As we approach the southern tip of South America, on our way to Ushuaia, our outstanding cruise is coming to an end. There is a general feeling of both elation and sadness as we pack and prepare for our flights home tomorrow. Although this is the end, it is a beginning as well. Visiting the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and Antarctica is a life-changing experience. This perhaps sounds cliché but IT REALLY IS LIFE-CHANGING! You could say after you have done what we have done, tomorrow is the beginning of the rest of your life.
One other point your faithful blogger should mention is the weather on this and the previous two trips. Never, have we witnessed such calm conditions for such a long period. It made our crossings of the Scotia Sea and Drake Passage much easier and more pleasant, and almost all our landings were achievable.
If we talk about highlights for the trip, for your faithful blogger it has to be the landing at St. Andrews Bay in South Georgia. Please refer to a previous blog to gain an impression of what I mean. The viewpoint from the 50m hill we climbed, of about hundreds of thousands of King Penguins was truly awesome (in the real sense of this oft miss-used word). Other aspects of the location such as the scenery, rivers lined with moulting King Penguins, and the Elephant Seals on the beach really added to our experience. The South Georgia Heritage Trust is mounting the final phase of its South Georgia rat eradication program and St. Andrews will be treated. If you want to contribute financially to this effort please have a look at their website: www.sght.org.
Tomorrow we will be in Ushuaia and will gain an eager set of new passengers who will stay with us over Christmas. Most, maybe all don't know that their lives will too be changed by the end! And how could they (?) for no description, television program, book, or image can every really do justice to this place.
