At the request of many, I am starting to slowly post some pictures. Attached is a quick sample of the grand nature of Antarctca. The mountain in the background was several thousand feet above sea level.

The Second Picture is in Neko Harbor, Antarctica

Penguins

Hi Guys,

I have a lot of pictures to sort through. Approx 1600 to be realistic. I am going to try and narrow it down to the top 150. I am working to figure out where to throw an alblum here. Looks prettty easy to do, I just got to sit down and hammer all the photos out.

Attached is a picture of Gentoo penguin.

Dec 22

Sat Dec 22nd.

Woke up at 7am. Hoped on a taxi to Iguazu falls park, arrived around 0815. Explored park on the green train and upper circuit. Caught the 1220 public bus bak to Iguazu city. Changed cloths, took a taxi to the airport, arriving around 1330 (0830 PST) Dec 22nd. From that point I was in a airport/layover/taxi/airplane until 1700 (5PM) on Sunday 23rd...roughly 30 hours...that was too long.

Completly wore myself out...and it was worth it.

Side note: Wool shirts are awesome for travel. I spent the equivalent of 6 days wearing that shirt...

IGUAZU Falls

Hi Guys,

Though I spent only 22 hours in IGUAZU falls, It truely is a 7th wonder of the world. To see one water fall 1/4 mile wide is pretty spectcular, but to see 270 individual waterfalls comming off of one river joining 3 countries is breathtaking.

The Argentina Side gets you up close and personal with the smaller individual waterfalls on the lower half but still gets you to devils throat for the giant waterfall.

The Brazil Side, which I would like to see next time, gives a much bigger panaromaic view of the entiriey of the waterfalls over the several kilometers they are spread out.

The Buenos Aires accent drops once you get out to Puerto Iguazu and I could speak with the cab drivers and finally understand spanish again. It is like learning CNN english then being dropped off in the middle of New Orleans or Boston.

Public transportation for Iguazu Park back into the city of Puerto Iguazu was quite an experience. The group behind me started in spanish, switched to Portuguese, then switched to french for a converstation. I got dropped off in what I later found out was the city center, but at the time, had no clue where I was. I saw all these signs for Foz de Iguazu (Brazil) and Uraguay and arrows and got nervous, not sure which country I was in anymore. A quick cab ride brought me back to the hotel where I met a South African Guy that was on he Antarctic Cruise with. What a small world to hear someone call your name as you walk into the hotel.

The weather is tropical. Mid 90's during the day and maybe getting to 80 at night. That also brought out the bizarre bugs and wacky sounds adjcent to the jungle. Eat lunch in the park an a 2ft lizard walked around the corner and tried to join me(I hope not eat me).

Princess Bride fans...yes they had Rodents of Unusual Size. They also have a problem with Guiney pigs. They look like giant rats without tails. Bizare.

Want to get back to this place in the world and spend at least 3 days 2 nights here to really see the place.

Big-Mac

Santiago, Chille = 1.50 US

Buenos Aires, AR = 1.25 US

As a consumer price index, I like to trac the price of a big mac.

These McDonalds are so fancy...WIFI, internet cafe, classy lounge furniture.

Antarctica

To be afforded teh opportunity to gaze upon the glaciated peaks, to watch flocks of penguins porpoise like dolphins in ice-slurried waters was truely a blessing. A place so cold and inhosbitable in the winter provides and infectious beauty that is beyond words. To watch teh sun go behnid the horizon at 0030 in the morning and watch the glow of the mountian tops never to get dark is somthing I will never forget.

Even in a lan thought by man to be inhosbitable, God still created a magestic land filled with undiscovered adventures. To take a panaroma picture off the stbd of the vessel, it took 21 pictures to capture the mountain ranges, only to be left with an equal amount of vast mountainous expanse equal off the port side does not do the grand nature of Antarctica justice.

All those words to say WOW...what amazing place.

B.A

I made it back to Buenos Aires. Will post more later. Tommorrow off to Iguazu Falls.

Going out for Dinner and Tango Show tonight...should be interesting.

I am still moving from the boat on land.

Drakes Passage is known for being rough for a reason. We got the beat up on the way down. I was standing 2 decks above waterline (10ft a deck) and was looking up above my head at the waves...approx 25+ ft with 50 knot sustanined winds...

Mike

Ushasia

I made it to the southern most part of the Pan American Highway in Tierra Del Fuego park. Pretty cool. The mountains rise out of the water really high and this is summer and it snowed 2 days ago...king of cold, but a pretty environment. Looks similar to Milford sound in New Zealand.

For those at work...our scotter is quite the vechile down here...

Enjoying life...there are actually quite a few young people down here on the Trip to Antarctica. Most are trying for the 7 continent club. This will make number 6 for me...woohoo..

Hope to add pictures later.

My next post will be on Dec 20 or 21st. Who knows, maybe the penguins set up a internet cafe in Antartica.

It gets dark a little after 11pm. We are approx 53ish degrees south lattude.

Off down south...woohoo..

Funny...quite a few of the people had never seen kelp before. It looks exactly the same as up north.

Off on a big boat...later

Mike

Santiago

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Hi guys,

the 10 hour red-eye from dallas was just as nice as any other red-eye flight...but seemed shorter than I thought...maybe I compared it to LA to Sydney (14 hrs).

Santiago is a nice city. Visited Cerro San Cristobol park. To get to the top I rode an old gondola from the 60s. Great veiws from the city obscured by smog, but less smog than any given day in san diego. there is a giant statue of the virgin mary atop this peak looking over the city. Santiago sits in a valley surrounded by massive mountains, kind a LA type layout but with bigger mountains.

It is great understanding just enough spanish to get by. I ordered Jugo de Melon Tuna, which is Tuna melon juice. It was a green melon..not so sure where the tuna part comes from...all in all great.

Tried Geochaching. Got within 30 feet, but couldn{t find it and being alone I started to look suspicious walking around the bushes looking for something. Had a couple of locals try and find it, but they had no luck. I remember more spanish that I thought as I was able to have a converstation with them and get recommendations for dinner-resturants. Will try again in Antartica where the penguins may get curious but that is all.

Like any South American big city, there are barrios outside the airport with burning trash dumps lining the city river, and random stray dogs greeting you as you walk around the park, but this part was very small. Portillo and Valle nevado are a couple of ski resorts that looked pretty sweet in the winter. Then the beach is only 2 hrs away.

Will try to post tommorrow, Monday or Tuesday morning.

Attached is a picture with me outside of Cerro San Cristobol

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Why Antarctica

Several people have asked why Antarctic.
--I am trying to get to 7 continents in 10 years. I have 2 left, Antarctica and Africa. Since Antarctica is the hardest to get to or convince someone else to join me, I wanted to go for that one first.

If you are wondering where am I, check out Quark Expeditions. I found this trip through REI adventures.

Trip

Ok...So in a weeks time I will go from Snow in the Seattle area, record flooding 8~12 inches of rain in a 24 hr peiord 2 days later, to mid 80's in Santiago for my first night. Then fly to Ushuia, Argentina back to mid 40's with a chance of rain. 30 hrs later I'm in Antarctica with most likely 30 degree temps. Then on the way home I go to Buenos Aries, (mid 80's), then onto Iguazu Falls (mid 90's). Hop on a flight back to Seattle back to 30~40 degree temps. Crazy, but then again, you have be crazy to pay to go to Antarctica...and to pay to cross Drake's passage in only a 300ft boat.

Antartica

Finishing last minute details of my trip. The hotels are reserved and trying to pack for the climate. Santiago, Chile is sporting 80 degree temps, as well as Buenos Aires, Argentina, where as Iguazu Falls is near 90 degrees. Then go to Antartica where it will be a whopping freezing. Crazy temperature swing.