headed back north.
From the comfort of the bridge, we watched the scenery of the Tabarin Peninsula, asked questions and heard stories from Geoff and the rest of the team to get a feel for what we could expect for the rest of the journey. It was great to see the workings of the ship and see the crew in action and occasionally pop outside for a photo. We continued north through the Antarctic Sound watching for whales and enjoying the many icebergs and circumnavigation of a large tabular iceberg.
"Flexibility" was the key word of the day as we headed north towards a possible landing at Brown Bluff. The wind and swell were strong but manageable, and a scout zodiac was launched after shoveling 8 or 10 centimeters of snow out of the boat. Another landing was thwarted, this time by brash ice and bergy bits, rolling onto shore with the wind and waves. As the scout boat returned to the ship and we hoisted anchor, Antarctica flexed her muscle and the wind picked up, gusting to 50 knots with driving snow. It was a dramatic scene from the bridge as we watched the shoreline or the Tabarin Peninsula. Occasionally we braved the wind and stinging snow to go outside for photos, in particular as we passed the Argentinean base at Esperanza.
We passed Bransfield Island and the Mott Snowfield as we headed north across the Bransfield Strait towards tomorrow's destination of Deception Island. The depth and breath of the team's experience came through with interesting presentations by Ingrid and Alex. Ingrid showed slides and told us about seals. The inclement weather set the scene perfectly for the IMAX Shackleton movie. It was introduced by our very own movie star, Alex, who had worked on the filming of it and even made it into a few of the scenes. He followed it up that evening with an interesting slideshow and behind the scenes account of the making of the movie. Watching it in Antarctica and hearing those stories brought it all to live.
Despite the thwarted landings, it was an interesting day in Antarctica. We're getting to know each other and compare stories. From the decks and bridge each kilometer shows us a different facet of this intriguing land.
02.03.2008, Deception Island: "Good morning everybody," Geoff announced from the bridge, sounding as our now-familiar alarm clock. "It's a beautiful morning in Antarc-tiii-ca!" Everybody shuffled out of bed to make their way to the dining rooms for breakfast. We had almost mastered the art of holding onto our dishes as we ate - and holding on to each other whenever a wave pitched us forward.
Besides improving our balancing acts, we had no trouble storing up fat reserves to keep us warm with the eggs, bacon, cereal, fruit, crackers, cheese, yogurt, granola, toast, and porridge that crowded the buffet table. In fact, Dr. Drew swore by the health benefits of nutella, which he spread on everything from croissants to potato chips. (Disclaimer: This is the same man who lost stock after investing in Krispy Creme donuts, so feel free to get a second opinion). Once refueled with breakfast, we watched from the bridge as our captain skillfully navigated the narrow entrance into Neptune's Bellows, which was created when the walls of the volcano collapsed. As our ship anchored at Whaler's Bay on Deception Island, Geoff announced the volcano was still active - but that he didn't think it would erupt today. We weren't exactly convinced: Mother Nature and Antarctica were proving to be anything but predictable. Still, we all piled into the zodiacs to land on the black sand beach. Sulfurous clouds lingered above the shoreline as evidence that hot lava flowed beneath our feet. That didn't stop our expedition mates from exploring the broken-down wooden buildings left behind from an old whaling station; playing with the fur seals that made a home in the remnants of an abandoned rendering tank; or climbing a steep slope up to the break in the caldera wall known as Neptune's Window.
As if traveling to the seventh continent wasn't bragging rights enough, most of us took the plunge to join the Antarctic Swim Team. After jumping into the frigid ocean, we warmed up in the hot-water pool dug by the expedition team. We also scored a sure-fire conversation starter, thanks to the two brave souls who used this as an opportunity to strip down naked: Nothing beats a story about a brisk Antarctic skinny dip at a dinner party.
We weren't the only ones putting on a show in the water: Once back on board, a humpback whale flaunted her acrobatic skills as she breached over twenty times. Penguins also shot out of the water all around the ship like shiny black-and-white bullets.
As the sky turned from gemstone-blue to seashell pink, we set off for a dusk zodiac cruise in Cierva Cove. Bergy bits bumped up against each other on the ocean's surface, and cerulean icebergs crackled and popped as they melted into the sea. Leopard seals napped on ice floes, barely raising their heads despite the curious zodiac riders who pulled up alongside for a better view. But there was at least one seal that gracefully slid off her frozen bed to swim in circles around us.
We made our way back to the ship as darkness fell, and it became all the clearer that we are only visitors in this ruggedly wild landscape. No matter what country you come from or what language you speak, today's adventures at the bottom of the earth showed us that the world is both a classroom and a playground.
03.03.2008, Danco Island, Neko Harbour and Port Lockroy: We were in for a bid day today! We began with an early bird breakfast to fuel up for an early morning hike to the top of Danco Island (200m). Danco lies close to the Antarctic Peninsula at the head of a spectacular passage known as the Errera Channel. Every step up was worth it as we viewed the panorama around us, and marveled at the rising sun glistening on several far away peaks. Some of us then made a rapid descent, mainly on our rear ends!
Once we were all back on board the Shokalskiy she repositioned to Neko Harbour in Andvoord Bay, via the Errera Channel. Our landing in Neko Harbour was our first continental landing - up until now we had landed on Islands, not technically part of the Antarctic continent for some people! Almost everybody made the walk to the top of the glacier in Neko Harbour and once again many slid on their rear ends back down to the beach to the waiting zodiacs and boarded for a cruise back to the ship, which included viewing two crabeater seals on an ice floe.
But this wasn't enough for the day - so we repositioned to the picturesque Port Lockroy via the Neumeyer Channel and were welcomed by members of the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust. The base was built in 1944 and was initially designated 'Base A' and specialised in upper air physics. It was abandoned in the 1960's and eventually restored in 1996 from its dilapidated state and is now one of the most visited sites in Antarctica. The day concluded with a memorable BBQ dinner that began in snowy, brisk conditions but hurriedly concluded just minutes later when katabatic winds came tumbling into our Back Bay anchorage and destroyed any hope of a peaceful evening on the bow. Our great hotel team used our working phrase 'flexibility is the key' and before long we had relocated and were enjoying gluhwein and BBQ meal in the dining rooms.
After dinner we had a short period to ask questions of our guests from Port Lockroy and this was followed by Marilyn's movie Who's Counting? - Sex, Lies and Economics. This got us all thinking and Marilyn was accosted in the bar for several hours later with additional questions.
04.03.2008, Lemaire Channel, Petermann Island, Vernadskiy Station, Wordie House & Pleneau Island: As usual, Geoff woke us at 7:00 and then encouraged us to watch the ship pass through the Lemaire Channel. We were walled in by huge black rock cliffs with white glaciers - quite spectacular.
During breakfast we proceeded to our first landing of the day. The zodiacs took us to Petermann Island - a mass of rocks covered with penguins. Many of us walked or climbed to the top of the hill for a spectacular view. You didn't have to go far to see our friends the Gentoo penguins. If you looked around you could find the Adelie penguins in little groups among them. The Adelies differ from the Gentoos by their all-black heads. We also saw fur seals wandering among the penguins.
Other sights on Petermann included an emergency hut (Argentine) and a memorial cross. The cross honors three British explorers who was lost on the ice and never recovered. Some of us saw a leopard seal "take" a penguin in the water. It grabbed the feet and when it tried to get a better grip, the penguin got away. (Yeah penguin!)
During lunch the ship moved close to the Ukrainian research station, Vernadskiy. As we approached in our zodiacs, we could see several buildings and a big oil tank, decorated with a palm tree. The Ukrainian researchers were good hosts. They gave us a tour of the main building. They are recording data on the animals, weather, atmosphere and other topics. This station was originally British with the name of "Faraday". The British discovered the hole in the ozone here. The Ukrainians are continuing this research using more modern equipment. They take measurements with a telescope-spectro-photometer.
When we visited the second floor recreation area, we saw the "bar at the bottom of the world". The Ukrainians sold vodka for $3 a shot - very popular! We also bought postcards and mailed them there. They will arrive with an Antarctic cancellation. A gift shop sold miniature penguins, shirts, and Ukrainian crafts, such as embroidery and decorated eggs.
At the landing spot, we also noticed a lone Chinstrap penguin that appeared to have a lame leg.
A short ride took us to Wordie Station - another former British base. Shane explained how a group stayed there for 2.5 years in the 1930's. The building was very compact - comfortable but cramped. In this area we also saw cormorants (Antarctic Shag). This is the farthest south point of our trip - 65°15'02".
Our final outing of the day was a zodiac cruise around the Pleneau Islands. The sea was perfectly still - and so quiet! We went up close to many icebergs. We studied the beautiful formations and the color variations. One ice cave looked like it had a blue light (electric) in it. The light was really bright but the sun was not out. Many leopard seals were out that evening. One came and performed for us. It came up beside the boat. It would show its head, then rise up and then dive showing its tail. Two crabeater seals were laying on a flat part of an iceberg. One got up and pulled itself to the water. We could see the difference between a true seal and an eared seal. The true seal like the crabeater pulls itself along on its belly. The eared seal, like the fur seals we saw in the morning, can sit up and appear to walk with its front flippers. In the morning we saw some fur seals, which looked like bears as they came up the hill. It was a magical evening at one with nature.
After a delicious Russian dinner, we met in the lecture room for a film presented by Belinda. She participated in the filming of the James Cameron documentary, Into the Abyss. It is about the creatures found in the very deep parts of the oceans. The filmmakers visited the depths in submersible vehicles to film this very strange world. Cameron implied that this was similar to visiting another planet inhabited by unfamiliar creatures. Altogether, it was a most satisfying day!
05.03.2008, Cuverville Island and Melchior Islands: The morning started in much the same way they always do aboard the Shokalskiy, a cheerful wake-up call from our expedition leader Geoff telling us the plan for today, a quick glance out the window to check the conditions. We suited up, flipped the tags and off we went. The moment we stepped off the gangway and the zodiac was released, not one of us had a clue of what amazing moments lie ahead. Our zodiac driver for today was Sane, a seasoned Antarctic expedition guide and zodiac driver extraordinaire. We sped across the Errera Channel, eagerly scanning the scenery for penguins, fur seals, leopard seals, and with a little luck, whales. We stopped to gaze at an enormous iceberg. Shane pointed out features of the iceberg that indicated it is likely to roll in the near future. An iceberg with prominent arches or cracks is susceptible to rolling. Rolling occurs when a portion of the iceberg collapses and disrupts the balance causing the entire iceberg to turn onto its side. After taking a few snapshots, we continued on not expecting to see such a rare moment and returned to searching for wildlife. With our eyes fixed upon the glacier ashore, it happened, the iceberg, which we had just stopped and talked about not more than five minutes earlier, collapsed and started to roll onto its side. Immediately we turned around to see the mountain of ice rolling into the water. The sound of splash roared across the channel as we cheered in excitement.
After a few minutes of bobbing, the iceberg finally stilled itself in the water, and there it remained appearing as if nothing had ever changed. We landed on Cuverville Island and once again were greeted by the familiar faces of Gentoo penguins. I found myself a comfortable whalebone to sit on and it wasn't long before a curious little Gentoo came and started pecking at my clothes. When he finally realized I had no food to offer him, he waddled off and I continued along the beach. I walked over a small hill and at the top to find a bay and more Gentoo penguins. I stopped and watched Holly who was surrounded by a group of curious Gentoos with nowhere to go. When they finally scurried off, we found a spot on the rocks to sit on as we watched the Gentoos swim in and out of the water. Suddenly, I saw a splash in the water and witnessed a leopard seal tearing a Gentoo penguin apart; yet another first on our Antarctic expedition.
We returned to the zodiac where Geoff handed Thorfinn a lifejacket covered with fresh Gentoo guano. It seemed fitting seeing how Thorfinn was at one with the penguins. As the sun came out, we headed back to the ship for a delicious brunch followed by a presentation on the history and political development of Antarctica by Marilyn Waring. The presentation was very interesting and informative, however, this being our last evening in Antarctica, I decided to leave a few minutes early to search for whales on the lower deck. We sighted humpbacks in the distance and changed course for a closer look. We managed to see a few blows and tails however the humpbacks seemed reluctant to do anything more.
Once we reach the Melchior Islands, we suited up or one final zodiac cruise. Conditions were foggy and visibility was very low. But that didn't stop the zodiac drivers from making the most out of the last zodiac cruise of the expedition. Shane and Alex zigzagged and leaped across the wakes created by the other zodiacs as the Shokalskiy disappeared into the fog. We arrived at an Argentinean research base where we stopped to observe the starfish in the water. We were surrounded by fur seals lying out on the rocks around us. We moved on searching for other wildlife around the Melchior Islands and found hundreds of Antarctic shags nesting above. We sailed on and stopped to touch a glacier ashore. Once we returned to the zodiac, technical difficulties with our start cord delayed our return to the Shokalskiy. With the help of Shane, we were able to start the engine and made it back just in time for dinner. The evening finished up with a presentation by Norman Baker, one of our expedition leaders who has experienced more adventures sailing to open seas than anyone I had ever known. He showed us a film he and his wife Mary Ann made about the Anne Kristine, an old Norwegian sailing vessel that their family purchased and restored to beauty with their bare hands on the island of Tortola. We all sat in awe seeing Norman and his family bring the Anne Kristine back to life. That night, Norman had shared with us his most personal story, a story about chasing a dream, sacrifice, life, love, and loss. By the end, we were so overwhelmed that it was a struggle to find the words to express what we felt. While rebuilding the Anne Kristine, Norman viewed the challenges he and Mary Ann faced not as problems, but rather opportunities. Personally, I am very privileged to have heard Norman's story and I will remember it ever time I am faced with an "opportunity" of my own.
06.03.2008, North to Ushuaia, Drake Passage: We had all done what we came to do: Set foot on the Antarctic continent where penguins acted as our welcome committee; leopard seals lounged on black sand beaches; and avalanches sounded like gun shots as snow rolled down icy peaks into the ocean. But the time had come to turn the ship around and make our way back to South America. Before the seas got too choppy, we gathered in the lecture room to hear Susan's story about her life on The Ice as part of the scientific team at the U.S.'s McMurdo Station. (Hint: It's cold!) And Ingrid followed up with a presentation on Orca whales, what they do in their underwater world, and why they get stranded.
Then came the high wind and waves that tossed our ship around like a washing machine. While Mother Nature gifted us with a relatively calm ride on the way to the bottom of the world, she definitely stirred things up for our return trip with waves that were twice as big. We had all survived the Drake Passage the first time around, but some of us doubted we would make it through the second time.
Dr. Drew dispensed seasickness pills like candies (God bless him!) as many retreated to their cabins to sleep it off. Simply walking to the bridge was an exercise in balance and the old adage "Keep one hand for the ship," turned into "Go ahead and crawl up the stairs if you have to." Watching the waves swell from the bridge made our vessel seem so small next to the vast ocean and showed just how strong Mother Nature can be.
For those who were up for eating - or just needed to get out of their cabins - dinner proved to be especially entertaining. With such massive waves, diners practically fell out of their chairs and dishes slid back and forth along the tables as though on a conveyer belt. The kitchen crew went on serving food just as gracefully as ever, despite the sounds of silverware crashing down from the kitchen. We had a special surprise at the end of the meal: Geoff brought out an enormous cake and we sang Happy Birthday to Juan, who turned 33 years old.
Once the celebration was over, most headed back to their cabin to discover that simply lying in bed was a challenge: Rather than rocking us to sleep, the massive waves propelled our heads into the wall one moment and then our feet into the opposite wall the next. Still, it was all part of the adventure. After all, every journey seems like more of an accomplishment when you really earn it, and our rite of passage aboard the Akademik Shokalskiy was definitely the Drake.
07.03.2008, Drake Passage & Cape Horn: Well what a night! Those that happily announced at breakfast they had had a great night sleep were obviously not telling the truth! Shokalskiy pitched and rolled heavily all night. Those sleeping fore and aft rolled in their bunks, whilst those sleeping thwartships slid up and down their bunks with monotonous regularity! Ushuaia can't come soon enough for most of us! We were pleased to hear from Geoff that we had left the screaming 60's the previous evening and were now in the furious 50's - this was some consolation to those still suffering. Despite all this we were going in the right direction towards Ushuaia and covered 260nm (nautical miles) in the previous 24-hrs. During the day Belinda delivered a presentation on the submersible diving she does in the deep ocean, including to the wreck of the RMS Titanic. Alex then presented photos and stories from his work as a field assistant to science parties in Antarctica. Geoff also gave us a presentation on a variety of Antarctica related topics including The International Polar Year and Students on Ice.
In the evening we had a final recap and thanked the Captain and crew for our fantastic adventure. We then reconvened in the lecture room for the End of Expedition Slideshow - put together by Alex with photographic contributions from many expeditioners.
As we left the Drake Passage and passed through the infamous Cape Horn region we entered the sheltered waters of the Beagle Channel and reality dawned on us - the expedition was ending and we must pack!
08.03.2008, Arrival in Ushuaia: It seemed so much longer than 11 days ago that we departed the southernmost city in the world. But here we are back in port again and farewelling the Akademik Shokalskiy and her crew, our home for the past 11 days, and farewelling our new-found friends, that we have shared so many memorable experiences with since our departure.
I am reminded that what we have done over the past days in extraordinary comfort was once an arduous and doubtful journey. Had we been making an Antarctic expedition only one hundred years ago our return, let alone a return date would be doubtful and certainly not guaranteed. Months or even years on end in cold, cramped, rough conditions - no weather or ice forecasting, no contact with the outside world, no home comforts or electricity, no fresh produce just daily rations of fried goods and whatever morsels the ocean or continent would offer up.
Yet now we can take a two-week annual holiday, fly from all corners of the world, experience the world's most remote continent and be back in time for work on Monday morning. Within barely more than 72 hours we can depart Antarctica, experience a stormy southern ocean, travel through multiple countries by aircraft and be back in the Northern hemisphere or elsewhere sipping tea and recounting our experiences. Antarctica is certainly not as remote as it once was and that's why it needs protected more than ever before; its remoteness is no longer going to save it.
Antarctica is a place that will be with us all forever, we will continue to draw on our experiences and memories, and go forth as protectors and advocates for this very special place on earth.
13.02.2008 - 03.2008
24.01.2008 - 12.02.2008
01.01.2008 - 23.01.2008
22.11.2007 - 31.12.2007
23.10.2007 - 11.2007
03.10.2007 - 22.10.2007
Havana: At our arrival at the airport we notice that everything is way more expensive than when I first visited the country seven years ago. The US Dollar is only exchanged at a bad rate and 20% commission is added on top of the bill. The center of Havana resembles an open air museum. At least the front of most of the buildings has been refurbished. Most of the splendid colonial buildings are now museums or hotels. We didn't miss out on the famous Daiquiri at the El Floridita bar. Sylvie had me on one side and Hemingway (a life size bronze statue) on her left :-). The Casa de Marta y Israel is an excellent place to stay. Very close to the Plaza Vieja. The visit of one of the cigar factories is a must. At the end of our visit we where offered Cohibas at a very advantageous price... the black market is flourishing in Cuba.
Viñales: All the government run hotels are ridiculously overpriced (from US$100.00). In Viñales we stay at Casa Grisel the Casa Particulares (rooms for rent at private houses) where my sister and my parents stayed on their Cuba trip. A trip to Cayo Jutia is much recommended. A beautiful powdery white beach. The visit of the Cueva de los Indios isn't worth the money. We enjoyed the rides on our rented bicycles around town. For an excellent sun set view head up to the Hotel Los Jasmines or the Hotel Los Hermanos. Is there any better than slurping on a Mojito and puffing a Cohiba?
Trinidad: Never ending colonial splendor! The cobbled streets are a delight! Sleep at Gustavo's house and eat at Paladar Estela - "Never trust a skinny cook" :-)
Santiago de Cuba: This is where Cuban poverty surfaces. The city life is very hectic. Buildings are run down. It is very likely that the next Cuban Revolution will start here. People are in need of everything. The government stores are empty. In all other parts of the country tourists are not allowed to use cars of private citizens. Here we drive around in old Chevy Bel Air! Cubans as everywhere on the island are not allowed to enter tourist places (hotels, restaurants, bars etc.). Hence the Casa de la Trova (traditional place with Cuban music) is more of a tourist trap these days. Fortunately we found the place where the locals go to. This is where you see the 60-years old couple dancing hot salsa!
Baracoa: The views from the Yunque mountain are worth the strenuous hike up there. In the friendly Casa El Mirador we felt like home. The son of the owner even gave us Salsa lessons in the living room! On our trip to the beach we eat lobster for lunch...
Bayamo: Normally a sleepy little town. But while we are here the annual festival de la Cubana (Cuban national anthem) is held. The streets are turned into an open air theatre. Very proud these Cubans!
Santa Clara: This is where the "Che-Mania" culminates. We visit the Museum and Mausoleum of the t-shirt icon. Everything a hymn to Ernesto Che Guevara, but definitely worth the stop over.
04.09.2007 - 02.10.2007
Whitehorse: We enjoyed our stay at the Hide on Jeckell Hostel in Whitehorse (www.hide-on-jeckell.com). The best organised hostel on our trip so far.
Kluane National Park: It's not easy to get around in the Yukon. Public Transport is almost non existent or very expensive. Hence we had to wait for over 2 hours to get a ride from Whitehorse to Sheep Mountain. This is where we started a 5 day hike along the Slims West trail. It was indian summer and the leaves along the river were golden! On the 4th day we reached a high mountain plain above the Kaskawush glacier. Unforgettable how these two glaciers melt into each other and form an even bigger mass of ice.
Grizzly encounter: On the last morning just as we were packing our tent, we heard some noise in the forest. Suddenly 4 grizzlies were standing about 10 meters away from us. They stopped and we started to clap our hands and take a step back. 3 of them left almost immediately. The 4th showed signs of distress. "Hey bear, don't do anything bear", I said. Ouff, it left as well. A few minutes after we see the mother and their 3 cubs circling the camp on the grassy hills above us. We were very lucky! "Where's the camera"? But we didn't have time to think about pictures :-)
Haines (Alaska) - Glacier Bay N.P.: The national park had already closed for the season. We decided to take a scenic flight. This is definitely a great way to see parts of the second largest icecaps apart from the poles.
Vancouver Island: Every business seems to have closed for the season already. So we are denied of doing a multi-day kayaking trip.
Tofino: Hiking through the temperate rain forest is great! After a terrible night in a terrible place we don't even want to remember the name, we stayed at the lost sailor www.lostsailor.ca. Alex & Diane are incredibly well traveled hosts and the place felt like heaven after hell :-) It was in Tofino that we could watch the bears from a save distance on a bear watching trip...
East Sooke Park: By far the best hiking we did on Vancouver Island. Along the coast we saw seals, different species of birds and bear poo - but not the animal itself... We even tried the bears favorite food; some kind of blue berries. They taste a little sour but are full of vitamin C.
Killer whales: From Victoria we went on a whale watching trip in a zodiac boat. After humpback whales and seals we drove up to a group of orcas. Very playful and even noisy at times were these incredible creatures. Have a look at the Canada pictures for more.
13.07.2007 - 30.08.2007
Madagascar is definitly not the Africa we knew. People, especially in the Mountains and the east side of the country, look much more like Indonesians than people from the mainland. The buses, minibuses and taxibrousses (lit. bush taxis) leave when they are full. Transport is difficult and 100km journeys can take 1 day or more. The descent on the Tsiribihina river in a tree trunk canoe will be unforgettable. Our food was carried alive for 2 days (e.g. living chicken) before we ate it on the third night. Strange for people like us who are used to buy nicely packed chicken breast in the supermarket!
One of the best parts of our trip was the adventurous voyage between Morondava and Salar on the west coast. I would recommend this to anyone who has the time to do it. You need at least 2 weeks for this part alone. The rewards are untouched white sandy beaches, fishing villages taking you back for centuries and magnificent coast scenery. Road (sand piste) travel is only possible during the dry season in this part of the country and even then only in a 4WD. We have spent a night on a boutre (traditional cargo sailing ship) from Belo sur Mer to Morombe. This was the easy part. Even though it wasn't easy to organize the transport. All the other bits were done on a pirogue. It is very important to have a dry bag for this! We didn't have one and nearly overturned once! If we would have had a dry bag the journeys would have been so romantic and enjoyable. Imagine yourself sailing under the light of the full moon...
Isalo national park: You'll need time to get away from the crowds. During our 5 day trek through the park we managed to do so on 3 of them. Gaston (a.k.a. Souluf) our guide was an excellent cook and new almost every medicinal plant in the park. He prepared another tea every night with herbs he found during the day. Essential, because the nights were cold up in the mountains. The price for the 5 day, 4 nights trip was 450'000Ar (everything incl. park entrance fee, porters, guide, food etc.). The rock formations and the landscape are amazing. Walking through a savanna like grass plain with no path in the evening sun, being one of the highlights of our Madagascar trip.
Andringitra national park: This time we are less lucky with our guide. Denis keeps complaining about the other big trekking and climbing companies who are making money and according to him don't help the communities. At the same time he hands out cigarettes and rum to teenagers who surround him. He is wrong however as companies like www.campcatta.com have built a school in the village nearby and have founded a charity to help locals in need. Our seven days in the park were fantastic. We climbed peak boby, where an ice cold wind blew. During the days in the park we were with our local guide Samuel. Once out of the park he returned to his village and we went on to the Tsaranoro with Denis where we pitched our tent on a river bank. From here we hiked the Chameleon and the "Grand tour". To be in this remote mountain villages took us at least 100 years back in time. Rice terraces and small villages with small red houses fill the view. There is no electricity, no cars for days and no machines around. Public Transport to and from the Park is unreliable and scarce. Even though our guide tried to tell us otherwise. We had to flag down a tour bus to get back to Ambalavao on time.
The FCE experience :-) The train from Fianarantsoa to Manakara should take 8 hours. It left the station of Fianarantsoa on time at exactly 07:00. From there the problems began... We were on (and off) board for 12 hours and reached only the 4th of 17 stations. This is where the engine broke. In the middle of nowhere (jungle) we waited for the train that came in the opposite direction to receive repair parts. This train had a break down as well and finally reached us at only 16:00. Since we hadn't gone far yet, we decided to head back to Fianarantsoa on the other train. On the way back the train made an emergency stop. No one knew why. At 19:00 we were back at Fianarantsoa train station. Some 3 days later we met a couple who went on to Manakara - it took them 24 hours!!! Hence, don't take the train if you're in a hurry :-)
Antsirabe and Betafo: Some great places up in the mountains. We hired a bicycle for 2 days and cycled to the volcanic lake of Tritriva on the first. On the second day we visited Betafo on the market day. In the mornings thousands of people are on their way into town. Most of them leave their homes by foot at 4 or 5 in the morning to reach the market by 7 or 8. One carries tomatoes and the other oranges. Everyone seems to have at least something for sale.
Antananariva: The capital is bustling with life. There are some great inexpensive (compared to Switzerland) restaurants. We spoiled ourselfs on our last 2 days here.
10.06.2007 - 16.06.2007
10.06.2007: On board of the gigantic QM2, it isn’t easy to leave New York City, our home for the past two years. The skyscrapers slowly disappear on the horizon. Once we passed the Verrazano Bridge, the sight of the city was left to a silhouette in the far distance. We knew we will spend the next 5 days with nothing else but the open ocean around, en route to Europe.
11. ?15.06.2007: QM2 is beautifully decorated, each room with its own character. On the ocean, days are similar: full English breakfast in the morning, afternoon tea with scone and clotted cream, dinner and the evening ball. From the vast choice of daily activities, we opted for a run in the fitness room followed by a spa bath and sauna.
16.06.2007: Arriving in Southampton and looking forward to a few days in London.