World Traveller: 7 Continents, 90 Countries, 871 Days Overseas
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Monday 26 November 2012
Highlights: Central Park, Statue of Liberty, Rockefeller Centre, New York Stock Exchange, World Trade Centre
Today we scheduled a tour of New York City. Starting with a excellent breakfast at the hotel (I’m going to miss this luxury when I get to Central America) we walked from 28th Street to 51st Street to the tour start point which means we walked again though Times Square. At 9 am there were a lot less people than last night.
Sunday 25 November 2012
Highlights: Bus ride to New York City, Times Square
Another good breakfast a the grand Capital Hilton and mum and myself took off to walk the 2.8 km to the Washington Deluxe Bus departure location at DuPont Circle. After a short distance we worked out it was better for me to take both mum’s bag and my own. I expect I gained some muscles.
Saturday 24 November 2012
Highlights: Smithsonian Air and Space Museum
One of the great aspects about Washington DC is the Smithsonian Museums which total over 15 and are free to the public. So of the great artworks and discoveries open for everyone to see these treasures. This is an open society at its best celebrating greatest, scientific and human achievements. Today I decided to visit the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.
Friday 23 November 2012
Highlights: US Capitol Building, Washington Monument, World War II Memorial, FDR Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Korean Memorial, Marine Corps Memorial (Iwo Jima), The White House, Thomas Jefferson Monument
An awesome day going on a tour around Washington DC with my mum. I had been to the USA capital before so I thought there wasn’t must move to see but I was very wrong. Another surprise was they were already putting up structures for the Inauguration next January, this limited access at some points.
Thursday 22 November 2012
Highlights: Showering in the Admirals Lounge, Hilton Capital room upgrade
How do people handle multiple flights over 30 hours without lounge access? I arrived in Miami very early in the morning with a 7 hour layover before the next 2 USA domestic flights. The Admirals Lounge meant a shower, a change of clothes and a more relaxed Nathan 🙂
Wednesday 21 November 2012
Highlights: Business class flight to Miami
With my flight out of Buenos Aires now confirmed at 9.15 pm tonight I was more optimistic that everything will work and I’ll be in Washington late tomorrow night after 4 flights. This meant today I could actually have the included breakfast. During the morning I tried to recharge my iPad after running it down to about 26% last night. The iPad is quickly becoming essential for idol time on the road.
Tuesday 20 November 2012
Highlights: Stranded in Ushuaia
I found out that the national strike was definitely on. Argentina Airlines had changed my flight from noon today to 10.35 pm tomorrow which would result in me missing my connecting (but not linked) flights from Buenos Aires to Miami and Miami to Dallas and finally Dallas to Washington.
My twelve day journey to and around Antarctica as part of the G Adventures “Antarctica Classic in Depth” program is easily one of the major highlights of all my trips out of Australia. Simply put it is the trip of a lifetime and well worth the money despite the high cost. To see some videos click here or my YouTube Playlist.
The wildlife in Antarctica doesn’t really worry about humans I saw four species of penguins and three types of seals. Dolphins, Killer Whales and a Humpback Whale were also highlights.
Climbing on board an iceberg was also a rare thrill. The zodiac rides were also action packed and could easily have seen me into the water on occasions. I loved landing on icebergs and standing on them watching the moving landscape.
On one of the landing the passengers in the front looked like drowned rats after completing the polar plunge 🙂
I loved every minute of it, even the challenge of showering in a rocking ship 🙂
Camping overnight 11-12 November 2012 Neko Harbour, Antartica:
Journal entries:
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Day 43 – Ushuaia to Drake Passage. Highlights: Setting sail for Antarctica
Day 44 – Drake Passage. Highlights: Rough Seas and Onboard lectures
Day 45 – Drake Passage. Highlights: Antarctica Convergence, Captain’s Welcome, Camping demonstration
Day 46 – Danko Island and Neko Harbour. Highlights: Antarctica Continent Landing, Genteel Penguins, Weddell Seals and Sleeping under the stars!
Day 47 – Cuverville Island and Jougla Point. Highlights: Camping on Antarctica
Day 48 – Peterman Island and Pleneau Bay. Highlights: Peterman Island, Pleneau Bay, Walking on an Iceberg, BBQ on the deck, Shots off 5,000 year old ice.
Day 49 – Paradise Bay and Enterprise Island. Highlights: Paradise Bay zodiac cruise, Visiting the Bridge, Enterprise Island zodiac cruise
Day 50 – Deception Island and Livingston Island. Highlights: Landing at Deception Island, Polar Plunge, Wild zodiac ride, Humpback Whale
Day 51 – Half Moon Island and Drake Passage. Highlights: Sunshine, Chinstrap Penguins, Macaroni Penguin
Day 52 – Drake Passage. Highlights: Rock and rolling of the Drake Passage
Day 53 – Drake Passage. Highlights: Cape Horn, Farewell Toast
Day 54 – Ushuaia. Highlights: Farewell, Strike in Argentina!
Monday 19 November 2012
Highlights – Farewell to MS Expedition, National Strike in Argentina
After 11 days on the MS Expedition today was the sad end with one final breakfast and then some farewell hugs as people started leaving the ship and some leaving Ushuaia as well. Today Kurt left the entire tour after us spending 22 days together. I will miss Kurt Who has been a good fellow traveller,the second good traveller I have run into from Belgium, a country I have good memories of.
Sunday 18 November 2012
Highlights: Cape Horn, Farewell Toast, Polar Bar
The last full day on the ship commenced with everyone struggling to walk in the rolling ship. Vera informed us that one of her roommates was vomiting during the night and was very unwell. Later the ship’s Doctor administered an injection which only occurs in very bad cases.
Nathan's Insights 