In 2006, Brett and I embarked on what was to be a journey of a lifetime.
Geared up for the Cold!
We flew from Perth to Buenos Aires in Argentina, South America, and wow what a flight; It’s such a long way. After a few nights to Enjoy the colorful La Boca, Argentinean Tango and the food we were off to the very tip of South America to a place called Ushuaia.
Ushuaia is a quaint city, where you will definitely need your thermals. A great place to visit the Terre Del Fuego National park, and to stock up with that Fantastic Argentinean Wine, before embarking on your expedition.
We set sail one afternoon leaving the Beagle channel to enter the infamous Drake Passage. This is the moment I has been dreading since booking the journey many months before. I had such a fear about the ocean and being stuck under the water so I was scared about the journey down to the Antarctic Peninsula.
As they say there are two ways you can encounter the Drake Passage, the Drake Lake or the Drake Shake! On the way down we had the Drake Lake. Not so much a Lake like that you have in your mind but more a big rolling swell. It was enough to put in bed for a couple of days. Brett on the other hand was up and about, going to Lectures on the Antarctic wildlife that we would encounter, lectures on the geology and History and even Photography lectures.
After the 2 day crossing we were there! I was in Antarctica. Wow. It truly was beautiful. For the next 8 days we visited so many places including the Volcanic Deception Island and the UK and Russian Antarctic stations (if any of you have my business cards, this is where I posted the letters home from, expensive process…but heaps of fun !)
Stunning Icebergs!
We were off the ship every day either going whale watching and following Orca’s, Minke’s or Southern Right Whales, going ashore and being amused by the Gentoo Penguins (they are so inquisitive!) We even got close one afternoon in a bay to a Leopard Seal hunting for its food, needless to say that penguins were flying through the air!
We had the most amazing food onboard the ship. Every afternoon or morning when we got back from being on the Zodiacs, we always had fresh Tea, Coffee, Hot Chocolate and Cookies to come back to. Not to mention the 3 courses for lunch and dinner every day! We had an ongoing joke about the ship pulling into bakeries along the way because the rolls and the break were to die for!
Our Journey back was a sad one, not only because for me it meant another 2 days in bed but our experience in the Antarctic was coming to and end. Oh and by the way, you know how I mentioned about the Drake Passage…we had the Drake Shake coming back. 10 Meter swells and waves crashing left right and centre over the ship. I was glad to get back to the Beagle Channel.
I could talk for hours about my journey and experience but you are probably not all going to sit there and read the whole thing! So if you have any ideas about visiting this amazing destination and need some help please don’t hesitate to contact me.
And I just had to share some of what I learnt just in case you are part of the 35,000 plus Australians who can now say they have enjoyed a river cruise in Europe.
Of course it is much more than just a craze where people rushing off to Europe to be on one of these cruises.
Rather it seems to me that it is the style and freedom River Cruises like Avalon Waterways offer which is what is catching on.
Check out my short summary of the presentation in the video below and then in a day or so check in when I share what I am thinking will be about a 6 to 8 minute detailed highlights including some pictures of what you can expect from river cruises in Europe.
I think you will be very surprised by what you discover…I certainly was.
Feel free to ask me any questions or post a comment.
This is just a quick warning which I want you to know about.
Hopefully you have not been caught out as some travellers have already.
I am passing on word for word what I have read as well as the contact numbers below.
Consumer Protection is acting quickly to close down a bogus travel website which is offering ridiculously low airfares and operating without a licence. The website -www.AusFlightz.net- is hosted overseas and is using a travel agent licence number and ABN of a legitimate travel business. It is also falsely claiming to be an agent for major airlines. The physical address on the site does not exist and the phone number has been disconnected.
Consumer Protection Commissioner Anne Driscoll said the Department launched an investigation after receiving complaints from licensed travel agents who were approached by consumers asking them if they could match the low fares.
“To sell travel in Western Australia you must be licensed and this business definitely does not hold a licence, despite its claims,” Ms Driscoll said. “The airfares being advertised are well below market prices, with the site claiming that the fares being offered are cheap because they are exempt from paying fees and taxes. We strongly recommend that consumers avoid making any bookings or revealing any bank or credit card details on this site until our investigations are complete.”
Consumer Protection is approaching the web hosting company overseas to suspend this account and is continuing to investigate. If in any doubt, travel consumers are urged to contact Consumer Protection to check that the agent or website they are dealing with is on our register of licensed agents. Consumers who may have had dealings with this particular website are also asked to come forward by calling us on 1300 30 40 54 or by emailing consumer@commerce.wa.gov.au
Again please be careful when something seems to good to be true…well you know how it goes…right?
Next week I share the top 10 safest travel destination…so please check in regularly.
John Woodbury is a local AlbanyCharter yacht skipper who assures me that no one need ever get the horrible sea sickness feelings again!!!
As a long term 26 year travel planner myself I could not begin to count how many people said they would love to take a cruise…but would not even consider it as they get sea sick in the bath!!!
John explained to me just what causes sea sickness and why it is preventable…so if you suffer from sea sickness and are feed up with being restricted to land base activities then please check out this short video where John shares a couple of valuable tips on using Kwels.
Later this week I will be posting a new longer video where John explains and then clearly demonstrates a 100% natural cure anyone can utilize immediately…and the good news it is just as effective for car or any other motion type sickness.
So be sure to check back in a couple of days…John can guarantee that this is original and 100% effective.
It is 7.30 pm. Rain is falling and tomorrow is Easter.
At least I can sleep in tomorrow.
Then I can certainly say it is Good Friday.
Nilla is off helping her friend Janette prepare some yummy deserts for tomorrow.
And here I am in the office preparing for the next week.
But rather than wait for next week here is a cruise tip given to me by my friend Rob who just returned from a Queen Mary 2 cruise from Perth to Hong Kong. Which he highly recommends.
I actually had Nilla video me from the top deck of MS Volendam while she was in Albany recently so you will notice just a little wind noise.
Enjoy this tip as it will make a difference to you especially if you have an early morning start with a shore excursion…thanks Rob.
Or said another way …“Here’s How To Select An Amazing, Enjoyable Cruise…every time”
Follow these simple cruise industry secrets which are proven to hold true for all types of travelers.
Take a short duration cruise if in any doubt what so ever about a cruise…it is much better to get off a cruise wishing it were longer than to have stayed to long.
Find a cabin in mid ship as it is generally the area of a ship with least motion from the ocean…be careful not to be over the disco or theatre though. Also keep away from lift’s as you will hear them all hours of the day and night.
Choose an itinerary you really find interesting…then find the ship that best matches your style and budget. This will not always be as easy as it may seem. Be flexible!
Most people think they never spend much time in their cabins…think again it is your home while your are at sea. Your budget will govern your cabin to some decree…that’s fine…where possible get a balcony cabin as not only will it come with more comforts but also it may include special on board credits as part of the deal.
A very popular MYTH…Busted…you are unlikely to get bored!!! Want proof…90% of first time cruise passenger’s take another cruise. No more to say about that one.
I get sea sick in the bath…so I can’t cruise. If you are willing to take some medication and consider a cruise with an itinerary that may be mostly in calmer waters you will be fine. Also refrain from drinking too much water or liquids…it will slush around in your stomach. Instead eat some bread.
OK so you not into medication for sea sickness…but you still want to cruise…then stay tuned for what I promise will be an unbelievable highly effective no medication sea sickness cure. I will be making a short video of a charter yacht skipper with 30 years sailing experience and he will share his fail safe sea sickness cure later this week. DO NOT MISS THIS VIDEO if you are concerned about sea sickness.
That about covers the first part of “How you can select a really great cruise” On my next post I share :“What’s hot in the cruise world right now”
In the mean time why not share your tip on how you were able to find and enjoy a wonderful cruise?
Or if you had a shocker of a cruise tell me that as well. My worse cruise experience involved being denied boarding in Acapulco in Mexico…remind me to share that with you one day…some good lesson’s learnt.
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There are many tours planned with the first being to my homeland Italy in May 2010, this journey encompasses all of my passions which I would love to share with you, walking, cooking, culture, people, scenery and history.
We commence this Gourmet Walking journey in Florence staying in a villa just outside of San Gimigiano, walk amongst the vineyards and olive groves, learn how to cook a Tuscan feast, then we walk the Amalfi coast and attend a cooking school in Sorrento for 6 days where we will learn how to make Limoncello...
If you would like to know more about this trip to Italy, visit here
