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| Photo copyright Lisa Anderson |
An Expedition Cruise on Fram to Antarctica is not just about going to Antarctica. It is also an opportunity to meet like-minded people from all over the world. On this voyage alone, there are people from 24 different countries and every single one of them share common interests. Where else can you go, what else can you do where you will encounter a similar situation? Where can you meet so many people from such diverse cultures that are assembled for the same reasons? On top of that, everyone here is happy. Everyone is in a great mood. Everyone is open for new experiences. Of course they are. Everyone is on vacation. Many people here are on a trip of a lifetime. Some people have been saving for, or perhaps dreaming about this trip for years.
To all of you on board Fram right now, seize the opportunity to get to know your fellow ship mates. Mix it up at meal times. Dare to sit with new people. Don’t be shy! Try to experience some of the different cultural opportunities right on board the ship. It will definitely enhance your experience with us in Antarctica. And who knows, maybe you’ll make new friends from an exotic location that you always wanted to visit ( if you know what I mean ;^) )!
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| Photo copyright Lisa Anderson |
Where is everyone from? AUSTRIA, AUSTRALIA, JAPAN, CHILE, CHINA, DENMARK, FRANCE, GERMANY, GREAT BRITAIN, BELGIUM, ITALY, INDIA, LUXEMBOURG, NETHERLANDS, NORWAY, SWEDEN, SWITZERLAND, UNITED STATES, CANADA, POLAND, MEXICO, PANAMA, PHILIPPINES AND INDONESIA.
Once everyone was on board and all of the luggage had arrived we cast off our lines (at 19:00) and headed east in the scenic Beagle Channel on our way to the South Atlantic.
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| Photo copyright Lisa Anderson |
At 20:30 we all took part in a mandatory safety drill. Almost immediately after the drill we were invited to the Observation Lounge where the Captain gave a short welcome speech and introduced us to the officers and some of the key members of the ship including our Expedition Leader Karin Strand. Karin then introduced everyone to the Expedition Team.
We went to bed thinking about the long hard journey we had all undergone to get to the ship here at the bottom of the world. We wondered what marvels and adventures the coming days would reveal. Day by day, here on the blog we will unveil our experiences for you. Stay tuned. Tomorrow is the infamous Drake.
