Day by Day

• Thu, Nov 16 2017 - Normally, I like my first flight out to be out of the country.  Though that is not always possible based on the destination, it almost always means flying out of SFO, which is 50 miles West from my house.  It normally takes a couple of hours to get there with UBER and BART train logistics.
  - The best round trip fare to Ushuaia (USH) at the Southern tip of Argentina was $1150 from SFO, but $300 cheaper from SMF (Sacramento.)  SMF is a bit farther away (77 miles) - best parking option is the long term parking ($10/day) adjacent to the runways.
  - Both the flight out and return flight were around mid-day (1 PM) and therefore no traffic was expected.
  - The weather forecast was rain in the morning, but clearing by our flight time - and it sure did.  SMF airport, like Oakland (OAK), is small and therefore easy to get in and out of.  For a change, we had one check-in bag which Delta was able to track and text me every time it was loaded on my flight.  The main cause of concern was the less than an hour layover (8:30 PM to 9:26 PM) in Atlanta - during which us, as well as our checked in bag, had to make it to the next flight.  Atlanta (ATL) airport is the world's busiest airport, not to mention sprawling Concourse A-F connected with Sky Train.  That means a lot more added time - you can't just run from one gate to another.  I wasn't sure how this was going to work out, but flights from both SFO and SMF were reaching ATL around the same time, and since Delta was able to sell these connections, we were sure they must have a trick up their sleeves (or hold the next flight in case the first flight was delayed.)
  - Well, their trick was that the first flight reached half an hour early.  We landed in Concourse E.  International Concourse F was just one stop away on Sky Train.  By the time we reached the gate, our international flight had not even begun pre-boarding.  We did not have to go through the security again.  The 10 hour flight to Buenos Aires (EZE) left and reached on time at 9:20 am. 
  
  
  
• Fri, Nov 17 2017 - Buenos Aires is 2 hours ahead of ATL, which is 3 hours further ahead of SFO, so it was 4:20 am for us.  Luckily, this was a much smaller time change in comparison, AND the rest of the trip - including the Antarctica portion - was all on the same time zone.
  - I tried to figure out a way to leave our checked-in bag behind in Buenos Aires.  It had winter clothes that we would need only in Antarctica.  It was warm in Buenos Aires and Iguazu Falls - it was late spring for them after all.  No such luck - we had to haul it around with us everywhere.
  - EZE is the international airport about 40 km away from Buenos Aires.  Our outgoing flight to IGR (Iguassu Falls Argentina) was from the domestic airport AEP, which is right on the water only a couple of km away from Buenos Aires.
  - In my research, I had found references to various prices in Argentina when 1 USD fetched only 3-4 Pesos.  The exchange rate now was 17.5 pesos, but all prices had magically adjusted so you still paid about the same in USD - or at times even more.
  - The cheapest way between EZE and AEP airports was Manuel Tienda Leon airport shuttle which departed every 30 minutes, and took about 1.5 hours.  The cost however had gone up from $7 per person to $15 (255 pesos.)  Credit card was accepted.
  - But we still needed cash.  The only ATM at the international terminal had a long line.  We figured the smaller airport (AEP) may have shorter lines - and we had plenty of time there, so we got on the bus which left shortly.
  - That's when the jet lag hit us.  The first part was on a freeway, which moved pretty well - we couldn't keep our eyes open.  The last 4-5 km were through downtown with a stop near the train station.  It also had a lot of traffic that crawled.  To the extent I could remain awake, it was a good sightseeing tour of downtown Buenos Aires.
  - Driving by the coast (where Uruguay River emptied in to Rio De La Plata (Bay) which then flowed to the Atlantic Ocean), we reached AEP airport.  Across the bay was Uruguay - not on our itinerary this time.
  - We checked our bag in, got our boarding passes, and then went looking for an ATM.  The ATM in the first terminal had no line, but for some reason, it did not accept our card.  The second one had a bit longer line, but it worked.  We now had 1500 pesos in our hands, which we were told would last us for a while (of course, not!)
  - Departure lounge was one level up.  Total 16 gates - 8 to the left, and 8 to the right.  Our flight wasn't yet listed, so we waited near the center until it was.  It ended up being Gate 1 - the farthest away.  In this case, it also meant that the plane is parked away and you will be shuttled over by buses.  Our 4:20 PM flight left on time and reached Iguassu on time around 6:10 PM
  - As we were landing, lush green forests covering the entire area were a beautiful view.  From time to time, you'd see some water, but not long enough to figure out where exactly we were.  We certainly did not see the mist rising from Devil's Throat.
  - On both flights (from and to) Iguassu, half the plane clapped when the plane landed.  Haven’t experienced that in a long time.
  - The weather in Buenos Aires was nice - warm and mostly clear.  It was however raining with thunderstorms in Iguassu on Friday, ending mid-day on Saturday. 
  
  - I was hoping that even if the forecast was correct, it won't be raining "cats and dogs."  We lucked out (More later.)
  - Taxi counter inside the terminal offered fixed price of 500 pesos to anywhere in town (credit cards accepted.).  Our hotel - Marco Polo Suites was 17 km away - access to the Falls was only 6 km from the airport on the way to town.  We figured that there must be some other taxis outside that came to drop someone off and would be willing to go for less.  No such luck - they all stayed with the fixed price of 500 - but now cash only.  Suddenly, our cash calculation was off.  We'd need cash just to get into the Falls tomorrow.
  - Marco Polo had a giant lit sign on the road - not to be missed.  Even though it was called Suites, it wasn't - there were only regular hotel rooms.  There was a restaurant on site, and a travel desk to arrange for a tour tomorrow.  What we didn't know was that when the weather is bad, power could go out.  And when it does, no telling when it will come back.
  - Just when we were about to go for dinner, the power went out.  The restaurant was ready with candles (and so was the hotel.)  Luckily, there were no mosquitoes or other bugs to speak of. 
  - After dinner, I wanted to find out about tomorrow.  For mere(!) $100, the travel desk would arrange for a taxi to drop us off at the falls, and pick us up at a preset time.  Having flown 1300 km North from Buenos Aires just to see the falls, I didn't want to be time constrained.  I had overheard someone talk about bus service to the Falls.  The front desk showed me where the bus stop was - just across the street from our hotel.  For 75 pesos ($4), the bus would take us directly to the falls.  Buses ran every 20 minutes - all day long - primarily taking tourists from Brazil border to the falls.  This was much better.
  - We were still somewhat jet lagged and tired from a non-stop travel since yesterday.  We decided to catch up on the sleep and go to the falls as early as possible tomorrow, provided the rains stopped early per forecast.
  

  

  Iguazu Falls are near the North border of Argentina with Brazil (also with Paraguay on the west side.)  

• Sat, Nov 18 2017 -  It rained heavily with gusty winds during the night, but by 6 am it was all quiet. Rain had nearly stopped and with ponchos, we were able to move around until it stopped completely by mid morning. After breakfast, we walked over to the bus stop. The bus came shortly and was fairly empty. With 75 peso ticket, they dropped us off in front of the Visitor Center. - First stop - ATM. After we got cash, we purchased tickets (500 Pesos pp) - no lines to speak off. We entered the park around 9 am. There are some educational exhibits for children along the way (which we visited on the way back.) We kept walking in the general direction of the falls - not knowing exactly what to expect. - An elderly woman, who was just as confused as we were, joined us until the road dead ended at the train station.
  
  The train was just boarding. We got on and it soon departed. When I mentioned that we were going to Antarctica next, the woman told us that she had just been there and now visiting Iguassu Falls for a day before returning home. Unlike us, though, she took an overnight bus from Buenos Aires, and after seeing the falls, was returning tonight back to Buenos Aires - definitely a cheaper option if you can sleep on the bus. In Antarctica, she highly recommended doing the Polar Plunge - which we later did (of course!). - Iguassu Falls are undoubtedly impressive with raging water cascading down some 275 individual waterfalls (See Iguassu Falls Photos )  On the map, the left side (right bank of the river) is Brazilian.  There are fewer viewing spots on that side, but they get much better views of the whole Devil's Throat - weather permitting.  On the first day, it was so cloudy and misty that we didn't even notice the Brazilian side.  Only on the second day, we realized how close it was to us, and how their view would have been better.  Were it not for the Brazilian visa requirement/hassles, we would have definitely ventured over there.
  - In any case, Upper trails (marked in RED, 1:15 hours. Difficulty: No stairs) on the Argentinian side were impressive.  We also got much closer to Devil's Throat (2:00 hours. Difficulty: No stairs) - like Niagara Falls from the Canadian side, and the bonus was the lower trails (marked in BLUE, 2:00 hours. Difficulty: Stairs) which lets you experience the falls up close and falling down on or near you.  Boat rides were available from both sides.
  - The train takes you to Cataratas - next stop.  From here, you can choose to take Upper trails or Lower trails (or both.)  Alternatively, you could take a different train (on the same track) continuing forward to Devil's Throat.  There wasn't much line for the second train either and we reached there pretty quickly.  We followed the crowd on the metal bridge trail - which looked like a bridge to nowhere.  Some people were already returning - most wearing ponchos and looking wet even though it wasn't raining then.  About a km later, we dead ended in a small loop right next to Devil's Throat.  There was plenty of room for everyone to take pictures from different angles and vantage points.  Of course, professional photographers were also stationed there offering their special effects photo packages.  You just had to walk around them.
  - It was still cloudy.  With all the rains of the past few days, there was plenty of water gushing over and creating a huge cloud of mist.  From time to time, it would get blown over with the wind, and getting everyone wet.  When wind stopped, you'd get a clear views of the falls and little black birds swirling around (finding food?)  We had no clue that just beyond the fog - not too far away was the Brazilian Side.  It was fairly empty at the loop today so we could take plenty of pictures.
  - It was around 10:30 am.  Tracing the 1 km trail back to the train station, we returned to Cataratas station.  The wait time to go to Devil's Throat was much longer now.
  - Our plan was to do the Upper Trails first, then on to Lower Trails from where you could walk down to the river for the boat ride.  Because our plans for the next day weren't firm yet, we wanted to see everything we could today.
  - Upper trails is really the first time you realize the enormity of these falls - some cascading, others not.  Some large, some small.  Thousands of gallons of water flowing down in to the Parana River below.  You follow the trail (some one way) enjoying the views, taking pictures and getting exercise along the way.
  - By 12:45 PM, we had reached the kiosk to purchase tickets for the boat ride.  It took several attempts before our credit card was accepted (550 pesos pp for a 15 min ride.  More than the park entrance fee - It's still worth it.)  We walked down to the boat ramp, placed our valuables in a large waterproof bag and carried with us on the boat.  The whole semi-circular area where most falls are is fairly compact - may be less than quarter mile on either side of St Martin Island.  They took you on each side twice - once slow and once fast full speed (that's when you go under the falls and get wet.)  First time, we went to the left arm at slow speeds when another boat came speeding up to go under the falls.  Our boat did that on the second pass.  The same story on two passes on the right arm.  Before we knew it, the 15 minute ride was over and we were all soaked.  Unlike Niagara Falls, here there are no fallen rocks under the falls.
  
  
  
  
  - After getting off the boat, we dried out and continued on the Lower Trails.  We were done by about 2 PM.  Before leaving the park, we got our tickets stamped (and entered in to their computers) so we would get a 50% discount the next day.
  - Taking the bus back, we decided to go all the way to bus Terminal (in to the town of  Puerto Iguazu) a couple km past our hotel.  The idea was to check out the town, see how feasible it was to take a bus to Brazil just beyond the river, and actually walk up to the river / bridge if we could.  The town was on one side, and the main road (RN12) bypassed the town in to Brazil. 
  - There was not much to see or do in town during the day.  There were plenty of restaurants and we understood that it was quite a party town at night.  We decided to have Argentinian dinner at La Rueda Restaurant  It was kind of early for dinner (3:30 PM) so the fairly large restaurant was nearly empty.  Although while we were there, several people/groups did come in - but not many for dinner.  Food was tasty, but usually no salt even on fries.  No ketchup either.  Chicken was good - well cooked and spicy.  Haven't tasted famous Argentinian beef yet.  The service was slow - as expected, but we were in no hurry.  Also as is common, they won't bring your check until you asked for it.  Sit down dinner for two for 480 pesos.
  - On the way back to our hotel, we purchased a bottle of water for tomorrow.  Local bus was only 15 pesos.  Bottled water was available everywhere.  Some water (one on flight from IGR to EZE) tasted different.  Shower water was hard.
• Sun, Nov 19 2017 -  Crystal clear day with no clouds and high in 80s today.  Woke up at 7 am, went for breakfast, checked in for tonight's flight back to EZE as well as Monday's flight to USH - boarding passes printed at the hotel. - Checked out and left bags with the front desk.  Ran to catch 9 am bus to the Falls.  Today the bus was much more crowded than yesterday - standing room only.  We were only half an hour later than yesterday, but being Sunday made a huge difference in terms of crowds in the park as well.  With 50% discount marked in the system, yesterday's tickets + 250 Pesos got us new tickets for today.
  - With larger crowds, we needed to take a number to get on the trains...We should have just walked to Cataratas station instead - a short trek.  We had just missed the 9:30 train so waited for the 10 am (every 30 min ) - it was the 3rd batch (A3) of the day.
  - At the next stop, there were long lines again for train to Devil's Throat.  Though it said every 15 minutes, it seemed longer.  Our tickets were B10.  B7 was boarding next - but we're able to sneak in.
  - Reached Devil's Throat station at 11 am.  Again the long walk but being sunny looked completely different vs yesterday.  Could see Falls and the Brazilian side clearly.  Well worth the second trip.  Occasionally we got sprayed water but could view without ponchos.
  - Walked back to station and again, needed a ticket but we're able to get on the next train.  There was a wait on each stop (none on Saturday.)
  - Walked around the upper trails again.  Also more crowded, but much nicer views.  Glad we had done lower trail and boat ride on Saturday.  That would save us time today.
  - We had to wait for train back to central station (should have just walked back - 700 meters!)
  - Back out of the park by 2 pm (1:55 bus) to Marco Polo Suites.  When we checked for bus to airport, they could only come at 5:30.  That would be too late for our 6:25 PM flight.  So we bargained with a taxi driver that had just dropped off someone at the hotel - he grudgingly agreed for 300.  We reached the airport by 4:30.  Security didn't open until 5:30, but flight left and reached on time at 8:25 PM.
  - For $430 round trip tickets plus another $100 pp for expenses in Iguassu, it was kind of pricey, but worth a two day trip.  And our "real" trip was yet to begin!
  - At IGR, we asked if our bag could be checked directly to USH, but couldn't - because it was on a separate reservation.  At EZE, we were told that bags could be checked only 6 hours before the flight (2 am.)  Oh well!
  - At EZE, we asked Information desk to call Posada Hotel, who came with a marked car and took us back by 9 pm.  Room 22 was really crammed but ok for one righter.  Restaurant served dinner until 11 pm.  Decent sandwiches for 180 ($10), water 40 total 410, but 370 if paid in pesos.  We did.  Left 30 tip (not knowing if needed.)

• Mon, Nov 20 2017 (Day 1 - Adventure begins) - Our starting point for Antarctica trip was USH (Ushuaia) at the southern tip of the country - and the continent, about 3100 km South of Buenos Aires.
  - We got up at 5:30 am, had breakfast at 6 as soon as it opened, and checked out of the hotel at 6:45 am.  It took 3 tries for AMEX card to go through.  1800 ($103) without VAT (For Tourists, VAT is waived if you ask.) - Left the hotel at 7 am.  The hotel was just outside the airport boundary, and there was no traffic.  Line for check-in moved quickly.  We already had boarding passes, only one bag to check.   As usual, “Are you Indian?” was asked - not that it made any difference.  There was line for security as well.  My watch kept beeping so they had to do a pat down.  Still we reached gate at 7:45 for 8:35 am flight.
  - Flight was shown as delayed ½ hour.  With one stop at REL, we were supposed to reach USH by 1:30 PM.  Ship boarding was at 3 PM.  To avoid any surprises, they always recommend arriving the previous day (which I never do.  What's the fun if not living on the edge, right?)
  - In reality, flight left only 15 min late.  Flight was full up to REL (another vacation destination in Argentina.)  Half the people got off there, but just as many came in and filled up the plane again.  There were 170 passengers going to USH - how many of them will be on our ship(of 72)? 
  - I didn't know that Ushuaia is a destination in itself.  You can do lots of things with your base in Ushuaia - Starting with Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego, Beagle Canal, End of the World Train, Glaciers, Penguins, you name it.  In fact, that would be a much cheaper alternative to Antarctica (but of course, that is not the same thing, is it?)- Well, at least ONE other passenger on our flight will also be on our ship (I'm sure there were others.)  At EZE, just as they were about to close the doors (and there was still an empty middle seat next to me), a Taiwanese girl arrived. In addition to a full size carry on that she found a space for in the overhead compartment, she had two large cloth handbags and a purse.  She somehow stuffed everything under the seat in front of her. As much as I wanted to, I resisted the temptation to ask.- There are some nonstop flights to USH, whereas others make a stop mid-way at REL (Trelew) like ours - but she did not know that. So when the plane started its descent in to REL, she was all worried as to why we were landing in the middle of nowhere (and I guess missing the Antarctica cruise in case of a delay.) - That's when we began chatting. She was a 19 year old college freshman (obviously born of rich parents) and had already been to 30 countries and 6 continents.  Antarctica would be her 7th.  She showed me her cruise ticket, and sure enough, she was also going on Ocean Nova with us.  She had checked-in luggage. She asked if she could share a cab with us to the port.  I suggested that we meet after we pick up our bags and then decide.  She had 2 large checked bags.  We weren't sure which size taxi we would get and whether all the luggage would fit in - but it did.  The taxi driver used the meter and dropped us off on the main road by the pier about 6 km away (140 pesos.)  She was hungry, so she went looking for a place to eat.- We were one of the first ones at the security, which was minimal. They just scanned our bags and checked passport against their list.  We then walked about 150 yards by souvenir shops and came to a second check point - this was the actual entrance to the pier (Our taxi could have dropped us off here!)  Since we had already cleared security, we now just had to pass through the building.  Soon there was our ship - looked like the only one boarding today (may be just one more - Hurtigruten.  Otherwise, this is a commercial port.) I was expecting big signs, tents advertising the location like they have for mega-cruise ships. Our Ocean Nova had only 72 passenger capacity - there were a couple of guys who were attaching a sign on the 10 ft ramp to our ship. It was about 2:30 PM. - The boarding was to begin at 3 PM. Until then, we congregated nearby and started getting to know each other. Over the next 10 days, we were running in to each other on the treks, in dining room and viewing gallery. Groups got formed naturally. As the boarding started, we were checked in and walked to our rooms. Most rooms (21) were on the Upper Deck - where we entered the ship and where the Dining Room was. Our room 311 was just past the dining room. Just a basic room with two twin beds, a table and a chair, a window and a bathroom.  - One level up was the Bridge Deck where the remaining 16 rooms, Library and Gym were located. Top Deck was where we spent much of our time on the ship (other than meals) The large Panorama Lounge had glass windows on 3 sides to watch nature and wildlife, and for some of us early risers - the sunrises. When weather was calm, adjacent open observation deck was the place to be for taking in the fresh air and of course, taking pictures. All group events - daily briefings, presentations/lectures and partying at night - happened right here. The main (lowest) deck was just above the water level and we used it to get on the zodiacs for shore excursions. - Rather than cover the boring details about day-by-day, check out the official Logbook.for each day's events, maps and shore excursions.  And photos here.- After the boarding was over, we had welcome and safety briefing, and we set sail (figuratively) at 5 PM.  Days were pretty long - even longer when we reached Antarctica - so there was plenty of light to enjoy the views of the Beagle Channel.  Some people who had arrived in Ushuaia early and had taken day trips, were pointing out things they had seen before.  Apparently, we were to go by the Penguin Island where they had seen penguins - we missed that today.  But then again, that was one of the major attractions of Antarctica anyways.- After welcome cocktail and staff introduction, we had dinner.  There was a buffet area where we picked up our soups, salads and bread, and they brought us our main course and dessert to the table.  There was no fixed seating, but soon people formed their groups and sat at the same tables for the most part.  The kitchen staff did a fantastic job for such a rough voyage - the food was consistently delicious, with sufficient variety (generally a choice between 3 main courses)  They managed to do Thanksgiving Dinner on Thursday, and also had a BBQ on the top deck on another day.- We did not notice it the first day, but the dinner tables and chairs were all bolted / tied down (so were all other movable things on the entire ship.)  It was a wonder that our dinner plates and glasses would stay put on the tables!  When the ship was rocking a lot, servers were right there to hold/carry your plates and even you to the table.- Other than meals, we were mostly in the Panorama Lounge, taking in the scenery, getting to know each other, trade stories, playing cards, or whatever.  They made sure that Panorama Lounge (and Library) had working coffee machine at all times.  They had some snacks from time to time as well.- Motion sickness is such a personal thing that you either know what you need to control it, or you will soon find out.  Only when you get to open waters of Drake Passage (past Cape Horn), the seas get rough.  And boy, do they.  Our room was about 20 feet above water level in the harbor.  Now the waves/swell were coming up to our windows.

• 

  Swells as seen from our window

  - With all that rocking and rolling, you are bound to get sea sick somewhere.  And if you take medication, you sleep through it.  We were warned that after we exit the Beagle Channel around 2 am, expect rough seas.  To avoid sea sickness, we were told to take 2 tablets the first night, 2 the next morning and 2 more the next night.  I decided to brave through and did not take it the first night.
• Tue Nov 21, 2017 (Day 2 - Drake Passage Day 1) - I was feeling fine lying down, but the ship was rocking a lot so much that it felt like being in a washer during a soak cycle. I got up to go to the bathroom. The bathroom door was only 3 steps away from my bed.. But the ship rocked and I body slammed against the bathroom door before I could grab on to anything. Our luggage and boots were sliding around too. - Lesson learned - Give one hand to the ship. In other words, ALWAYS hold on to something attached to the ship. Even more true when going up and down the stairs. NO MORE plate in one hand and a coffee cup in another. - Most people skipped breakfast this morning. I went out for lunch, got sick, took tablets and went back to the room to sleep for the rest of the day and night. - I wanted to attend (but missed) the presentations today, but had a chance to view them later.  
• Wed Nov 22, 2017 (Day 3 - Drake Passage Day 2) - I felt much better.  Got up at 6 am. There was plenty of light already (today and every day.) In fact, even after sunset around 11 PM and before sunrise around 3:45 am, it was never total darkness. We did not cross the Antarctic Circle to experience 24 day, but it was close enough. I took the tour of the ship - went to the bridge, then library, then Panorama Lounge. - At the bridge, I found out that we were going at 9.9 knots - not quite the full speed.  We will reach land by tomorrow am and forecast is good. - may be even some sun.  Otherwise, today it's mostly cloudy - no chance of seeing the sunset or sunrise.
  - I talked to the expedition director and other members to find out what I missed yesterday, and what to expect in the coming days.  Long story short - The islands we visit will be based on weather and snow.  We will see snow this evening.  We may pass through broken ice sheets.  Whales/ Orcas may be seen, seals AND lots of penguins.  We had noticed albatross and petrels this morning and yesterday - and pretty much during the entire trip, hovering around and following the ship.  We wondered why?
  - The only post office in Antarctica was at Port Lockroy - it was not yet open this season (too much snow/ice.)  People mail postcards or letters from there to themselves or their friends which then come marked with official Antarctica stamp.  Our ship had Antarctica stamps on board, which we could use to stamp our passports, if we wanted.  For post office stamp, the ship had a mailbox.  They promised to hold our letters until the post office at Port Lockroy opens and mail them for us.  (In reality, it would be one of the ships like ours to be the one bringing the mail back to Ushuaia and then from there, it would follow the normal postal channels.)
  - Other highlights of the day - Saw the first iceberg and whale spouts.  Crossed the 60 degree South line - beyond this is all Antarctica.  Antarctic Convergence is a curve continuously encircling Antarctica, varying in latitude seasonally.  This is where the cold, northward-flowing Antarctic waters meet the relatively warmer waters of the sub-Antarctic.  It all happens around the 60 degree line.
  - We got security gear check and Zodiac briefing in preparation for our first landing tomorrow.

• Thu Nov 23, 2017 (Day 4 - Thanksgiving, First Landing S Shetland Islands - Half Moon Island and Yankee Harbour) - After crossing Drake Passage, we reached the chain of islands (South Shetland Islands) about 100 miles north of the Antarctic Peninsula. Water and winds were much calmer here, though the weather could turn on a dime (and did a few of times during the expedition.) Our first landing was on Half moon island - predominantly a chinstrap colony.

  

  Chinstrap Penguin

  - We had used zodiac, the wonderful rubber rafts, during whitewater rafting in Alaska (2008) and then in Galapagos (2016) The main difference in Antarctica was the weather. We were dressed in layers. Waterproof pants and rubber boots were a must for wet landings. Here are some pictures - Day in Life. - The Penguin colony was on the opposite side of where we landed - about a quarter mile away.  It was slight up and down hill, on snow of unknown depth and mostly uncompact.  It was snowing when we arrived, but cleared by the time we returned.  Expedition crew members had gone ahead and placed red marker flags along the safe path.  There could still be surprises.  Hiking poles helped a lot. 
  - Once we turned the corner, we started seeing the first few penguins coming and going.  In the colony itself, there were around 3300 breeding pairs of Chinstraps, plus some other birds like Gulls, Skuas, Cormorants, and occasional Weddell Seals resting on ice.  Penguins were taking turns protecting their eggs and going fishing.  There was a continuous traffic and calls to each other - quite a busy/noisy place.
  - The best part was that they were totally unmindful of humans, going about their business.  That gave us a great freedom to take pictures from up close, without bothering them.  It was partly cloudy with sun peeking out from time to time.  We were bundled up but not freezing. 
  

  

  Kevin, a sole Macaroni Penguin among Chinstraps

  
  - After spending a couple of hours, we returned to the ship for lunch. The afternoon activity was Yankee Harbour on Greenwich Island, just across the water, about 6-7 miles away from the Half Moon Island. During lunch, our ship gently moved closer to that site. This is a protected harbor with stone and gravel bar. Slightly raised beach terraces provided ideal location for about 4000 Gentoo breeding pairs to make a colony. - By now, winds had picked up (temperature was around zero.) It was rather challenging ride on the zodiac - luckily we did not get wet.   - Though the terrain was flat, there was too much powder snow on the ground again. Hiking poles would have helped. The first ones among us were getting stuck in the deep snow. I had to be helped twice to pull myself out. I then waited for others to pave the way so I could just step in to their footsteps without getting stuck. 
  - The colony extended for some distance. The crew had planted flags all the way to the other end. Penguins had laid eggs where there was no snow. One parent would cover, protect and incubate the egg, while the other one would go feed themselves. Once the chicks hatched, their work would double because they would now have to feed the chick as well.- Skuas were flying around looking to snatch any unattended eggs (later on, they would feast on unattended penguin chicks as well.)  A couple of elephant seals were lying on snow basking in the sun - one was a large male. The colony was a busy, noisy place. Penguins were taking turns going to the ocean for feeding.  Many were seen swimming along side of our zodiacs.  Penguins were not at all afraid of us. If their path seemed to be blocked by us, some turned back, others waited or braved through as you can see below.

• 

  Gentoos calling

• 

  Gentoos walking among us - unafraid.
  

  
  

  - It was sunny from time to time. That made the experience much more memorable - pictures came out better also. - Back on the ship, Thanksgiving dinner awaited us.  All food was delicious and well prepared - as was the case through out the cruise. Tourism industry has figured this out a long time ago - to keep passengers happy, feed them good food, and plenty of it. Panorama lounge has coffee and some snacks at all times.  They brought in more finger foods for afternoon briefings.
  - With this fantastic first day experience, a lot of us felt that we got our money's worth already, though we had yet to set foot on the actual Antarctica Continent, the peninsula.  That will happen tomorrow.- At its peak, there are 35 ships in this region at one time.  Being early part of the season, there were only 15 - and I don't recall seeing ANY OTHER ship during our entire trip.  That's how remote this place is.  

• Fri Nov 24, 2017 (Day 5 - Landing on Antarctic Peninsula - Cierva Cove and Portal Point) - Slept soundly from 10 PM to 5 am, went up to panorama lounge to watch birds fly around our ship, and icebergs float by.  This morning, we would just cruise around among icebergs taking pictures of various sizes and shapes of icebergs and glaciers.

  

  Mushroom iceberg

  

  Gentoos coming and going

  

  Penguin colony up high

  
  
  - There were Penguin colonies with Gentoos coming and going right by our zodiacs. There were seals resting on icebergs.

  

  Leopard seal not happy that we disturbed its sleep!

  - To add another twist, one of the zodiacs raised Antarctica flag. We then gathered around that zodiac for a photo op, and a cup of hot chocolate
  

  

  Raising Antarctica Flag

  - That was a nice touch, I thought.  We were looking forward to landing on Antarctica later today.  Yeah!  (And there was yet another surprise for some of us.)
  - Weather was nice 46 degrees, winds quiet.  Perfect for polar plunge, and we did it.
  - When we were going through the packing list for the trip, in addition to all the cold weather garments, there was "swimsuit."  Many of us knew about polar plunge (where you take a dip in the icy freezing waters around the world - in this case, around the South Pole.), others did not.  I wondered how many would actually bring swimsuits (most everyone did.), how many would brave the idea of taking polar plunge (no one knew.) and whether there would be a perfect opportunity for doing the plunge (well, there was - today, right here, right now, before lunch.)
  - We changed, covered ourselves in bathrobes and lined up to go down to the main deck for the event.  Water temp was 35 degrees.  We must be crazy, for sure.  Ship's doctor would check us off on his list (and check us out to make sure that we could handle it.) and move forward to where they would put a belt around our waist - just in case.  A rugged sailor would hold the rope at the other end of the belt, standing 10 feet inside the ship.  You then walk on the ramp, 10 ft out from the ship and jump.  Ship's photographer (outside in a zodiac) would take 3 photos of each person - once waving goodbye to the camera, second jumping off the ramp, and third fully submerged.  You then turn around and get back on the ship - 5-10 seconds later.  Not enough time to freeze any body parts.
  - Two other rugged sailors would be standing at the end of the ramp to give you a hand if needed.  There was a step under the ramp, but I couldn't find it.  So they had to pull me out by hand.  Back on the ship, you take the belt off.  (The next person is ready to take your place.)  They hand you a dry towel and a shot of vodka.  All is well now!  The ship's doctor asks you if you have sensation in your toes (If you do, then all is really well.)  You put on the robe and back to your room to take a shower.
  

  

  Polar Plunge - simple as that!

  - Actually, I had to wait to video Kedar jumping in, but I wasn't cold or shivering.  It wasn't that bad after all.
  - We later found out that a total 48 of us 72 took the plunge.  Two crew members did too - making it 50.  A record. 
  - After lunch, we landed on the Antarctic peninsula, the real continental land mass.  We were still far away from the south pole, or the main continent, which lies almost entirely inside the Antarctic Circle (where sun shines 24 hours a day for nearly two months in Summer.)  We took pictures and hiked around.  Lot of snow, some slippery slopes.  Nice landscape.  NOW, the trip was complete.  Anything else is bonus.
  

  

  Planting the flag on Antarctica (so to speak.)

  
  Brave hikers on Antarctic Peninsula
   - For one couple, more was to come.  Tonight they were getting married on Antarctica.  They tried to keep it a secret, but some people knew.  The rest of us were rushed back to the ship, while crew members, who were the wedding party, and the captain officiating were coming ashore dressed in white.  We were on the top deck of the ship watching through binoculars, once we found out.  At dinner, there was a special toast to the newlyweds - that's special.  Unfortunately, both their families did not approve and wouldn't attend the wedding.  So us, the fellow explorers, were their family.  Someone jokingly asked what they will do for their anniversary to top this occasion.
  - Someone else had a proposal and another birthday.  We also had champagne toast for successful Antarctica landing.  All in all a big day for many.

• Sat Nov 25, 2017 (Day 6 - Continental landing - Orne Harbour, Sea Ice Walk on Wilhelmina Bay) - We weren't quite done yet. Crossing Gerlache Strait, we will try another continental landing at Orne Harbour, and another adventure - ice landing and sea walk at Wilhelmina Bay. -
  
  
  

  

  Orne Harbour

  - The weather was rough again. Wind and snow, but at times, sunny and calm. As usual, the snow was deep, and the hike was fairly steep. My hiking pole was acting up so I decided to ride the zodiac instead and watch from sea level (above photos.) Here is the view from the top:
  
  Orne Harbour - panorama from the top
  - After lunch, we had another one of my bucket list items - ship cutting through sea ice for ice landing. Although not a ice breaker, our ship was double hull and could cut through 5 ft of sea ice. The captain had a tough time finding the right spot. If the ice cracks around the ship, we couldn't land there. Finally, he found the right spot.
  
  Large Ice Field to walk on
  -  I managed to act pulling ship ashore.
  
  
  
  
  - After walking around the field (following the red flags, of course.), we took a group picture. Later in Summer, humpback whales are seen here. We didn't see any.
  
  Ocean Nova and crew and explorers

• Sun Nov 26, 2017 (Day 7 - Whaler's Bay in Deception Island, Bye Bye Antarctica) - Deception island is an dormant volcano and was used as a whaling station for a long time. - I woke up just in time for sunrise 3:30 am - our last chance, and got video.  Came back and slept until breakfast time 7:30 am. 
  - At 8 am (and also while leaving) we got great views of the narrow entrance to Deception Island.  It took a long while for the ship to find a good parking spot, but groups got whisked away to shore quickly.  It was very windy, water was choppy and getting off the zodiac was tricky/bouncy. 
  - Walking right along the shoreline, flat sandy/rocky terrain that later became snow covered - up to the Neptune's window up 200 feet.  Having hiking poles helped - both uphill and downhill.
  - Returning back to the zodiacs, we walked to the left up to empty oil domes - echo chambers.  Did not visit the rest of the whaling town or airport hanger beyond, now falling apart after many years of disrepair and weathering effects.
  - Coming back from our last excursion in Antarctica, winds were blowing harder though there were periods of sunshine. In this caldera of a volcano with hills on most sides except for the entrance, the winds were creating enough choppiness in the water. Although we had only about 100 so yards go from the shore to the ship, even the experienced zodiac drivers got us wet returning to ship.
  - Once on the ship, it was nice and warm and dry now. Temps 34 deg - 23 with 25 knots wind chill. Given the approaching weather front, it was advisable to start today and have extra time to get back to Ushuaia. By now, everybody knew what to expect in Drake Passage and quietly took their motion sickness medication - myself included, to face it.

Ocean Nova in Deception Island - whaling station

• Mon Nov 27, 2017 (Day 8 - Drake Passage Day 1) - It was a bumpy ride all afternoon and night yesterday.  Slept most of the way after taking pills.  Got up at 7 am and went upstairs for some cocoa, had breakfast at 8, listened to Nigel's presentation, and then nap, lunch, nap.  This was much better than the previous experience..

• Tue Nov 28, 2017 (Day 9 - Drake Passage Day 2, Land in sight) - Again a bumpy night.  Slept from 9 pm to 6 am, then went up to Panorama Lounge for some coffee.  Had discussions with Nigel and others about Antarctica and everything else.  Felt queasy with still bumpy ride - 40 knots winds and 5-6 meter swells.  It helps if you stare far away at the horizon. - Felt much better at.11 am for Nigel's talk and then lunch.  Weather was improving. - That worked out great. Someone staring outside noticed a pod of orcas (Killer Whales) far away and pointed it out to our captain. He got us very close to the action where the pod was hunting for fish and doing their acrobatics. In that half hour, each of us must have taken a thousand photos each - thanks for unlimited memory on our phones these days!
  
  
  
  - Tomorrow, we will reach Ushuaia in the morning.  After bidding us goodbye around 8:30 am, Ocean Nova will get ready to return to Antarctica with new passengers.  The weather system that we missed yesterday is going to hit them with vengeance.  Good luck to all of them.  Ocean Nova then remains in Antarctica for 45 days straight, only shuttling passengers who fly in to and out of King George Island, South Shetland Islands (flying time = 2 hours from Punta Arenas in southern Chile)  The Fly-Cruise option saves 4-5 days it takes to cross Drake Passage both ways, so there is time savings for sure.  The only question, once again, is the weather - flights could get cancelled for days sometimes.

• Wed, Nov 29 2017 (Day 10 - Disembark at Ushuaia and return journey begins) - Woke up with a headache/acidity (or was it just end-of-the-trip fatigue?), took Tylenol and immediately threw up, but then felt better. It must have been the leftover sea sickness from the past two days of Drake Passage.  Slept until 6:30 am, then got ready and went upstairs to Panorama Lounge to say some goodbyes.  Weather was great - sunny, clear and mild. We were back in the protected waters of the Beagle Channel. - After breakfast and more goodbyes, left ship at 8:30 am.  Crew was out there on the pier for more hugs.  Waited for our group and walked back to main road.  At the same corner where we got dropped off last week, one minivan had just unloaded passengers, and he hustled us to get in.  There was no meter this time and driver spoke no English.  When we reached the airport, he demanded $10 pp.  No one else wanted to bargain, but I did.  Finally, he settled for $5 pp for us.  Meter would have charged us only 140 pesos ($8) total.
  - Inside the terminal, there was no line for check-in yet.  Got boarding passes and bag checked all the way to Sacramento (SMF.) - finally!  It was only 9:30 am.  Our flight was at 1:30 PM.
  - As we waited near the Arrival Lounge on the main level, (Departures were one level up.) others from our ship trickled in (many were on our flights to EZE and some up to ATL). A five bus group of Chinese tourists arrived.  So did a 100 people group of National Geographic.  The Antarctica season was just beginning (Dec-Feb.)
  - At noon, went up through security to gate 3 (out of total 6 gates). Met everyone from our ship once again - also one couple from Nova Scotia who also got married in Antarctica, but they had a story of lost luggage.
  - USH airport has a single runway like GPS - where plane taxied all the way to the other end, turned around and took off.  Luckily, there aren't that many flights coming in or leaving at the same time.  We boarded and left on time.
  - Flight up to REL was uneventful.  Nearly 50 people got off, and only 20 boarded.  Our middle seat remained empty throughout.  On long flights, empty seat next to you is quite a luxury.
  - Flight to EZE experienced turbulence so they had to suspend service.  Not a big deal on a two hour flight.  At EZE, we were parked away from the terminal and bused back to Arrivals - just like from IGR a week ago.  Normally, you could directly transit to international, but that was closed today.  We then had to exit and start all over - first TSA PreCheck/docs checked, then new boarding passes issued, then international security - no line, but pat down.  We had plenty of time from 6:10 PM until the next flight at 9:15 PM.  Airbus A330-300 is comfortable, and Delta's service was good.  Having Delta Studio entertainment made this 5000 mile flight go by faster.

• Thu, Nov 30 2017 - We reached ATL ahead of time (5:41 am).  Minimal breakfast was served just one hour before landing, so they had to rush for landing right away. The flight wasn't full so we had extra empty seat next to us.  Getting out was also easier.
  - I had done Mobile Entry and should have tried it (It works for the whole family traveling together.)  Global Entry is per person, so each person has to do photo and finger prints, and then give the printout to the officer who checks the passport and lets you through.  Both are faster than the normal immigration routine.  Not that we were in a hurry.  Our next flight was at 10 am.
  - At first point of entry in to the US, you have to claim your bags for customs even if you are continuing on another flight.  However, after customs, connecting bags are checked right away.
  - Next is security for domestic flights where TSA PreCheck didn't work - so we had to take off shoes and everything…   yuck. 
  - Global Entry, which expedites your entry from International destinations, is helpful for those who travel internationally often enough.  I thought that would qualify me and sure enough it does save time if the lines are long enough AND your layover before the connecting flight is short.  It hasn't benefited me that way so far, but skipping long lines is always a big plus.  The second benefit of Global Entry ($100 for 5 years) is that it also includes TSA PreCheck ($85 for 5 years) for outgoing flights - where it is available.  This hasn't quite helped so far either.
  - From the international Terminal F, we took a shuttle to Terminal D for our 9:57 am flight to SMF at gate D11.  Flight was on time and we reached Sacramento around 12:19 PM. 
  - We had been travelling for nearly 24 hours (not counting the 10 day travelling to and from Antarctica prior to that.)  One heck of a journey - and very satisfying at that - to the bottom of the planet.  We had sea legs for a couple of days afterwards.