Sunday, May 02, 2010

Just over 3 years since we returned from our travels snd just looking over the memories, cool. Looking forward to taking little man J somewhere exciting soon!

Monday, April 02, 2007

Some more videos of Antarctica...

Here are some videos of Antarctica.... the first is from Neko Harbour where there was a penguin 'swimming pool' and nursery....



The second is from Paradise Harbour, our last trip on a zodiac before we headed back to Suth America, and we were visited by a very inquisitive Leopard Seal...



And this one is of Elsehul Harbour on South Georgia...

Thursday, March 22, 2007

March 13 to 16: Buenos Aires and home

Well we're home now. After Iguazu we stayed for a couple more nights in Buenos Aires before flying home.

The trip was incredible and to anyone thinking of visiting the Antarctic or Argentina - just do it!

March 10 to 13: Iguazu Falls

Spectacular. Difficult to say anything else!!

























Tuesday, March 20, 2007

March 6 to 10: Uruguay

We then flew to Uruguay for a few days. After a couple of days relaxing in Punte del Este, one of South America's best beach resorts (which we enjoyed despite the rain!), we travelled to the capital, Montevideo.

However, just beforehand we learnt that George Bush had similar ideas to visit the city as part of his whistle stop tour of South America but also to stay at the same hotel as us! We had been advised that the hotel was big enough to cater for both of us (to our surprise) but on arrival, having hauled our luggage through the various security gates to the hotel (surrounded by military and secret service), the reception kindly informed us that they had wrongly advised us and that we were being evicted! However they did move us to another hotel and we then set off to explore what we could off Montevideo despite the convoys for President Bush, Condoleeza Rice and a few thousand protesters......








Wednesday, March 07, 2007

3 to 6 March: Mendoza

Mendoza is Argentina's most famous and important wine region. It is an attractive city, with the snow capped Andes acting as an impressive backdrop to both it and surrounding bodegas (wineries).

We eventually reached Mendoza via Buenos Aires from Bariloche and whilst not the most direct route, it was definitely worth it.

We were lucky enough to arrive on the main evening of Argentina's most famous wine festival - just as soon as we had arrived at the hotel we were back out the front door in a taxi to 'Vendimia 2007'(http://www.vendimia.mendoza.gov.ar/vendimia/). We managed to buy great tickets from a tout that sat us 20 rows from the front and next to the press, in the packed stadium for 20,000 with another 30,000 sat outside on the hills. The show told the story of the history of the region and the story of the annual wine harvest, finishing with a Miss Vendimia 2007 contest (Miss Grapes?).

We also visited 3 of Mendoza's wineries in Lujan de Cuyo and Maipu which was great fun- hic!




Monday, March 05, 2007

1 to 3 March: Bariloche

After El Calafate we flew to Bariloche, the Argentine Lake District. Beautiful surroundings, with the region's largest lake, Lago Nahuel Huapi, lapping at the shoreline of our Hosteria. We spent the first day here relaxing but we were intent on one major trek.... so we decided to trek to the top of Cerro Lopez and its quaint but very necessary pink Refugio. At 2,000m, the reward for our efforts were the spectacular views throughout our climb. We slept particularly well that night!!








Orcas and Penguins!!!

Orcas pack hunting a Minke whale on day 13, Antarctic Peninsula



King Penguins, Salisbury Plain, Souh Georgia





Gentoo penguins, Antarctic Peninsula



Rockhopper Penguins, Falklands

Monday, February 26, 2007

23 to 28 February - Ushuaia and El Calafate











What are we doing now? Apart from Antarctic dreaming, we had a couple of days R&R in Ushuaia and then moved on to El Calafate, slightly further north in Argentinean Patagonia. We're staying in a place called Los Notros (www.losnotros.com) and it is beautiful - the only lodge in the Parc Nacional Los Glaciares, with a stunning view from our room across to the Perito Moreno Glaciar.

So far we've been walking with crampons out on the glaciar, walking and trekking.