Tag: adventure

Bon Voyage Barcelona!

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August 30, 2025

Saturday morning we woke up and got ready for the day and finished packing up our luggage before walking over to Sagrada Familia. This is Barcelona’s most iconic landmark and we wanted to see it one more time before heading to the cruise ship.

Sagrada Família has been under construction since 1882 and was dreamed up by Antoni Gaudí. Gaudí was Barcelona’s resident genius of all things whimsical. It’s still not finished, so every time you go, you are getting a front-row seat to the world’s longest home renovation project.

They say the main structure will finally be finished by 2026… just in time for the 100th anniversary of Gaudí’s death, but knowing this place, you might still be able to catch scaffolding selfies well into the 2030s. That might be part of the allure, maybe it’ll never be truly be finished. Time will tell!

From our hotel, it was a nice 30 minute walk over to Sagrada Familia. As we walked over we saw Casa Batlló from last year and got a better exterior picture of that as well.

Another of Gaudí’s projects

Comparing pictures of Sagrada Familia from last year, it looks like the center tower is a bit taller. But honestly, it’s just incredible to look at – it’s so worth the walk to stare at.

You really need to walk around the whole thing- each side is SO unique

Afer we walked around to get a view of all the angles, we caught a cab over to the Gothic Quarter, which was another stop similar to last year. But there was a famous bridge we didn’t know about last year, called the Ponte del Bisbe.

It’s a cool looking bridge tucked away in the neighborhood, it looks like it’s original – but was actually built in 1928. Either way, it was a super cool stop. The Gothic Quarter has such a nice mix of old medieval feel with winding streets – and modern retailers. The centerpiece is definitely the Barcelona Cathedral, which after we walked past that we made our way back to our hotel.

We checked out and got into a taxi and our way to the ship. This was the newest ship in Celebrity’s fleet – the Ascent. (Their next enters the fleet in November). The line was flowing pretty smoothly as we boarded and we didn’t have any issues getting on board or to our room. After dropping our carry ons, we headed to the cafe and got lunch.

Our tradition is a celebratory cheers on the sundeck!

Once we wrapped up lunch we decided to do a quick tour of the ship to get more familiar with the space and amenities. One of our favorite parts of cruising is the ability to unpack and get settled in while being able to see a bunch of new cities/countries. Once our suitcases arrived we got settled in to the room and then had dinner.

First sunset from our room!
Fully taking advantage of our infinite veranda, enjoying the moon’s reflection

We’re quite pleased so far with our room and the cruise! Our first day is a sea day, so I think we’ll skip writing about that – so you’ll hear from us next when we recap our first port: Malta!

Up Next:
Malta

A taste of Barcelona

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August 29, 2025

If there is one place in Barcelona that feels like the city’s heartbeat, it is La Boqueria Market. Tucked right off La Rambla, this colorful maze of stalls is where locals and travelers collide over fresh fruit juices, sizzling tapas, and seafood that looks like it came straight off the boat that morning. But what makes La Boqueria so special is not just the food, it is the history. This market has been feeding Barcelona for over 800 years, and stepping inside feels like joining a tradition that has been alive since the Middle Ages. (It opened in 1217, the indoor structure you see today was opened in 1840, and then later in the 20th century the metal roof was added).

Last year when we visited Barcelona, we did not get the chance to go. As much as I wanted to, there just was not enough time to squeeze everything in. This year though, I made sure to set aside plenty of time to wander the aisles, sample the stalls, and soak in the energy of the market. And I am so glad we did, because La Boqueria ended up being a fun stop in the city!

We took our time getting ready in the morning and walked over to the market. I had read about a restaurant that was “in the market” but as looked at Google maps it was actually taking us just outside of it. We didn’t mind, it took us through a very cute area of Barcelona.

The restaurant was called Bar Pintxo – and because I’m a picky eater… I should have known better than walk in without reviewing the menu. But I really wanted to try some Spanish food. You can’t blame a girl for trying. I was so excited that they had chicken paella on the menu, but Andy swerved and ordered two tapas instead of an entree (which threw me off, because he isn’t a tapas kind of guy). So I swerved and ordered two tapas myself.

This is where I went wrong. The shrimp had heads and legs. And my rule, well, it isn’t actually a rule, but if it looks like it was alive at one point, my head can’t seem to get past it… But I have a hard time eating it.

I struggled to choke any of it down. I was dry heaving at the table. I knew I should have stuck with the chicken paella. The restaurant was adorable, the service was incredible, the sangria was exceptional. You should go to this restaurant if you are in Barcelona. Don’t let me deter you. I just ordered poorly for my taste!

Our server brought over little shots to close things out – Andy had Vermouth and I had the Cuarenta Y Tres (very similar to limoncello, the Italian, more sweet drink) so it was a wonderful experience.

Cuarenta Y Tres

We made our way back to the market and it was actually less busy than when we first got there. I don’t want you to worry, I didn’t go hungry. I was able to secure plenty of food at the market. Lots of watermelon and ice cream to get me through until dinner.

This market was so bright and colorful. There were so many different booths selling food, wine, and souvenirs. You could even take cooking classes there. (Probably other topics as well). We spent a few hours in this area wandering up and down the stalls taking it all in and looking for the best prices.

Strawberry and Pistachio
We would never!

We made our way back to the hotel so Andy could log on to work for the day. We had miscalculated his PTO for the year and this was his remote week for the quarter, whoops. Grateful that his company allows him the flexibility to be able to work from anywhere though.

I had just started a new job at the end of June and had a few things I needed to wrap up before I felt like I could properly log off for vacation, so I worked for a few hours before shutting my laptop for the rest of the trip. After that, I started sorting my carryon and suitcase to get things ready for the cruise ship.

We ate dinner late at a restaurant near the hotel, El Racó. My dinner order was a much safer option compared to lunch. We felt like my croquettes looked like our corgis at home, what do you think?

Croquettes or Corgis

We checked out our hotel rooftop before Andy logged back on to finish up his work day, we got to see Sagrada Familia from a distance. What a beauty!

Roof top view of Sagrada Familia
View from our patio

Once work was done we enjoyed watching the nightlife from our terrace, which included comparing the Barcelona police vs. the police in the US. It was fun to watch – we do feel bad for the poor guy who likely ended up getting a ticket for what we can only assume was drunk-biking. (And walked home by a police officer).

Up Next:
Stop by Sagrada Familia
Gothic Quarter
Board cruise ship

Oh my god, we’re back again… (Barcelona 2025!)

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August 27/28, 2025

Flights to Europe from San Diego are pretty limited, but there are a few options to London, Munich, and another new one to Amsterdam a few days a week. We were pretty excited because this was our first time that we had converted our AMEX points into AVIOS with British Airways and got Business Class aka… lie flat seats. Yippee!

One of Andy’s coworkers (shout out to Courtney!) had taught me the secret last year – and I’m forever in her debt. Let me know if you want to learn more and I can write more about it!

We are pretty excited for this trip because we are visiting a handful of new countries, but most excited because we are finally getting to Greece. I’ve dreamed of visiting Greece since I was young – I guess probably right after I learned about Greek mythology about Mount Olympus and Zeus. (Not to mention I’ve loved tzatziki as long as I’ve known about it).

We finished out the work day at the airport and then hopped on the plane. I’m not going to get used to flying this way… because on the second leg of the trip we were already back in economy, but it was pretty comfortable when we were able to lay flat!

We didn’t end up landing in Barcelona until around 8ish on Thursday evening – we were so excited that once we got to the hotel that they had upgraded our terrace room that was two chairs to a full terrace with like, six chairs and a full patio! It was stunning!

Can you believe the size of this thing?

Andy had to work that evening (Thursday back in California) so we ordered room service. I was dead on my feet – and slipped on my eye mask and was asleep before he even wrapped up his calls.

Accommodation:
NH Collection Barcelona Gran Hotel Calderon

Up Next:
Barcelona
Mediterranean Cruise

Panama – Playa Bonita Adventures

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April 23-27, 2025

Once we landed back in Panama City, we were transported to our resort by San Blas Sailing’s shuttle. We arrived early, and unfortunately the hotel wasn’t prepared for us. Our group has had experiences with all-inclusive resorts, and it felt like it’s a relatively new concept in Panama. The check-in process was slow, and they gave each couple conflicting messages about when our rooms would be ready. (We were told 1 hour, others heard 2 hours, and the last couple heard to come back at 1PM). Regardless, most resorts would typically give you the wrist band so you could start enjoying the resort, but this one said we couldn’t get them until 3PM.

We decided to make our way back into town for lunch – Mark and I had found a restaurant with fun drinks and a “crunchwrap,” so naturally we ended up there. Getting around Panama was really easy, Ubers were very affordable!

After lunch, we were all excited to get settled into our rooms and freshen up again. (The catamaran was amazing – but the showers were more like what you imagine in a camper). So we made our way back to the resort.

This time, two of our rooms were ready and we were able to get changed up for the pool. One of the downsides of traveling during shoulder season is that sometimes you run into maintenance that needs to be completed during a less busy time. Basically, one of the main pools was being drained and it meant everyone was forced into the same area of the pools. But it ended up being fine – and it was nice to be at the pool.

The resort also had a rotation on their restaurants, so the first night we ate at their Asian restaurant. The food was all really good and we enjoyed it before heading to karaoke. The rest of the group loves karaoke and they are really good at it. It was also fun to watch other groups sing – there was a good mix of performers in Spanish and English.

The next day we went to the historic district again and our driver gave us an excellent recommendation for Panamanian cuisine – El Nacional – it was SO good. I think it was my favorite meal of the trip!

We did a little shopping after lunch before heading to the Panama Canal. We got lucky because we didn’t research the timing of things ahead of our visit, because there could have been a chance that no ships were coming through the lock systems.

The Panama Canal is a man-made waterway that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It saves ships a huge amount of time, roughly about 8,000 miles by letting them avoid sailing all the way around South America. (Hello Drake Passage!) Instead of taking weeks, the trip through the canal takes about 8 to 10 hours. Ships pass through a system of locks that raise and lower them to move across the canal (and passing through Gatun Lake). It’s one of the most important shortcuts in the world!

We were able to watch a few ships and a sailboat pass through the lock at Miraflores Visitor Center. They also had a wonderful video on the history of the canal narrated by none other than Morgan Freeman that helped us understand the impact the canal had on Panama.

The next day we were set to go out on an eco-adventure that would take us on a tram ride through a forest, to monkey island on a boat ride through Gatun Lake (part of the Panama Canal), and to a sloth sanctuary. The tram ride was a cool way to get to see the forest and the canopy, we didn’t get to see a lot of wildlife when we were on it – but I’m sure on other days you might have better luck. From our vantage point, we could see ships making their way down the Panama Canal.

The next stop was the high-speed boat ride, which took us through the canal and to monkey islands. We got to see quite a few monkeys that would pop down to the boat to get a snack from our guide. I believe we got to see at least three different species – and they ranged in different sizes. They were really cute and I think it was a worthwhile stop!

From there we made our way to the sloth sanctuary. It was really cool to see the animals up close (but not too close – they were on platforms and we weren’t able to get up and hold them unfortunately) – they are so weird. I just love sloths. There were also poison dart frogs there and a butterfly section as well. Overall, it was cool to see some of the native Panamanian species.

Our tour also stopped for us at a convenience store, because I think all of us wanted to get some local snacks. We tried a bunch of different candies and chips – which is one of my favorite things to do when we are abroad!

We rounded out the night at a speakeasy that Mark had found in his research. This was another highlight of the trip and the drinks were superb. They were based on different tarot cards, and each card had both a drink/glass associated with it. I’d highly recommend Arcano to anyone who is visiting Panama City!

Our final full day in Panama was a more relaxing one – Andy and I started our day off with a massage before getting lunch and spending the rest of the day in the pool. We had such a fabulous time with our friends and floating in the pool. We didn’t want to leave, but had a great vacation there!

Up Next:
– Europe cruise (August/September)

Final days of Antarctica

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January 6/7/8, 2025

We woke up on our final day of the cruise to much smoother waters. We were relieved that we had survived the Drake Shake and that we could relax a bit more on the final day. We spent the morning getting our suitcases organized and watching some of the different crews science talks from our room.

There was one session we wanted to attend in-person, and that was the talk about where we all stopped on the cruise. It was really fun to be able to look back on the different stops and see the names and locations all in one map.

The lecture hall is right by the Science Center, so on our way out we were also able to take a look at all of the animals that had been spotted throughout the trip. It was pretty cool to see what animals and what days they were spotted on. Antarctica – and the surrounding area are just incredible. I’m writing this about a month after we left the ship – and it feels like a fever dream to know that we got to be in these animals’ natural (almost undisturbed) habitat.

I hope that for years to come other explorers get to see the pristine wilderness of Antarctica. We only scratched the surface! I know many people view Antarctica as a once in a lifetime trip, but I sure hope that I can go back again one day. I LOVED it.

The evening of our last day, the officers hosted a toast to all of us and previewed a video that the professional photographer put together with his pictures. It was really beautiful to see – and also, even though we were on the exact ship – see some of the pictures (and videos!) of wildlife that we missed! If you’re interested, it’s actually hosted on YouTube and you can view it here. It is long – but I swear, it’s worth it!

After dinner, our group of new friends made our way up to the lounge one last time. Davon, the professional pianist gave me a proper send off with some of my favorite 90s music. I really hope he has the most wonderful life in front of him, he definitely made our experience more enjoyable throughout the trip!

Sure hope he has been practicing his Britney Spears and Backstreet Boys!

We all toasted our friends good night before heading off to bed before an early wakeup the next day.

We woke up in Ushuaia the next morning and had breakfast with Craig and Kim one last time. They were on an earlier flight and we wanted to have a proper send off with them before they made their way to the bus.

We were the last group to be called to get loaded on the buses, but what we didn’t realize was that we were getting a proper tour of the city before getting dropped at the airport! We had about an hour to walk around and pick up some souvenirs. (Which was great, considering the only place we could even get postcards was from Port Lockroy and the Penguin Post Office!)

Ushuaia really is a charming little town – and I wish we could have had a bit more time there. But we were glad that we got to see a bit of it before heading to the airport.

This was going to be the longest travel day ever. We were set to fly from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires, which was a 3.5 hour flight. Once we landed in BA, we had an 8-hour layover. We had toyed with the idea of getting a hotel, even if to just take a nap and freshen up before our next flight, but the hotels were more expensive than we had thought and would take about an hour roundtrip to get to/from.

We opted to stay in the airport for those 8 hours. We were flying AeroMexico, and their check-in counter didn’t open until closer to 8pm. That meant we had to sit on the other side of security for a few hours. Our new friend Dena was in a similar position, so we looked around at the only restaurants that were outside of security. And we landed on Outback Steakhouse. (This one was for you, Ash!)

Dena parted ways with us and we made our way to Starbucks to sit for a bit longer. We finally had a check in counter, and now we just needed it to be staffed. I don’t think we’ve ever been so relieved to see the gate agents making their way to the counter!

After dropping our bags we made our way through the longest security line and made our way to a lounge to relax before our flight. Our next stop was Mexico City – just a short 9.5 hour flight. 🙈 We aren’t sure how, but we somehow got upgraded to “extra room” seats. It was nice to have the extra space on that long flight!

Shortly into the flight is when I started to have the “sickening” aka when I started to feel like I was getting a chest cold. I started to get full body aches – and I knew this wasn’t going to be good. Something similar had happened to me on the way back from Australia and I wanted to be anywhere but on a plane.

After landing in Mexico City, we cleared customs and tried to find somewhere to hole up for a few hours so we could stretch out. One perk about having travel credit cards is lounge access – can’t stress this enough – it makes a layover that much more enjoyable with free food and comfier chairs, in addition to quieter environments.

Our final flight was from Mexico City to Tijuana – another 3.5 hour flight. We finally made it home on Wednesday, January 8! It was a long journey from the end of the world, but it was an absolutely incredible trip!

Next trip:
– Panama for Andy’s 40th!

The Drake Shake

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January 5, 2025 

After all of the excitement from the previous days, we were ready for a day to relax. However, Drake had other plans for us. I woke up in the middle of the night to rolling waves and a deep shuddering. The shuddering was so intense I thought I was going to vibrate right out of the bed. I don’t normally get sea sick and I had taken Meclizine tablets in preparation the night before, but despite my best efforts I woke up feeling like I was going to be sick.

For about an hour I had bounced back and forth between thinking that I was going to throw up and then reminding myself that I was going to be fine. After that hour, I finally decided to wake Andy up to get one of his motion sickness patches. Once I had that, I started to feel better pretty quickly and was able to fall back asleep. 

The expedition team had some activities planned for us – and a lot of different lectures that we could attend during the day. We watched a few from our room and then went to the buffet for lunch since it was on a lower floor. (We were hoping it would make the motion sickness better). But as we sat near the window, we saw just how big the swells were – we later found out that they were about 25-28 feet. It’s really hard to do these waves justice in pictures/videos, but I assure you they were bad!

We were grateful that we didn’t have the Drake Shake both ways, because it really put a damper on the morale of the ship because so many people were sick.

We made the best of it though, and we attended a Bridge tour. We’ve done a handful of cruises in the past, and this was our first time being able to see what it looked like. The crew were incredible – they actually allowed me to pretend to be the captain and use their binoculars. It was really cool and a lot different than I thought it would be. 

After that, we attended the Officer Q&A, which was pretty fun to hear the different questions and answers. I naturally wanted to understand how the restocking process works since we don’t stop at any ports. Come to find out that they only restock once a month for non-perishable items, and then restock each time they dock in Ushuaia with the perishable items. The hospitality manager said that we had let her down when it came to the amount of beer and wine we had drank during that cruise, and we had more left than she thought we would have. (We all saw this as a challenge, naturally! 😂)

Most people weren’t feeling their best, and so most of the sessions were pretty quiet. The crew let us know to expect similar conditions the next day, which none of us were thrilled to hear.

Up Next:
– Another day on the Drake  

Deception Island & Whaler’s Bay

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January 4, 2025

Our last stop in Antarctica was Deception Island – specifically, Whaler’s Bay. Deception Island is a volcanic island in Antarctica, famous for its hot springs and stunning landscapes. It’s still an active volcanic caldera, having most recently erupted in 1970. It’s considered a “restless” caldera, which means it shows ongoing signs of activity – such as, earthquakes, geo thermal activity (part of the beach was steaming), and gas emissions. The caldera formed 10,000 years ago when the volcano collapsed after a major eruption.

Whaler’s Bay was once a busy whaling station from the 1900s to the 1930s due to its natural protection from wild weather). The bay was home to a major whaling station operated by the British, where whales were processed for oil and other products. The station had large processing facilities, and after the whaling industry failed the station was abandoned. All that stands today are the decaying buildings, rusting equipment, and bone fragments that provide a rather haunting view into the past.

That morning our crew let us know that we would be passing through Neptune’s Bellows, the narrow entrance into Port Foster (Deception Island). It’s a very small gap that is the only way into the crater of Deception Island – many people gathered outside to get pictures and videos. I have to say, it was really cold, so we didn’t last for very long outside due to the wind!

We started our day’s adventure off with a zodiac tour, to our amazement we immediately saw a leopard seal! Our driver told us that it’s very unusual to see leopard seals in that area because they really like being on the ice, so we were excited that it decided to grace us with its presence!

Upon first glance, you could already tell this stop was different from the rest. It was very rough and jagged – with lava rock lining the beaches. As our boat drove around, there were Chinstrap penguins swimming along next to us and jumping out of the waves. It was so cute to see them playing in our wake! The island is home to colonies of over 70,000 Chinstrap penguins, which we could see every direction that we looked. It was also incredible to see the steam rising up from the shore due to the geothermal activity.

After our zodiac tour, we went back to the ship and we had a decision to make. Most expedition ships offer the polar plunge to their explorers – which usually entails being harnessed to the ship and jumping off the side. HX only offered the polar plunge from shore, which most of us were not thrilled about. In my humble opinion, and because you’re here… It’s in the name right? Polar plunge. Not slowly wander into the cold water from the beach.

I was teetering back and forth on if I wanted to do it, because you would have to wear your swimsuit under your winter wear for the landing. (Which also meant hiking in it!) And I just didn’t love the idea of hiking in it, and then having to be taking back by zodiac to the boat. I had a glass of champagne with our new friends, and another… and decided that if I was in a nursing home later in life I would regret not doing it.

So I suited up – and then bundled back up. Our group met at the Expedition Launch and we made our way to the zodiacs that would bring us to shore. We went on a short hike to a scenic viewpoint – on the way we walked past a lot of wildlife: penguins, seals, birds, and saw whale bones scattered among the lava rock.

The whale graveyard in the background

I personally had a one track mind. I didn’t want to chicken out of doing the polar plunge, so as soon as we got to the approved “plunge” area I started stripping. Our goal as a group was to go in at the same time, but I was hot to trot because frankly, I wanted to get it over with!

Unfortunately for us, the team hadn’t put us close to the geothermal water that was warm. We were in a cold area – and since we were strolling in, it felt like my toes might actually fall off. I dunked down to my neck and popped back up and went running back to shore. HX provided towels, so I quickly rubbed down and threw on my robe then my jacket and snow pants over that. (It really was quite the sight!)

Fashionista

We made it back on board and quickly hopped into the hot tub to warm back up. Honestly, I would have preferred that we did it off the ship, but I’m glad that I did it.

That evening we spent in the Observation Lounge encouraging our favorite pianist to play our favorite songs so people could sing along. It was a great last day on Antarctica!

Up Next:
– Drake Passage

Melchior Islands & the Chinstrap Penguins

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January 3, 2025

The next day we were making our way towards the Melchior Islands. I think this is a popular stop because it’s easy to get to and on the way back towards the Drake Passage. We didn’t have a landing that day, and only got out of the ship for a zodiac tour that took us by two Argentinean buildings on the rocky islands (and of course wildlife!).

The one exciting thing about this zodiac tour was the fact this was the first time we were seeing Chinstrap penguins in the wild. They are SO cute. I also want to acknowledge that I recently visited my friend Tiff and her family in London, and her daughter was eager to get to know me. She asked what my favorite animal was (Great White Shark – for the record, or maybe a Hammerhead!) and I quickly asked her what her’s was. I was a bit surprised to hear her say Chinstrap Penguin!

After a quick Google search I was delighted to find that they actually lived on Antarctica and that I might be able to spot one in the wild for her. (So Inara, if your mom is reading this to you – or showing you this blog. This one is for you! Chinstrap penguins are definitely adorable and I’m a big fan now!) I told our zodiac driver the background and he assured me that we would definitely see them on our tour.

Thankfully we had a break in the weather and it wasn’t raining or snowing that day, which made for a more pleasant zodiac ride. Within the first 5 minutes, we saw our first group of Chinstrap penguins on some rock jumbles that make up the islands.

Super cool cloud that morning

Our driver also took us around to look at some other really large icebergs (they sort of looked like mountains!) and we even got to see some rocks where there were plants growing! I believe it was Antarctica hair grass and some lichens.

It got pretty bumpy as we went a little further out to look at one of the icebergs. We slowly made our way back to the ship to get warm again.

We made our way up to the Explorer’s Lounge to catch up with friends, when eagle-eyed Andy saw a pod of Orcas hauling towards our ship. They were moving so quickly – and I swear our ship almost flipped over because everyone who heard, “ORCA!” went running to that side. They were gone as quickly as they came, but it was so MAGICAL to see them in the wild. I don’t think I could ever get sick of seeing these wild animals in their natural habitat.

Up Next:
– Whaler’s Bay and Deception Island

Walking in a winter wonderland

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January 2, 2025

On our expedition, we were unsure of how many continental landings we would have throughout it due to the changing ice and weather conditions, the team has to be incredibly agile when planning out itineraries. There are many islands that make up the Antarctica archipelago, but I think all of us on the ship were extremely excited to actually touch “mainland” Antarctica.

Our stop for the day was Neko Harbor. Neko Harbor has a resident glacier in its midst, and our landing site was near that. We had to quickly get off of the zodiacs and climb up the beach in case the glacier “calved” any icebergs that would cause a wave to send tourists running for higher ground. They even had someone from the Expedition Team on glacier duty – watching for any activity to walkie the others in case they needed to pause operations.

That particular day, we were some of the first groups to get outside for our landing. It was a steep climb up to a rocky outcropping that faced the glacier and provided a beautiful view of the surrounding harbor. We grabbed our trekking poles and started to make our way to the top. There was a penguin rookery halfway up, but we kept moving and decided to stop to see it on the way down. That way we would have more time with fewer people at the “top.”

The snow and wind picked up – and it truly felt like we were walking in a winter wonderland. For a few moments, it felt like we were climbing Mount Everest with how windy it got! We had the disadvantage of not having more people ahead of us creating a clear path, so it was pretty slippery and I had some trouble trying to find my footing.

Our friend Dena had beat us up there, but she graciously offered to take some pictures of us (and vice versa of course!). After that, we wanted to make our way down to get out of the windy zone. Part of the way down, we stopped to look at the Gentoo penguins. We could see a bunch of nests, and the parents fiercely defended their chicks from Skuas (predatory seabirds). One of the talks we sat in on explained that it took the parents getting distracted for one second and that would be the end of the chick. Unfortunately, we had a front row seat of watching one of the baby chicks being taken away by a lucky Skua. (Cue the “Circle of Life”)

Look like ants up at the top!

We made our way back to the ship and warmed up for a few hours before venturing out again for our zodiac cruise. We bundled back up and made our way out for our cruise. From the zodiac’s vantage point, all of the people climbing the hill looked like ants. (And it looked as steep as it felt!)

Andy saw a minke whale:

There was a group of 30 people that signed up for camping, they were able to camp on this stop, sounded fun! (But cold!)

We joked this was a ghost ship – sorry Emily!

Up Next:
– Melchior Islands

The 7th and final stop! Antarctica, here we are!

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December 31, 2024

We were filled with excitement as we pulled into Damoy Point – our first landing in Antarctica! The day before we had sat in on an expedition briefing for the different excursions they offer on the cruise. They offer: snowshoeing, kayaking, science boats, and camping. They had explained that they want each passenger to at least get one of these optional excursions, but the system doesn’t understand prioritization.

So if you wanted to do kayaking and snowshoeing – you might only get one – and it could be your second choice. I had never done snowshoeing (I know – being from Minnesota you would think I would have done it at least once, but alas, never!) so we chose that as our excursion. Hoping that we would be selected for that since we hadn’t registered for anything else.

We were chosen – and actually got to snowshoe on our first landing! I don’t want to complain, but the weather was almost too nice and we quickly began sweating from climbing up the hill. It was a great time to take a brief pause to look at all of the wildlife! There were so many penguins, and it’s just so incredible to see them in real life… in their natural environment!

Boarding the zodiac

Their penguin highways show their frequent paths in their different rookeries, where you could see their nests. On this landing, we saw Gentoo penguins with their trademark orange “lipstick” and humpback whales in the distance.

It truly was magical! This particular landing also had forts that we could go into, one of them was built by the British. Before we could enter, we had to wait for a wandering penguin to make its way to its nest. By the looks of it, a few penguins actually liked to make their nests below the fort. This fort had recently been restored to its original condition, which included the bright orange exterior.

Forgive the upside down flag 😅

We returned to the ship and had lunch. Afterwards, we had a celebratory glass of champagne and lots of laughs while trying to do a photoshoot with our balloon number “7” to celebrate our seventh continent. HX had organized a presentation with the staff that were living in Port Lockroy, the Penguin Post Office aka the southernmost post office in the world. Our presenter was the Post Master himself, which was pretty cool to hear about how things operate there. You can read more about Port Lockroy here if you’re interested in learning more about the mission and history of it!

Following the presentation, they had set up some tables where we could buy our very own Antarctica souvenirs! We didn’t know we would have this opportunity, so we were pretty excited to buy some and mail them out of Port Lockroy. (They said on average it would take 1-2 months to deliver!)

This stop also allowed for a zodiac tour to Port Lockroy. We were able to see the different structures that make up the area, including the post office and museum. The tour lasted about 35 minutes before bringing us back to the ship for dinner.

This was the only night that the ship would be putting on entertainment. There is a traditional “sketch” called Dinner for One that is watched or performed on New Year’s Eve. Our expedition director and another two individuals from the team performed this for us, many of us were laughing at how absurd it was. You can read more here if you’re interested!

The crew pulled together a rather impressive house band, called Rolling Waves. It was pretty incredible that they had that many talented individuals that they could put on a show for the guests on NYE!

Our new friends, Craig and Kim

It was incredible to ring in 2025 from Antarctica!

Up Next:
– Petermann Island

The Drake Passage: where there’s no-sleep till safe shores!

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December 30, 2024

Shockingly, it was another relatively smooth day on Drake Passage. Some guests didn’t feel great from the waves, Andy didn’t feel 100% so took it a bit easier than normal. It was another ship day, so we spent more time exploring the ship and sitting in different lectures.

We had to attend a mandatory IAATO briefing that let us know what we could/could not do Antarctica. I’d like to say that it was common sense, but I have learned common sense isn’t so common anymore. 😅 For example, how far away you should stay from penguins (15 feet) and other wildlife, leave no trace, how many tourists can be on land at one time, etc. In order to get off the ship you had to attend this briefing.

Our expedition director

Part of the IAATO treaty was also making sure that you vacuumed out all of your outside layer for any foreign objects. So we also made sure to vacuum all of our hats, mittens, snow pants, backpack, etc. that could leave any material behind. They had stations set up around the ship so we could all do our part in not bringing in any invasive materials.

On different cruise lines, they are known for their entertainment, food, activities, etc. HX is an expedition company, so they are very focused on educational programs, which was great for us to learn more about Antarctica!

We were told that we would be sailing into the Antarctic Convergence. What is that you ask? The Antarctic Convergence Zone is where the cold waters from Antarctica meet the warmer waters from the sub-Antarctic. This creates a super productive area in the ocean, full of nutrients that support tons of wildlife like krill, penguins, seals, and whales. It’s also known for its wild conditions: strong currents, frequent storms, and rough seas. Basically it’s a cold and stormy region that lets you know that you are nearing Antarctica!

Regardless of the cold, we hopped back into the hot tub again. It was pretty funny how much difference a day can make!

By early evening, we started to see our first icebergs – which got. us very excited!

Up Next:
– First day landing in Antarctica!

Ushuaia or bust!

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December 28, 2024

The HX team descended upon our hotel on the 27th – we checked in with them in the afternoon and got our plans for Saturday, 12/28. The itinerary had said we would have an “early” morning flight to Ushuaia – but what we didn’t expect was that breakfast started at 3:00 AM with a 4:00 AM departure to the airport. I was quickly relieved we hadn’t booked a tango show (most of them started at 10 PM) because we needed to get to bed early.

The morning of the 28th, we ate a small breakfast and then got on the bus to the airport. It was about a 40 minute ride to the airport. HX had organized a charter flight for us – so we went through the domestic terminal. Security was less strict than us Americans are used to – Andy was able to bring a bottle of water through! (I of course guzzled mine, because #rulefollower).

The flight was around 3.5 hours down to Ushuaia – we started to see the other passengers in our group. There were definitely some stand outs – good and bad – on who we wanted to get to know more on the trip. The make up of the group was really interesting – I was shocked to see a few families with young kids. (Setting the bar pretty high for future vacations!)

Ushuaia is located at the southern tip of Argentina and is often called the southernmost city in the world. This city serves as a gateway to Antarctica with many cruises and expeditions departing from its harbor. It is surrounded by stunning landscapes, including Tierra del Fuego National Park. It reminded me and Andy a lot of Alaska – Homer vibes in particular with all of the water and snow capped mountains surrounding it.

After landing, we all gathered our luggage and the porters would take it to the ship for us. We were given the option for either being dropped off in the city center (and taking a taxi back to the ship) or taking a sightseeing tour around the Ushuaia area. We decided it would be fun to do the tour to get more familiarized with the surrounding area.

Our first stop was Mirador del Valle Carbajal, which offers a beautiful viewpoint of the valley and the beautiful mountains in the background. In this area, the final 15 minutes of the movie the Revenant was filmed. They even had to bring in pine trees to make it feel more authentic, since the rest of the film was shot elsewhere. (They were chasing winter to give it the same feel as the rest of the movie). So it’s fun to say that Leonardo DiCaprio was there too!

From there, we moved on to Mirador Paso Garibaldi, which is a scenic viewpoint along Ruta 40 that offers panoramic views of Viedma Lake. You could also spot “hidden” lake in the distance. It’s a popular stop for travelers because it offers stunning photo opportunities. We saw a lot of birds of prey soaring around the area!

Our next stop was a lodge called Park Austral. We had lunch here before stopping in to visit the museum dedicated to the Pan-American Highway that spans from Alaska to Argentina. It was really small, but we did see a group of motorcyclists that had just completed the trek. Seems like a cool idea for a roadtrip if you have the time!

After lunch and the museum, we all embarked on a short hike through a bog. It was so spongey and cool to walk on – it was my first time in one. And we spent enough time out there that the one mosquito found me and I had a welt on my ankle for the first few days of our trip.

As soon as we wrapped up there we made our way back to the city of Ushuaia and to the port. It was finally time to board our ship! We had seen the Fridtjof Nansen in the San Diego bay the same week we had booked our trip! So we knew exactly what we were looking for – and boy, was this ship a beauty!

Our ship was only built in 2020 – so it is pretty new. The check in was really quick – and we were in our room shortly. At the last minute, the company upgraded us to a suite. We both were holding our breath until we actually got there because it felt too good to be true. But sure enough, a suite it was. Truly, truly grateful.

They recommended picking up our expedition jackets right away – they had changed them from the red from previous years to a light blue. Nice quality jackets, but not the parkas that they had advertised. Thankfully we had brought plenty of layers with us.

We were pretty exhausted from the long travel day – so we explored the ship briefly before turning in for the night.

Lodging: HX – Fridjtof Nansen

Up Next:
– Drake Passage (sailing for 2 days)