I was already quite well-traveled prior to my cruise from Ushuaia to Antarctica. I had already been to about 75 countries and seen a lot of beautiful natural places. However, in comparison to the White Continent, all of that paled. I had been captivated just a few days earlier by Argentina’s Perito Moreno glacier, but now there were dozens, if not hundreds, of sparkling white glaciers virtually everywhere I looked. I felt as though I had traveled to a different planet because these landscapes were so unlike anything I had ever seen.

I learned as much as I could about this land covered in ice and snow during the bad weather and the long days spent crossing the Drake Passage between Tierra del Fuego and Antarctica. From geology to ornithology, our ship, the MV Ushuaia, had a full staff of scientists and lecturers who were experts in a variety of relevant fields. I attended every one of these experts’ lectures on Antarctica’s geology, history, and flora while we were stranded on the high seas with nothing to do.

At the point when we halted at the English base at Port Lockroy on Goudier Island, I barbecued the staff there with inquiries concerning how I also could go live and chip away at the island. Even though that wish was never realized, 11 years later, I still have vivid memories of Antarctica and long to return one day.