Celebrate Geography Awareness Week in Antarctica
November 12, 2007 by Mary Jo Manzanares
Filed under Cruises, Outdoor Activities, Sports & Recreation, Things to See & Do
In honor of Geography Awareness Week, November 12 – 18th, which promotes the importance of geography, each day this week I’ll post about a destination from one of our seven continents.
These will be destinations that intrigue me; that entice me to want to visit. They may be mainstream locations, or something a little bit off the beaten path. Hopefully, as I research locations on each of our seven continents, I’ll learn a little more about world geography. And as I share them with you, hopefully you will too.
To kick off the week, I’ll start with the most difficult continent to visit — Antarctica.
Despite being the coldest place on earth, with no permanent residents (only various research stations) or government, Antarctica actually has tourism.
Visiting Antarctica means taking a cruise, generally on small vessels carrying around 45 – 280 passengers, that, depending on the itinerary, lasts from 10 days to three weeks. These are expensive trips, in the $10,000 and up range, with choices ranging from luxury ships to the more spartan icebreaker ships. Shore excursions (yes, you get to go “ashore”) are extra.
These Polar cruises generally depart from South America, and operate during the Antarctic summer, November to March. Operating during these time frames means avoiding the possibility of getting frozen in. What a nice way of saying that cruising outside of this time runs the risk of getting stuck in Antarctica for the winter!
It may seem strange that I’d want to visit somewhere so cold and desolate, but anyone who knows me well, would understand the draw that unusual destinations have for me.
While I’d most likely pass on the cold activities of ice diving, kayak camping, and ice climbing, I’d be thrilled with the opportunity to see such spectacular scenery. And the wildlife — albatrosses, seals, penguins (remember March of the Penguin), birds, and occasionally whales. What fabulous opportunities for photography!
So what do you say? Anyone up for Antarctica?
C’mon, when was the last time you were at a cocktail party and someone mentioned their vacation to Antarctica?!
Tomorrow: Asia
Photocredit: wikimedia commons
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Oh man, I’ve actually always wanted to go to Antarctica. Part of my degree involves geography and I’ve always had an interest in visiting all of the places I could see on a map. Plus, the scenery there is supposed to be just breathtaking.