Christina’s Journey Journal

Tag: TripofaLifetime

  • Africa Recap

    Africa Recap

    Now that I’ve been home over 6 weeks, I thought I’d write a recap about our trip to the breathtaking countries we visited in the continent of Africa. People have asked me which adventure was better — Africa or Antarctica. I can’t answer that because both were so different, but they do share 3 things in common — unbelievable outdoor adventures, amazing animals, and experiences that brought tears to my eyes.

    Yes, I have been known to cry when leaving to come home (Hawaii—I am talking about you), but never have I felt such a strong pull toward one place in such a short time. I absorbed every last experience that was this trip. I left a piece of my soul in the places I visited and hope that I will go back one day to reclaim it!

    A week after coming home I went to the St. Louis Zoo. Why? It paled in comparison to what I saw in Africa but it was a way to see some beautiful animals. I have been craving that since returning home. It seems strange I am living in a place where there are no dogs barking because the elephants are walking down the street at night, lions looking for their next kill, or baby baboons riding attached to their mommas’ bellies. My surroundings aren’t as nearly as interesting — well we did have both the 13-year AND the 17-year cicadas in June…the first time both emerged together since 1803. And we also had the incredible Northern Lights display back in May—rare for Missouri and simply gorgeous. But the animals! And the stars! And the sunrises and sunsets! Sigh…

    Everywhere we went, we could see how much people cared for the land and the animals. Every guide followed the park rules, respected the animals, and stopped to pick up trash when they saw it in the bush.

    I wrote reviews on TripAdvisor for all the hotels and a couple of miscellaneous adventures where the people really went above and beyond. Through those reviews, I was able re-live our adventure—plus I have watched the videos a few dozen times.

    If you’re asking yourself, “Should I go to Africa?”, don’t think twice…GO!

    Africa —you have stolen my heart ❤️. I cannot wait to go back!

    Here is a video, compliments of my travel companion and friend, Jen. Enjoy!! https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LxZ7YiSOVOFMiD9AC9E4cfL0H7LVOK61/view?usp=sharing

  • Reels from Social Media about our Antarctica adventures 🇦🇶

    Here are the social media stories about our adventures. You need an Instagram account to see those on that platform but you should be able to see the Facebook ones without having Facebook. 🤷‍♀️

    When we first got to Antarctica, it was indeed a Beautiful Day (U2): https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cm2T_h2ptJPrjXbpe-5oKmnYq0WuvDZIvAkL_Y0/?igshid=ZmMyNmFmZTc=

    Expedition has begun and as Louis Armstrong says What a Wonderful World: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cm63bnjvqINLV83f0wyR8QHL9guNzFIreRCwZ00/?igshid=ZmMyNmFmZTc=

    Penguins and snow in Palaver Point, Two Hummock Island. Don’t Worry, Be Happy (Bobby McFerrin) was the theme of this day! https://www.instagram.com/reel/CnC0kFYNzrCEK4o_Q0bFsXoaimM_fZUG9Or8Ig0/?igshid=ZmMyNmFmZTc= OR on Facebook without music: https://www.facebook.com/reel/5671650036287982?mibextid=wa05Vy&fs=e&s=9RfQYY

    Baby Chinstrap Penguins at the rookery on Two Hummock Island. Isn’t She Lovely? (Stevie Wonder) https://www.instagram.com/reel/CnN32yMLb5sJERzS97KAjXpWFyTsQKGmgIWj_M0/?igshid=ZmMyNmFmZTc=

    Dreams (The Cranberries) for sure on Danco Island, Antarctica during our camping experience—sleeping (on the snow/ice) with a colony of Gentoo penguins while the Humpback whales sang in the bay: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CnYKJinuQZyNoUZZNEVcbvkOocYIrigGCjusGo0/?igshid=ZmMyNmFmZTc= OR this one from Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reel/3724972331062866?mibextid=wa05Vy&fs=e&s=9RfQYY

    SUPing in the Southern Ocean (Stand Up Paddleboarding) on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reel/691724379123605?mibextid=wa05Vy&fs=e&s=9RfQYY OR this one from Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CnAIepHKuUXvKy8aRaFfL5qgEgXMm0HmRQssQs0/?igshid=ZmMyNmFmZTc=

    Porpoising penguins of Antarctic! on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cn0ewOBDj6mFQpzNa5Su3uKbFPaOSqHCHtoN9s0/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

  • 1/2/2023 – Gorgeous Day! 🇦🇶

    We will be going out adventuring in the zodiac this morn, flight seeing (via helicopter) this afternoon, and then camping on the peninsula tonight. You should see the kit we have to keep warm. Although temp right now at 9:10 am is 41 degrees Fahrenheit, it will drop this evening.

    Woke up to THIS outside our cabin window. We are in Fornier Bay.
  • It’s a Beautiful Day, indeed! 🇦🇶

    It’s a Beautiful Day, indeed! 🇦🇶

    https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cm2T_h2ptJPrjXbpe-5oKmnYq0WuvDZIvAkL_Y0/?igshid=ZmMyNmFmZTc=

  • Happy New Year’s Eve!🇦🇶🎊

    Full day today as we approach the 7th continent. I posted our agenda below. The waters have calmed down considerable but I am now using the patch as well. I feel renewed!

    We finished the Helicopter safety briefing this morn. Our ship has two Airbus H145. We also entered the “who can spot the first iceberg” contest. I have heard different things but we should see one of islands off the Antarctica coast between 3:00-5:00 pm. For reference it’s 9:07 am in STL and 12:07 pm in The Drake Passage.

    Laura and I are sipping coffee/hot cocoa from the 7th deck in the panoramic lounge. It’s time to look for some whales. We’re ready!

    From the bow of the ship—ahoy mateys!
    Our daily agenda onboard Ultramarine💛
  • Tres Dias!🇦🇷🇦🇶

    Tres Dias!🇦🇷🇦🇶

    3 days until we leave! Did I mention that I am also super excited about spending Tuesday, December 27th in Buenos Aires and speaking Espanol?

    Buenos Aires is known as the Paris of South America. And while we won’t have a lot of time to explore the city, we will make the most of it! The empanadas, the wine, Plaza de Mayo, The Recoleta Cemetery (where Eva Peron is buried), and maybe a little tango??

    The packing is ALMOST done. Tip—if you plan to go to Antarctica and have luggage weight limit requirements, start packing early. What started with 4 pairs of shoes is now down to two – the boots I am wearing and a pair of tennis shoes. The cold-weather gear takes up a ton of room and weight but you can’t go without it.

    Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all my family and friends that are following my blog site. This will be my last post until the adventure starts.

    FYI I will post the contents of my suitcase in another link. I know it was very helpful for me when I was packing to use other people’s blog posts about what to take and what to leave at home.

    Feliz Navidad y hasta pronto!

    Here’s a Penguin blanket that I received at Christmas🐧
  • It’s the final countdown! 9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1!🇦🇶

    It’s the final countdown! 9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1!🇦🇶

    9 days to go…I have been checking off all the things that need to happen prior to departure. Work, school, Christmas festivities…each tick mark represents another step closer to the 7th continent. Laura and I were talking and it’s kind of surreal. Our Antarctica adventure is right around the corner (well, around the corner meaning waaaay down south)

    So let’s talk about our actual ship, Ultramarine. You will find a little more about it in my first blog post. The company we are going through is Quark Expeditions, which has specialized in polar adventures since 1991. Their fleet of research vessels were purpose built for navigating the polar regions, and their newest ship is no exception. Ultramarine has an ice strengthened hull and is still in her inaugural season. Our expedition will round out her first year exploring Antarctica and the Artic.

    There is capacity for 199 people + 140 crew. THIS IS IMPORTANT because 200 people is the maximum number that can leave any ship at the same time in the Antarctica, according to IAATO regulations.

    Ultramarine is 420 feet long with a cruising speed of 16 knots. There are two twin-engine airbus H145 helicopters on deck and we have two opportunities while in Antarctica to fly on them.

    Our room is on the 4th deck toward the middle. We have a balcony, which will be amazing to take in the sites.

    There is a water-level zodiac hanger (see prior post), and two ready rooms where we change in and out of our expedition gear (parkas, boots, rain pants, etc) as we use the zodiacs.

    The ship has plenty of amenities, such as a polar boutique, restaurant, bistro, ambassador theater, sauna, spa, fitness center, lounge and bar. The focus is also on environmentally responsible tourism and Ultramarine leads the way with special systems to convert waste to energy. This minimizes fuel consumption and helps navigate narrow passages without impacting the land or seabed.

    Happy holidays to all my family and friends. I will be dreaming of a white after-Christmas with visions of penguins dancing in my head!

    Here is a link to a short video featuring Ultramarine: https://youtu.be/Su2ATds1SLg

  • The 7th Continent Awaits! 🇦🇶

    The 7th Continent Awaits! 🇦🇶

    I used to have trouble spelling Antarctica. Now I’m planning a visit! My friend, Laura, and I fly to Buenos Aires, Argentina on December 26, 2022. We will board Quark Expeditions’ newest ship, The Ultramarine, on the 28th. Along with 199 other passengers, we leave from “the end of the world” in the resort town of Ushuaia, Argentina on the Tierra del Fuego archipelago. We’ll then cruise to our southernmost continent (AKA the South Pole), passing through the infamous, Drake Passage. This state-of-the-art explorer ship is outfitted with twin engine helicopters and equipped with a Micro Auto Gasification System (MAGS), which converts waste into energy onboard. This year is its maiden voyage, and we are two maidens on a voyage!

    While most of the land is covered in ice, this polar desert is important to our ecosystem as 79% of the world’s freshwater reserves can be found frozen on Antarctica. If that ice were to melt, it would raise global sea levels by ~200 feet. Do people actually “live” on this continent? There are around 5,000 people during the summer months (October – February), dropping to 1,000 the rest of the year. These people can be found working at one of ~70 research stations – permanent and seasonal. The US has the largest, McMurdo Station, that can house 1,000 people. These lucky individuals share their space with the penguins, seals, and whales. Side note – No country owns Antarctica. Although some have tried to lay claim, the continent is governed by 29 countries who signed the 1959 Antarctica Treaty System. Under this treaty, no military activity, mining, nuclear activity, or disposal are allowed – only freedom of scientific investigation and environmental protection.

    Antarctica is known as the 7th Continent because it was the last one to be discovered. It will be the 6th continent I’ve had the honor of exploring. I’m coming for ya next, Australia!

    Photo by Lara Jameson on Pexels.com