Tom correcting me when I’m wrong…

Pigs were cuddling while snoozing in pen.

“Sightings from the Veranda in Costa Rica”

Tom took another excellent distant shot of a bird we couldn’t identify online. Costa Rica neighbor and bird enthusiast Charlie identified this bird as a Clay-colored Thrush or Yigüirro in Spanish.  Thanks, Charlie!

After reading yesterday’s post, Tom corrected me on a few items, which is often the case when I make an incorrect or inconsistent statement. After 1,935 posts in five years, I’m bound to be inconsistent from time to time. 

In this post dated June 17, 2013, I referred to our “bucket list” upon visiting Venice, Italy. In yesterday’s post, as shown here, I stated we don’t use the phrase “bucket list” so much anymore.

I can justify my inaccuracy by saying that we’ve changed our views on specific topics or phrases over these years, one being “bucket list.” It had become too repetitive and overused in travel circles, and I became tired of using the phrase. 

In searching our site for how many times I referenced this phrase, it appears it may have been dozens of times dwindling as time passed, as it became apparent to me that it may not necessarily apply to us.

Squirrel Monkeys in pen.

If our travel lives consisted of a “bucket list,” we may have felt restricted to fulfilling each item on the arbitrary list.  Instead, our curiosity and desires have been fluid, changing from time to time. As a result, I dispensed with using the expression overtime during the past five years.

When meeting ambitious travelers throughout the world, I often chuckle to myself when I hear the phrase repeated repeatedly. In essence, for most travelers, it clearly defines an objective…see these places while we can.

Secondly, Tom reminded me of yesterday’s post when I went on and on about what Tom had envisioned for his retirement years, failing to mention what I’d imagined for myself.

“Oh, good grief,” I spewed. “Haven’t our readers heard enough of what I think and what I imagined?  Surely, after 1,935 posts, don’t our regular readers see me like an open book and easily recite my opinions and perceptions with an uncomplicated sense of fluidity?

Two parrots who refused to turn around for a photo op.

Tom reminded me that at any given moment, don’t we have hundreds of new readers stopping by to grab a snippet of that which we espouse in our endless ramblings? They may not as yet have grasped the flow of opinions and ideas that fly off these pages day after day.

To satisfy Tom over my supposed incomplete post yesterday, I agreed, albeit tentatively, to share what I had imagined my retirement years long before we decided to travel the world. After all, we decided in January 2012 and left Minnesota on October 31, 2102, less than 10 months later.

I began contemplating my retirement years after I turned 50, which was long before I changed my way of eating to achieve pain-free living, which transpired in August 2011 from a hereditary spinal condition.

By the end of November, I awoke one morning, and for the first time in decades, I could stand, walk and maneuver without pain in my back and legs. It was indeed a miracle. Only a few months later, Tom asked me if I’d like to travel the world now that I was pain-free, and we, unsure as to how long that would last, began planning the adventure.

Easy walking path in Zoo Ave.

At that time, little did we imagine we’d last this long. We thought, two or three years tops and we’ll lose interest after tiring of moving around. It hasn’t happened. 

However, before that recovery in 2011, always in chronic pain, preferring not to complain to family and friends, I imagined my “elder years” would be wrought with the painful condition while continuing to attempt to live as normal a life as possible.

My life would have consisted of spending time with family and friends, cooking and entertaining, keeping a tidy and organized household, and attending an endless array of activities, functions, parties, and events. 

Cute sign, Zoovenirs as opposed to souvenirs.

It would have been a relatively simple life comparable to that of many retirees, which was highly enjoyable when I could mentally put the pain aside.

That’s it. But now, my imaginings are very different…in 82 days from today (February 2, 2018), we’ll be standing on Astrolabe Island, Antarctica, with 100,000 Chinstrap penguins.

In approximately 90 days, we’ll be living in the bush in South Africa, surrounded by wildlife with a camera in hand, reveling in the wonders of nature and wildlife far beyond any dreams we may have had in the past. Pinch me. Is this really our lives?

Am I going to awaken one day to be pushing the grocery cart at the Cub Foods store in Minnesota or…awakening in Buenos Aires beginning in 41 days staying in a lovely hotel in the hub of the fascinating city for an entire month? 

Variegated Squirrel at the rescue facility, Zoo Ave in Costa Rica, comparable to those we’ve seen at the villa.

We made a choice. It wasn’t an easy or flippant decision. We have no regrets. Life is good. We’re grateful, we’re humbled, and we’re at peace.

Thanks to all of our readers for sharing this life with us.

Photo from one year ago today, November 12, 2016:

We dined almost every night during the 33-night cruise circumventing Australia, with new friends from the top, left to right, John and Kat from Australia, Cheryl and Stan and Lois and Tom from the US and us. (Not our photo). For more details, please click here.

Shopping done… Not always easy from afar… The big balance is now due for the Antarctica cruise…Ouch!

*Please see our comments below as to these included photos.

Puente Ferrocarril Rio Grande Museum in Atenas.

“Sightings from the Veranda in Costa Rica”

This pudgy blue and gray bird was the first sighting for us.  This may be a Blue-Gray Tanager. 

The online shopping hasn’t been easy.  Some items weren’t available in correct colors and sizes. Tom ordered an item and received an email stating it had been shipped and only moments later, received a second email stating it wasn’t available in his preferred color.  We contacted Amazon requesting further information.

I ordered a few items and received a message stating the package was lost in the mail and I had to reorder elsewhere. The multiple items don’t arrive in one package.  Often there are many packages arriving over a series of days.

Railway photos from decades past.

One has to be careful items aren’t shipped from China or other international locations which may take weeks, if not months, to arrive.  Shopping online requires checking and re-checking.  We’ve each ordered at least a dozen items.  It can be tricky.

We’re hoping everything will arrive before November 12th when we’ll have the package shipped to the hotel in Fort Lauderdale.  Timing is everything in this case. 

If any item is missing, we’d have to purchase it in Buenos Aires during our one month stay prior to the cruise.  We don’t want this hanging over our heads during a time we’ll prefer to be sightseeing and enjoy the sights, smells and sounds of this big city.

Various paper money over the years.

Yesterday, I made our doctor appointments for complete physical exams by November 2nd, a few days after we return from Nicaragua.  Ponant, the cruise line, requires several medical forms be completed and sent to them between 45 and 90 days prior to the cruise. 

This is to ensure passengers are in sufficiently good health to embark upon this expedition cruise.  There will be a doctor-on-board but based on the location, deep in Antarctica, emergency evacuation isn’t possible.  Of course, having such an exam is by no means a guaranty a passenger won’t have a medical emergency, as we so well know. 

Telegraph machine.

Apparently, the local doctor we chose speaks English so we’ll be readily able to explain what we need and provide a medical history as required with her signature.  Doctor Candy is highly regarded in Atenas and we anticipate this process will go smoothly.

Speaking of this cruise, the final payment is due on Monday, October 16th.  This morning I wrote to our rep at Vacations to Go as to which credit card to use for the balance of US $13,875 (CRC 7,964,736). 

We’re relieved we’d already paid US $20,625 (CRC 11839472) over this past year toward the grand total of US $34,500 (CRC 19,804,208) fare for the two of us.  We’ve never paid so much for any cruise or venue of any type.  This is a huge chunk out of our budget.

Old photos of the train station.

This was one of those items on our preferred locations list to visit as we travel the world.  This seemed to be one of those items one must accomplish “sooner, rather than later” when medical issues might prohibit such an expedition, especially in getting off the ship onto the Zodiak boats to spend two to three hours standing outdoors in the cold on an island or ice floe.  This may not be possible for the average 80-year-old.

One additional motivator (among many others) in deciding to return to Africa after this cruise is to “lick our wounds” to recover this huge expense when the cost of living is much less in Africa than in many other parts of the world.  Then again, there are those amazing animals, those amazing friends we left behind and an endless array of unique experiences awaiting us.

The train was a big point of interest for the community.

During our remaining time in Costa Rica, as we’ve done so far, is to maintain as tight a budget as possible.  No more rental cars, no more tours or outings requiring an outlay of cash. 

Its only with this careful planning and budgeting that we can and will continue on these adventures which ultimately require some sacrifices along the way.  It’s not as if we can stay “home” and save for a big trip.  We have to do it as we go wherever we may be at any given time. 

Going forward over these next 41 days, until we finally leave Costa Rica, our belts are tightened.  As a result, we won’t be getting out much over these next weeks, other than the round trip to Managua Nicaragua on October 28th staying for two nights.  Of course, we’ll continue to make weekly trips to Atenas for shopping and taking photos.

Juan Ramon was thrilled to show us old photos.

*Subsequently, over these next six weeks we’ll be posting photos we’ve already taken (no repeats, although they may be similar to photos we’d posted earlier) from our various sightseeing outings up to this point.  We apologize for this and hope you’ll continue on with us until once again we’re on our way to yet another cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Buenos Aires over 30-nights. 

We’ll be getting off the ship at every port and much to our delight going through the Panama Canal one more time.  Talk about new photos!  When the cruise ends in Buenos Aires we’ll be staying there for another 31-nights while awaiting the 16-night Antarctica cruise.  Surely, Buenos Aires will inspire many new photos of the fabulous city.

Please stay tuned.  There’s so much more on the horizon!  Happy day to all!

_________________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, October 12, 2016:

It was easy to spend lazy afternoons lounging on the cabana in Bali, one year ago.  For more photos, please click here.

Shopping online for Antarctica…Quite a challenge…

Ulysses dropped off these tangerines. Tom will eat them when they ripen.

“Sightings from the Veranda in Costa Rica”

Tom took this beautiful photo in the early morning as the moon was setting. Nice job!

It’s been nagging at us to get to work to purchase the clothing we’ll need for the upcoming Antarctica cruise.  These days, neither of us cares to shop especially considering we’re stuck with whatever we buy. Returning items that don’t fit isn’t an option due to our lifestyle.

On Friday, we talked on Skype to a lovely couple Tom had communicated with on CruiseCritic who’d already done a similar cruise. Al and his wife Donna gave us a list of everything we’d need for the many hours we’ll spend outdoors on the Zodiak boats and standing on ice floes and ice-covered islands.

A quiet side street in the center of town in Atenas.

They suggested the following items:

1.  Waterproof pants
2.  Waterproof gloves with liners
3.  Warm hat
4.  Gator (neck wrap)
5.  Warm socks
6.  Ski goggles
7.  Sweatshirts
8.  Sweaters
9.  Trekking poles 
10. Waterproof backpack
11. Long underwear

There are numerous one-way streets in town.

The cruise line provides a waterproof parka for all guests and boots sized upon boarding the ship. We can keep the parkas but return the boots at the end of the cruise.

We’ve decided to ship all the cold weather clothing back to our mailing service while we’re in Buenos Aires.  They’ll hold these items in our large box until we embark upon some adventures to the Arctic or other cold climates in years to come.

Kids are playing at the central park.

We were grateful for Al and Donna’s suggestions. They also mentioned long underwear, but instead, I’m purchasing a tall-sized pair of yoga pants to wear under the waterproof pants. This will keep me warm and be less bulky than wearing jeans underneath the pants. 

Tom never wore long underwear when working outdoors on the railroad for over 42 years, even when temperatures were as low as forty degrees below zero. Instead, he stayed comfortable with jeans on the bottom and sweatshirts and a jacket on the top. After all, we’re from Minnesota and know how to dress appropriately for cold weather.

As we walked through the park on a cloudy day.

The coldest periods in Antarctica will be the Zodiac boat rides out to the islands and ice floes due to the added wind chill factor from the fast-moving boats. However, once we’re situated, we should be comfortable when the temperature is typically in the “freezing” range, but not much less, based on the islands we’ll be visiting. (We’ve looked up each stop along to way to confirm this fact).

Over the past few days, I finally got to work making my purchases. Unfortunately, the only pair of women’s tall waterproof pants in my size (considering the bulk of the yoga pants underneath) was at Eddie Bauer at the cost of US $179 (CRC 102,853), much more than I wanted to spend. 

Grafitti on a wall on the way to town.

For the remainder of my items, I made most of my purchases at Amazon (here on our site at this link) with a few brand-new labeled items on eBay. So, besides the cost of the pants, I spent an additional US $250 (CRC 143,650) for a total of US $429 (CRC 246,504). 

Had I made the purchases through Ponant’s online shop, I’d easily have spent over US $1,200 (CRC 689,520).  The prices for the remaining items include all of the above-listed items except the poles and backpack (Tom is buying the backpack since we only need one) and the long underwear, which I replaced with yoga pants I’ll keep on hand and wear in the future.

More graffiti on the wall.

Today, as I write this, Tom clicks away on his computer and just purchased two much-needed dress shirts for the upcoming cruises. Once I’m done here, I’ll get to work with him to help him find his remaining items.

Hopefully, by the end of today, this task will be completed.  Once we receive the package with our clothing in Miami on November 22nd, we’ll take a photo of everything and post it here.

May your day be filled with accomplishments providing you with peace of mind. That’s what we’re striving for!

 Photo from one year ago today, October 10, 2016:

In Bali, while on a walk, we encountered this cow. She said, “What are you looking at?” “Your beauty and charm,” we replied. She smiled, and we continued on our way. For more photos, please click here.

A new month brings a new perspective…Hello October!…

Cactus plants are scattered throughout Costa Rica, growing prolifically in the tropical climate.

“Sightings from the Veranda in Costa Rica”

Low-lying morning clouds as seen from the veranda.

It’s hard to believe it’s October 1st today. Where did the time go? Finally, on the last day of this month, we’ll joyfully celebrate our fifth anniversary of traveling the world. We left Minnesota on Halloween 2012.

In 53 days, we’ll sail away from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on a 30-night cruise to South America as we begin making our way toward Buenos Aires, Argentina. Then in 114 days from today, we’re off toward Ushuaia, Argentina, to embark on the Antarctica cruise.

Costa Rica is clever in using waste products as an alternative to expensive resources.

We’ve hardly given much thought to the fact we’ll be spending 30-nights in a lovely hotel in Buenos Aires beginning on December 23rd (Tom’s 65th birthday). In our old lives, that leg itself would have been considered the “trip of a lifetime.” 

From there, in roughly 132 days from today, we’ll arrive in the somewhat remote area of Mpumalanga/Nelspruit to make our way to Marloth Park, South Africa, a 90-minute drive from the airport where we’ll be renting a car for the many months we’ll spend in the country. 

Old tires are used as a retaining wall.

There are no words to express our enthusiasm for what is upcoming in the future. However, it’s hard, if not impossible, to temper one’s excitement when contemplating what the future holds.

It’s not as if we constantly talk about these adventures. On the contrary, we’ve always made a concerted effort to live in the moment, relishing in our current surroundings. It’s not hard to do in Costa Rica with the easy flow of life in this beautiful and friendly country.

The dirt-covered road after a rainstorm. The rain has been outrageous during the “green season” over these past months and is expected to continue through October.

There’s no denying that we’ve limited ourselves by not having a full-time car rental while we’re here.  Taxi fare is cheap in town but gets pricey when going sightseeing in distant locations. 

The cost of partial day tours in Costa generally runs over US $100 (CRC 57,232) per person plus the cost of getting to and from the tour pickup and drop-off locations. At this point, with a considerable outlay of funds for the upcoming adventures, we’ve had to curtail our spending.

An old shack along the mountain road.

Even the US, $162.50 (CRC 93,001) for the five-day rental car, is too expensive for us at this point. Moreover, the monthly cost, close to US $1,000 (CRC 572,315), doesn’t fit into the budget.

We’ll need to buy the cost of clothing for the Antarctica cruise (which we’ll ship to our mailing service in Nevada to hold for us for our next “cold weather” expedition) is expensive. We’ve considered renting the clothing, but we’ve discovered it’s more cost-effective and time-saving to purchase the necessary items after considerable research. 

We’ll make the necessary purchases online and have all the items shipped to our mailing service and then shipped in one package to the hotel in Fort Lauderdale. From there, we’ll board the 30-night South America cruise without any baggage constraints.  

A shriveled banana blossom, parts of which is used in cooking in certain parts of the world.

When the 30-night South America cruise ends in Buenos Aires, we’ll begin our month-long stay at the hotel. When we fly to Ushuaia from Buenos Aires to board the cruise to Antarctica, we’ll leave most of our baggage behind at the Buenos Aires hotel, which has agreed to hold until Antarctica cruise ends. There is a strict baggage weight restriction on the flights to Ushuaia and back.

We’d decided to begin making the clothing purchases this month to ensure everything arrives on time and have the cumbersome task behind us. At one time, shopping online would have been fun, but I’ve lost interest in shopping altogether other than for groceries. Likewise, Tom never enjoyed shopping of any type, let alone online. So we’ll get it done.

A cloudy mountain scene.

Today, after a hugely stormy night and equally cloudy day with rain on the horizon, we’re hunkered down. Soon, Tom will watch the Minnesota Vikings football game. At the same time, I’ll head to the kitchen to start preparing today’s meal consisting of baby back ribs, an egg and bacon quiche, roasted vegetables, and salad, often checking back and forth to see how the game is going.

Have a happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, October 1, 2016:

A man of the beach collecting miscellaneous items from the beach placing them in this cart attached to his motorbike. For more Bali photos, please click here.

Stumbled across this article,…”Why I Hated Antarctica”…Oh, oh…Unexpected “visitor” in the house!!!

We opened the sliding glass door with the sun shining only to have a visitor come to see what I was cooking. Three Magpies visit every day to see what morsels we have for the day. Carnivorous scavengers, Magpies are always on the hunt for a tidbit of meat.
When sleep eluded me during the night I stumbled across an article on Facebook with a heading reading, “Why I Hated Antarctica,” I couldn’t resist but reading it in its entirety. 
It at this very spot that I prepare foods. He’d entered to do some “crumb patrol” without much luck since we’d vacuumed the previous day.

The moment I’d seen the title, I freaked out a little wondering what befell these travelers causing them to feel so negatively about Antarctica. Had things changed dramatically since we’d booked this cruise so long ago?

Giving up, he checked out the garbage can for surrounding crumbs and wandered back outdoors.  He waited for me while I grabbed a few bits of ground beef and sausage he shared with his partner and a noisy, fast-growing chick.

After all, we’ve already paid the following for this upcoming Antarctica cruise on January 23, 2018, a mere nine months from now:

Prestige Stateroom
Charges Cruise (includes port charges)
US $34,410.00 (AU $45,498)

Government Taxes*
US $90.00 (AU $119)

Total Sale 
US $ 34,500 (AU $45,617)

 
Ponant Yacht Cruises (deposit)
MC 
8,625.00 (AU $11,404)

Ponant Yacht Cruises
MC 
US $2,000 (AU $2,644)

Ponant Yacht Cruises
MC 
US $2,000 (AU $2,644)

Ponant Yacht Cruises
MC 
US $2,000 (AU $2,644)

Ponant Yacht Cruises
MC 
US $2,000 (AU $2,644)

Ponant Yacht Cruises
MC
US $2,000 (AU $2,644)

Total Payments
US $18,625 (AU $24,626)

Balance Due 
US $15,875  (AU $20,990)

With the final payment due on October 16, 2017, we’re left with six months to continue to pay toward the balance. However, by the time the final payment is due, it will be greatly reduced to a manageable sum. This high fare was daunting when we booked the cruise but has become less worrisome as we pay down the balance.

With the fall season in full swing, the weather cools a little each day. Soon, as winter arrives, the beaches will have fewer sunbathers, swimmers, and surfers.

We’ve never spent this huge of a fare for a cruise. Most likely we never will again. But, Antarctica was on the “dream list” and if we didn’t do it sooner than later, advancing age and possible health conditions may prevent it. 

A doctor’s certificate of good health is required within 90 days of sail date. This could deter some travelers embarking on this cruise. During the upcoming three and a half months (90 days prior to the cruise) we’ll be living in Costa Rica, we’ll arrange doctor appointments for the physical exams.

Surf boards, paddle boards, chairs and umbrellas for rent.

Seeing this article title sent me into a bit of a tizzy thinking perhaps travelers experiences had changed recently causing considerable disappointment since we’d booked this cruise some time ago. But, unfortunately, I couldn’t read the article quickly enough.

A sailboat slowly motoring through the bay in low winds.

Here’s an excerpt from the article which may be found in full at this link:

“Everyone wants to experience the Drake Passage! I heard tales of how rough it can be and how everyone is sea since it sounded like a real adventure. What did we get, you ask? Something, known as the Drake Lake. Flat, calm, next to no wind and smooth sailing the entire way to and back from Antarctica. Talk about disappointing.

Sunshine, bloody sunshine everywhere while in Antarctica. I am so lucky I had sunscreen and sunnies on hand for other travels. I can tell you I would have been burnt to a crisp if I had not had these. No one wants the sunshine in Antarctica; you are supposed to be a cold continent…..shame on you.

I am sure you have heard that only 100 people can be on Antarctica at one particular point at one time. I thought beauty no crowds here plenty of space it is going to be amazing! BUT, no one mentioned the PENGUINS. You would not believe how many there are, they are literally everywhere and to make matters worse there are rules. You must give way to penguins, GIVE WAY I tell you! Sometimes when they are running down their penguin highways, yes they have highways, they decide to stop right in front of you. At this moment you must stop and wait for them to move. Talk about invading your personal space and wasting your time.”

The tongue-in-cheek article continues at this link making me laugh out loud at its humor and my mistaken perception that it may be negative after all. But, if anything, it further confirmed our enthusiasm for this upcoming adventure.

Prices are high at the fish mongers; for example, the fish Tom caught in the ocean while fishing in the Huon Valley, Flathead Fillets are selling for AU 46.90, US $35.44 for one kilo, (2.2 pounds). We prefer not to eat farmed fish this avoiding this pricey farmed salmon for AU 39.90, US $30.16 per one kilo.

It’s not that we wishing time to pass quickly. On the contrary, as we plan more and more events with our family and friends, our enthusiasm is sky high. And, of course, we’re immensely enthused about the upcoming cruise in three days, the cruise to Alaska in 28 days and arriving in Minnesota in only 37 days. How quickly the time has passed!

Sunny day at the beach.

Today’s additional mention in the post’s heading about our unexpected visitor which was pure delight reminding us of visitors we can expect in South Africa in a mere 10 months. 

Living in the moment becomes a little challenging with so much on the horizon; nevertheless, each day, we strive to find joy in the little things including our visiting Magpie with whom we’ve become even more intimate friends than the visiting Kookaburras who’ve yet to come indoors. Even a nosey Mynah hopped along the kitchen counter shortly after our arrival.

Expansive view of the bay.  Sydney Harbour is a distance to the right, around the point.

Every day is a gift, one we keep opening layer upon layer to wonderful surprises along the way.

May your day be filled with wonderful surprises!

Photo from one year ago today, April 19, 2016:

A wall hanging in the casino on Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas last year on this date. For more details, please click here.

A dream come true…Antarctica, here we come!…Exciting and…pricey!…Tomorrow…the 666 day itinerary!

Not our photo, but not unlike the experience we hope to have on our booked cruise to Antarctica in 21 months. The cruise was booked up so fast on the day it was posted, we decided to book this far ahead.

When we first conceived of the idea of traveling the world in January 2012, a few of what we considered as “must do’s” in our travels have changed or have since been fulfilled.

That’s not to say the list isn’t still extensive at this point. The more we learn about this enormous world we live in, the more we find appealing to our tastes and desires.

For me, my number one dream was to see wildlife in Africa.  After almost nine months on the continent, my greedy self longs for more. Someday, we’ll return to fulfill my desires to return and also to fulfill one of Tom’s dreams to see Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and Zambia. Of course, that future trip will include seeing the gorillas in Rwanda, an experience we both will treasure.

As for Tom in the beginning, his first priority was to visit the Panama Canal.  Our first cruise in January, 2013 our ship traversed the narrow passageway at the Panama Canal, which proved to be an extraordinary experience for both of us. 

The newly built locks on the Panama Canal are yet to open due to construction delays although the expectation is that it will be operational by the end of June. Even if the new canal its not open by the time we arrive in 2017 we still look forward to it once again as another layer in the experience.

The Panama Canal is not a “final” destination, instead its a means for us to make our way to South America from our location in Central America at the time. As mentioned in yesterday’s post, in November, 2017 we’ll again cruise through the canal on the first of the two cruises we mentioned.

As we’ve continued on our travels incorporating almost constant ongoing worldwide research, we’ve added many locations to our list of places we’d like to visit. Will we be able to see them all?  Most likely not.  Both time and finances have a bearing on our ability to do so.

However, added to our list of “hope to see,” eventually moving over to the “must see” list, Antarctica quickly moved up to the top of the list over these past few years as we conducted more and more research.  We knew the price would be outrageous. As we’ve fine tuned our budget, we’ve saved and trimmed to make this possible.

The itinerary for our upcoming cruise to Antarctica.

Availability of Antarctica cruises for the right dates became imperative based on current bookings and, as described in yesterday’s post, as we began to explore South America for the later part of 2017 and 2018. 

Here is a link with considerable information about cruising in Antarctica from the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) that has provided us with valuable answers to questions.

The quality of the cruise lines and ships became a vital aspect as we continued in our extensive research. We watched videos, read hundreds of online reviews as well as endless comments in CruiseCritic, constantly on the search for the perfect scenario for our needs and wants.

The most important criteria for us is taking an Antarctica cruise is the inclusion in getting off the ship to board small Zodiac boats that travel to the ice floes for close encounters with wildlife.  

The “cruising only” options of many ships with no “off ship” experiences typically last for 10 to 11 days. This was definitely not worth the lower cost to us.  We wanted more. We knew a 14 to 17 day cruise with use of excursions on guided Zodiac boats for up close and personal wildlife experiences was the driving force behind our research and ultimately, our final decision.

Then, of course, the price, age of the ship, quality of ship, number of passengers, reviews and accommodations on the smaller ships that visit this vast area of the world became a vital factor in finding the right cruise.

ITINERARY
DAY DATE PORT ARRIVE   DEPART
Tue Jan 23 Ushuaia, Argentina 6:00pm
Wed Jan 24 At Sea
Thu Jan 25 Grave Cove, Falkland Islands / New Island, Falklands
Fri Jan 26 At Sea
Sat Jan 27 At Sea
Sun Jan 28 South Georgia Island
Mon Jan 29 South Georgia Island
Tue Jan 30 South Georgia Island
Wed Jan 31 At Sea
Thu Feb 1 Elephant Island
Fri Feb 2 Astrolabe Island, Antarctica
Sat Feb 3 Neko Harbor, Antarctica
Sun Feb 4 At Sea
Mon Feb 5 At Sea
Tue Feb 6 At Sea
Wed Feb 7 Ushuaia, Argentina 5:00pm
Thu Feb 8 Ushuaia, Argentina Disembark

For me, I’d have been content to sail on the less luxurious ships with minimal accommodations if necessary to make it affordable. But, as our research continued, the lower priced older, less luxurious ships didn’t offer much lower pricing and…sacrificing luxury no longer became an issue. In any case, it was going to cost us dearly.

After considerable research, we decided on the French Ponant Cruise line which has small enough ships to maneuver into areas larger ships cannot navigate. Also, the cruise line offered excellent accommodations and amenities including tips and alcoholic beverages, upscale food with scientists and professional photographers on board.

Over these past 18 months, as we continued our search, we resigned ourselves to the outrageous cost of these 14 to 16 day cruises.  Prices on most Antarctica cruises begin at a low of NZ $14,682, US $8800, per person for more modest accommodations on less desirable ships to a high of NZ $79,285, US $54,000 on luxury ships.

Ships are categorized by “number of stars” ranging from a low of “3” to a high of “6” for the pricey high end ships.  The ship we selected, Ponant’s Le Soleal, is rated a “5.5”. We’re very happy with this. The price, on the other hand made us cringe a little although we were prepared it would be high.

The cost for the balcony cabin we selected on the fourth deck of Ponant Le Soleal is a combined (for two) NZ $50,654, US $34,500, as opposed to the much lower priced third deck where the medical center is located. We didn’t want to be close to that!  

Here’s information about the ship:

Le Soléal

Ship Rating:
Le Soléal features a sleek silhouette and a welcoming, intimate atmosphere. Le Soléal accommodates up to just 264 passengers and embodies the philosophy and spirit of yacht cruising that has made Ponant a success.

All 132 staterooms and suites feature ocean views, and the interior of the ship boasts contemporary décor with fluid lines and a modern color scheme. Trips in a Zodiac boat will allow passengers to get as close as possible to the natural grace of the Arctic lands, and a team of naturalists and lecturers will accompany guests and share their knowledge, experience and passion for their subject.

Carrying on a tradition of reducing impact on the environment, Le Soléal also features a state-of-the-art navigational positioning system, eliminating the need to drop anchor and therefore protecting the seabed. This advanced system also lowers smoke emissions and includes an optical and submarine detection system to avoid collisions with marine life, both day and night.

Le Soléal
Detailed Information
 Ship Statistics 
Year Built 2013
Tonnage 10,944 tons
Registry France
Length 466 feet
Beam 59 feet
Passenger Capacity 264
Crew Size 139
Total Inside Cabins 0
Total Outside Cabins 132
Cabins & Suites w/ verandas 124
Suites 4
Maximum Occupancy per room 4
Age Restrictions One person must be 18 or older
Dinner Seatings 1
Seating Assignments
in Main Dining Room
Open
Dining Hours Open Seating
Dining Room Dress Code Dining
Tipping Recommended? No
Tipping Guidelines Gratuities are included in the cruise fare.
Onboard Currency European Union Euro
Services & Amenities
Bars/Lounges 3
Beauty Salon/Barber Shop Yes
Casino No
Chapel No
Disco/Dancing Yes
Elevators Yes
Hot Tub No
Cell Phone Service No
Internet Access Yes
Internet Center Yes
Wireless Internet Access Yes
Laundry/Dry Cleaning No
Library Yes
Movie Theatre No
Outdoor Movie Screen No
Onboard Weddings No
Self Serve Laundromats No
Shops Yes
Showroom Yes
Spa Yes
Video Arcade No
Fitness & Sports Facilities
Basketball Court No
Fitness Center Yes
Golf Driving Net No
Golf Simulator No
Ice Skating Rink No
Jogging Track No
Mini-Golf Course No
Rock Climbing Wall No
Swimming Pool Yes
Tennis Court No
Water Slide No
Water Sports Platform No
Cabin Features & Amenities
24-Hour Room Service Yes
Hair Dryer Yes
Safe Yes
Telephone Yes
Television Yes
Kids Facilities
Babysitting No
Children’s Playroom No
Kiddie Pool No
Supervised Youth Program No
Teen Center No
Special Needs & Requests
Adjoining Cabins
(private connecting doors)
No
Kosher Meals No
Single Occupancy Cabins No
Single Share Program No
Wheelchair-Accessible Cabins Yes

Yesterday, we paid the non-refundable deposit of 25% at NZ $12,666, US $8,625. Even that made us cringe.  But, we look at this much desired cruise as a once-in-a-lifetime experience, one neither of us ever dreamed possible. 

Going forward, we’ll share more information on this cruise including the cost and details of renting appropriate outerwear clothing, boots and gloves which the cruise line arranges after we make our online selections. 

The cruise lines have requirements on which items we must rent to ensure they don’t have to deal with less appropriately dressed passengers. Today, we received an online form from our highly competent cruise rep at Vacations to Go, Brooklyn Earnhardt who can be reached here which included medical forms we must have signed by a doctor no more than 90 days before departure date.

Over the next 21.5 months until we board the cruise on January 23, 2018 in Ushaiai, Argentina, referred to as the most southerly city in the world (the ends of the earth) we have plenty of time to take care of everything we’ll need to do

Here we are today, only one week from boarding the Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas at the Port of Sydney, Australia.  No, this upcoming cruise may not be as exciting as the Antarctica cruise. But, our enthusiasm and level of excitement is high, as always, as we continue on to our next adventure. 

May your day find you filled with enthusiasm for whatever your day brings. Today, we’ll be hanging out with 47 adorable alpaca moms and babies. What more could we possibly want?

Photo from one year ago today, April 9, 2015:

A juice bar on wheels in Hanalei. A tour we’d planned was rained out.  Instead we visited Hanalei, a small tourist town in Kauai. For more photos, please click here.

Are we slacking off in planning for the future???

Narrow road along an area of tucked away homes and farms.

By the time we left Minnesota in 2012, we had bookings for the upcoming two years. At this time, we’re booked our for 589 days which is one year, seven months and 10 days from today.

Is there a reason we haven’t stuck to our goal of staying booked two years in advance? Are we uncertain as to how we’ll spend those “missing” five months from our itinerary?

An intentional fire at the mill not far from us.

Not necessarily. Once we leave from the booked three-month stint at the fabulous Costa Rica villa (click here to see) on October 31, 2017 (our five-year travel anniversary) we’ve decided to leave Central America to head to South America where we hope to spend 18 to 24 months.

While in South America, there are many points of interest we’d like to see, but one stands out the most; a cruise to Antarctica. Whether we book this in the later part of 2017 or 2018 is up for grabs at this point. 

None of the cruises in December, January, and February for either of these particular years have been posted yet. We have a specific cruise line, we’d like to choose from and will share details once they’re available. 

Paddock fences at the nearby farm

There are several price ranges for Antarctica cruises on relatively small ships with under 200 passengers, one for as short as 10 days at a much lower price and the more expensive option for 15 or 16 days. 

The vast difference in cost for these two options is the less expensive “cruising by” some of the most interesting islands or actually getting on Zodiac boats from the ship to the islands to get “up close and personal” with the wildlife. 

A place to stop and enjoy the views.

Our regular readers can easily surmise, the “up close and personal” option is our only choice. “Cruising by” would be torture for us. Taking photos from a mile away is not something that appeals to either of us.

By far, this option will be the most expensive of any of our plans to date. We’re preparing for this eventuality in attempting to book affordable locations in the interim which we’ve been able to accomplish so far and hope to continue into the future.

With that in mind, we still have a gap in our schedule we failed to address in our last few posts…how we’ll spend the two weeks between getting off the ship after the Alaskan cruise on May 26, 2017, to June 8, 2017, when we plan to arrive in Minnesota to visit family, later heading to Nevada to visit more family members.

Gate to a long driveway to another farm.

We picked June 8th in hopes of the grandchildren being out of school for the summer holiday. With a plan to rent a caravan/RV during our stay in Minnesota and with the high daily rate of doing so, we decided not to arrive any earlier than this date, hoping to find a less costly way of spending the two-week gap along the way.

After carefully reviewing the outrageous costs of staying in a hotel or vacation home in Minnesota, arriving two weeks earlier than planned would severely cut into the budget, especially when we’d be dining out for all meals and renting a car. 

The rolling hills and mountain views are lovely even on a cloud covered day.

With an RV we can prepare our meals (especially considering our way of eating) not leaving it up to family members to cook for us or putting us up for the extended stay, get around town easily and have a place to sleep, all in one.  It makes the most sense to us both financially and practically.

Arriving in Seattle after the Alaskan cruise, heading across the northern part of the US to Minnesota, leaves us many options. In the next several months, we’ll reserve the RV in Minnesota and figure out how we’ll spend the two-week gap.

Planning beyond the time in Costa Rica, after we’ll have left the US is totally predicated at this point on the cruise we choose to Antarctica which hopefully soon we’ll be able to pin down. That’s our entire motivation for waiting to book other locations.

Many farmhouses have ocean views.

This booking process can be complicated and time-consuming. The thought of “not having a place to live” for a period of time could be frightening and unsettling for some. 

For us, after all this time, its simply one more item on our “to do” list over which neither of us stresses or worries. There’s always a solution, one way or another.

May your day bring you solutions and peace of mind.

Photo from one year ago today, March 21, 2015:

This photo, taking from our lanai in Kauai after a night of rain, displayed this waterfall on the mountains. What a beautiful sight! For more details on this date one year ago, please click here.