Icebergs..??? Penguins ..??? Antarctica Expedition
 

My Adventure Begins November 2010 ..........

Lucky you! Which cruise line did you book?

Akademik Ioffe thru Quark Expeditions. From what I have read, I will indeed be lucky to visit Antartica.

DMB, you chose an excellent company, and you're in for the experience of a lifetime. Speaking from recent experience!

NUTELLA, Thanks for input. Appreciate any tips you care to pass along. I plan to go down early to explore Ushuaia and probably will return home through Chile. Looking forward to the experience. By the way, have you had "Nutella" Crepes... Popular in Paris!

I'm glad you are going to spend some time in Ushuaia - it is delightful. The train to the "end of the world" Tierra del Fuego is really a must. If you love wine - you are also in the right place. The grocery store there has an excellent selection at half the price of the the "wine store". Ushuaia was really one of the main highlights for me on our Antactic expedition. Have a wonderful time!!

Traveller69 .... Any food/restaurants you recommend. Will take the train for sure.

I don't remember the name of the restaurant but it is very close to the pier. I think it is probably one of the best as a lot of the passengers went there for dinner and loved it. (we were there overnight on the ship) So, if you ask for a good restaurant in that area I am sure someone will recommend it. (Not a large town so there aren't too many restaurants.) The train is certainly worth the ride perhaps you have read about it. A wonderful souvenir to take home are the passports you can buy and get stamped at the little post office at Tierra del Fuego. They were a big hit with everyone I gave one to and of course they dont take up any room. Of course you will have your camera handy so get some pictures of the most beautiful of lupins you can imagine.
Here are a couple of good websites. http://www.travelsur.net/tfuego.htm
http://www.patagonia-argentina.com/i...ia/ushuaia.php
As I mentioned if you love good wine go to the main grocery store and for a few dollars you can get some of the best wine that sells for $20-$30 in the US.

Again have a wonderful time. We lucked out with weather and the Drake Passage crossing was calm. The only thing I would recommend is be sure to have jackets that are windproof. The cold wasn't that bad but the wind was incredible. (Ushuaia was very pleasant weather wise though)

DMB, I'm sure I have plenty of tips, just ask! You can also click on my name and find a thread with a link to my photos and blog - a little taste of what you might expect on your adventure.

For me, I had a one track mind, ANTARCTICA. Ushuaia was the place where I was impatient to get on the ship, and later the place where I was so sad to arrive, signaling the end to my most incredible experience. But from Traveller69's comments, I might just have to give it another chance someday!

Nutella ... Checked out your photos and blog, very nice. I can see why your mom is proud. Why your preference for Pbase. Dotphoto is free! I noticed most people have bright colored parkas in Antartica photos.. Will I be a misfit in a gray one? What was coldest temp during your trip? Thanks.

Thanks about the photos! I've been with pbase for a long time and I like it, it's only $23/year I think. My plan though is to have my own independent, more professional website in the near future.

On my particular sailing, the yellow parka was given out on the first day and was ours to keep. So everyone (except the crew) wore the same jacket. Check with Quark if you get one, I think it depends on which ship you're on. I'd say it made for some very photogenic images against the white snow, so you might want to re-think the gray lol. I don't know the temperature (I went in January), but I don't recall being freezing cold on land, and that's saying a lot, as I live in a sub-tropical climate and I'm not used to the cold! It was only really freezing at times on the zodiacs when we were sitting, being tossed about and getting pelted with ice, and outside on the ship's deck when the wind was whipping. But for the most part, between the parka, thin silk long johns, lightweight fleece tops and bottoms and waterproof pants, I stayed pretty toasty.

Nutella ... Thanks may have more questions as November approaches

DMB traveler ... how exciting ... we went with Quark as well in 2007. If you haven't found my extensive review on Fodors, the link is http://www.fodors.com/community/crui...expedition.cfm.

Have a terrific time in this wonderful part of the world.

eenusa.. Thanks for the link. Quark seems to be popular choice to visit down there. Can't wait to add Antarctica to my "195 Countries To Visit Before I Die" list. www.dmbtraveler195.blogspot.com.

DMBTraveler ... thanks for the link to your blog ... love following along on others' travels when we're not traveling ourselves.

Less than 30 Days ... and I am on my way to my 7th Continent!