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| This is where we are now, the Polar Circle. The ship hosted an outdoor barbecue today. It was outstanding! Soon, we’ll be boarding the Zodiacs again to explore this area. |
What can we say? There are no words to describe the joy we felt this morning as we crossed into the Polar Circle, heading as far south as this ship is allowed in these waters as the sea heaved up and down congested in ice. This incredible experience has left us reeling in awe and love with this mysterious place, Antarctica.
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| The deep blue in the iceberg is due to crevices in the ice. |
There are no hotels, no restaurants, no tourist traps, and no roads or highways. There is ice, ocean, and wildlife only accessible by sea or air, with only a handful of visitors allowed to enter each year (around 37,000) and a mere 30,000 worldwide allowed to step onto its islands and glaciers to partake of its majestic beauty, Antarctica.
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| Pristine landscape in Antarctica. |
It wouldn’t have been enough for us to “cruise by.” Getting up close and personal with the wildlife and the terrain has changed us, as we’ve changed in many ways over these past 5¼ years since we began our journey.
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| Each iceberg has its distinct shape and design, a product of nature. |
Do we feel lucky? Ah, we’re beyond such a flippant perception of good fortune befalling upon one’s head. We worked hard for this. We sacrificed a lot to be here. We scrimped. We saved. We lived frugally.
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| Many icebergs create spectacular shapes, portals, and openings. |
And, we did. Living a life of perpetual travel requires us to pick and choose what matters most to us carefully. Our decisions may not appeal to the average traveler.
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| A closer view of the above photo. |
Many travelers seek to fulfill their objectives of visiting specific sites when they arrive at their preferred destination. Often, they have only one or two weeks to accomplish this. And, once they do, they’re content and satisfied. We get this.
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| During each maneuver in the Zodiac, the scene becomes more unique. |
Had I traveled more in our old lives, we’d have felt the same way…see and do as much as possible, in a limited period, going home from the vacation/holiday to face a precise routine.
They have to unpack, do laundry, clean the refrigerator, and head to the market, the health club, and ultimately, if applicable, the office or another place of employment.
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| At times, we all talked about how unreal it is to be in this magical place. |
On the few occasions we were able to travel, we experienced all of these. But, now, it’s different. We feel no sense of urgency other than to catch a flight, board a cruise and get ourselves to or from the following location.
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| At times, the water was calm and almost still. |
Instead, we embrace the moment, longing for nothing, remembering everything emblazoned in our hearts and minds, or from the simple task of checking one of our previous posts now numbering at 2015 posts as of today.
How we got here baffles us. It baffles us in the same way as this morning at 6:40 am when our captain announced over the loudspeaker in our cabin that we’d all better look outside “where the big show was going on.”
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| When we spotted this massive ten-story circle, we all squealed with delight, knowing we’d be able to get closer. |
We’re in the Polar Circle, for an ice show one can only imagine. We grabbed the two cameras and began taking photos of the spectacular display. Oh, Mother Nature, what glorious gifts you have bestowed upon us.
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| Tom, who’s always seen images in clouds, did the same with the icebergs, seeing a face here. |
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| We had to keep our distance from this delicate structure which would be a disaster for us in the small boat, where it to collapse near us. |
P.S. As I prepare this post today, we can hear the roar of the ship cutting through the ice as we head toward the Drake Passage on our way back to civilization. Wow!
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| At first glance at the Huon Valley Visitors Centre, we thought these were baguettes, big and small, when in fact, they were rolling pins. For more photos, please click here. |