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...

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!!

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......

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!

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

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.

Days 17 to 19 (22 February 2007): At Sea, Drake Passage back to Ushuaia

We have been incredibly lucky with the weather on our journey so far, and it seemed appropriate that this would change.

“An Antarctic expedition is the worst way to have the best time of your life” – Aspley Cherry Garrad (‘The Worst Journey in the World’)

The Vavilov was thrown around like a cork for the best part of our return journey crossing the Drake Passage, in huge storm force 11 gales (with 55-60 knot winds) and 7m swell. Amazingly, we were fine, having now got our sea-legs. Ending our experience with a fitting Captains dinner, we thanked our Russian captain for keeping us safe on the return journey.

And a BIG thank you to all the fantastic Peregrine crew!

A Tribute to Sailors From Days Gone By
by Sara Vial
(Translated from Spanish as written on the albatross monument at Cape Horn)

I am the Albatross that waits for you.
At the end of the earth
I am the forgotten soul of the deceased sailor
Who crossed Cape Horn
From all the seas of the world.
But they did not die in the furious waves.
Today they fly in my wings to eternity
In the last trough of the Antarctic winds.

Days 15-16: Antartica

There have been so many Antarctic highlights;

· Watching as humpbacks fed on krill, opening their huge mouths in giant gulps before squeezing the water out through the baleen sieves and diving, raising their huge flukes before disappearing.

· Our landing onto the Antarctic Continent led to a greeting by fur seals, who made it clear to us that this was their land. It was a celebration and felt special that we had made it to the Antarctic Continent.

· Interacting with the penguin colonies in Antarctica and setting foot onto Antarctic land. We had the pleasure of watching the behaviour of and interacting with one of our favourite penguins – the Gentoos! Adorable is the first word that springs to mind, particularly as we were also surrounded by 100s of chicks too! Every penguin has its own character and can behave in an hilarious fashion, chasing one another, squabbling or just lying flat on their front sleeping! We often thought they displayed many human like characteristics. The chicks in particular were highly inquisitive, which was lucky for us, as we had the amazing experience of sitting in snow in what we called “the penguin baby crèche”, just waiting for a chick to come to say hello. They liked to peck our boots, our legs and gloves and Chris was lucky enough to have one lay on his legs momentarily. Other than that, these fluff-balls would just look you in the eye, which was a heart-warming experience. At one point we felt like traitors as we rushed to see a leopard seal tossing a penguin in the air only metres from the safety of our zodiacs, but then, this is nature….and the leopard seals have to eat too!

· Visiting Paradise Harbour on our last day and watching as huge blocks of ice carved away from the immense 40-50 high glacier fronts into the sea, creating giant tidal waves that sent us bobbing over the place in the zodiacs. On our way back, we came across a curious leopard seal in the water, who then circled us, his big black eyes piercing into our zodiac.

But one aspect of Antarctica that it would be great to bottle is the peace and quiet and the morning and evening light – just amazing. Antarctica is truly a pristine continent, the beauty of which words cannot do justice.