The 100 day mark has passed, and now so has the 50 day mark. Time is FLYING! Now we are trying to wrap our heads around how to pack all of the stuff we need for our trip and still have room for clothes. Nakedness in Antarctica just won't be practical!
We booked a couple of tours for our group of 7 traveling together from NYC. Randi and Steve Eisen, Sue and Steve Frederick, Michael, Rachel and I will be travel mates and tour mates. The day after arrival, February 11, all of us will be doing a hiking / canoeing tour in Tierra del Fuego National Park. On February 12, five of us will do a half-day horseback ride on Mount Susanna. We will still have plenty of time to explore the museums and town of Ushuaia.
In the meantime, I have fallen in love with penguins. And become obsessed. Just. A. Little. And I am getting help from Rachel. Rachel found us some sweet Penguin sweaters, and I found some silly little Penguin Santa hats. And then I found this adorable post of a Penguin being tickled. Although we won't be able to touch the penguins, I do hope we get some of these crazy noises on video!
I am not sure how the very obvious arrival of El Nino will alter the weather conditions for our trip. Considering we haven't seen a drop of snow yet this winter in New England, I am not sure whether that will be a positive or a negative influence on our Southern Ocean crossings or our various landings.
Still lots to get done before our epic journey, but I think we have most of the things we need for the trip. Now it is a matter of how well we can organize what we need to take on the trip. Packing clothes and gear for scuba diving and photography for a 28 day trip is truly a challenge these days with all of the baggage restrictions. We could have far worse problems!
