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Was it actual?
These mysterious blinding-white landscapes, the ethereal silence, the pristine nature comparatively untouched by us – people!
On the finish of the world, there exists this whole continent in isolation – inhospitable for people – coated with thick ice. Right here the penguins, whales and the albatrosses rule, removed from the maddening crowd.
That is Antarctica, the final continent. My spouse Sharmin and I’ve simply returned from this magical place.
In 2008, after we made our first worldwide journey to the Bahamas little did we all know in regards to the drug that we had been injecting into our blood – a drug that may awaken in us the need to see the world. Since then, now we have travelled to each nook of the world, all seven continents, 83 nations as of January 2022.
However visiting Antarctica wasn’t in our typical journey bucket listing. Greatest hurdle was, in fact, financing the journey. Although each of us had been working and incomes, we needed to watch for years to avoid wasting the cash for the journey.
In August 2019, after a number of planning, we pulled the set off and wrote the largest financial institution cheque of our journey historical past — $32,000 paid in full for the journey scheduled in November 2020, 15 months forward of the time.
However then got here the Covid pandemic. The tour operator, Silversea, supplied an upgraded voyage scheduled in 2021. For the 15-night all-inclusive cruise bundle ranging from December 21 to January 5, 2022. Silversea’s price ticket was now about $48,000. Fortunately, we did not need to pay the additional quantity as we paid two and a half years in the past.
Lastly, our journey began on December 19, 2021, after we boarded the aircraft from our residence state Connecticut, USA, to Santiago, Chile. From there Silversea chartered flight took us to Punta Arenas, from the place we boarded our Silversea Cloud Expedition ship on December 21, 2021.
We could not imagine we had been truly going to Antarctica till the ship left the port. So a few years in planning, so many hurdles we crossed!
To get to the mysterious continent, first we needed to face Drake Passage, one of many roughest sea routes to not be crossed for enjoyable, for 2 days. Although the ice-class Silversea sails right here yr after yr with skilled professionals onboard, trying on the violent sea, far-off from the civilisation, one cannot merely resist the considered how intimidating Mom Nature could be. Three nights onboard, together with one sleepless night time whereas crossing the Passage, now we have seen nothing however blue ocean. Then one early morning I awakened, opened the curtain between our sleeping suite and balcony and could not imagine my eyes.
We’ve got arrived!
Proper in entrance of my eyes, white mysterious landscapes coated with fog had been transferring slowly because the ship cruised via the calm water.
We sailed across the Antarctic Peninsula for eight days. We visited the South Shetland Islands, Elephant Island, and wildlife-rich Falkland Islands and crossed Antarctic Sound twice. We made a number of onshore excursions, a number of zodiac cruising, kayaking via ice and distinctive wildlife. We took numerous pictures however none may seize a fraction of what is on the market.
The dazzling white landscapes, city-sized icebergs passing by had been one thing exhausting to understand it. Do you know a few of the largest icebergs have their very own names? Largest iceberg at present floating within the Antarctic Peninsula is greater than 5 occasions larger than Singapore.
And I took a polar plunge! It wasn’t straightforward to determine. Then I thought of my Ma (mom). The lady I misplaced a number of months in the past, my final hiding place, and my final shelter; the lady who struggled so exhausting via her complete life to provide her kids a greater life.
I made a decision that I’d do it for her. Then I simply jumped. I knew she smiled at my insanity.
Sure! We went to Antarctica. Sure! We landed on the solitary, white continent. We’ve got seen mountains of ice, glaciers, icebergs and distinctive wildlife. However the reality is we solely touched the very tip of Antarctica.
The mighty continent is past our attain and exploration. Solely few with assets and dedication can see the inland a part of it.
Antarctica was a life-changing expertise. Our expedition would stay as if it had been a dream. I do know I used to be there, however cannot clarify the place I used to be.
However this is not the top. We wish to hold making our personal tales. We wish to discover the world earlier than our eyes shut ceaselessly.
Scooping out 20-22 days from our busy life requires some planning. The tour normally begins from Argentina and Chile. The common Antarctica cruise price is about $8000 per particular person. The least costly expeditions begins at $5000, however these offers are normally booked months/years forward of the voyage. Luxurious voyages could price an individual something between $15000-$50000. The fee varies relying on the providers, added non-obligatory journey actions and gears.
Pictures: Rejaul Bahar
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Pictures: Rejaul Bahar
Sarmin Shahariath and Rejaul Bahar, married since 2005, are avid travellers. Born and raised in Bangladesh, Bahar moved to the USA in 1999 and now lives in Connecticut. Sarmin joined him in 2005. Each of them are full-time working professionals: Sarmin is working as a Senior Challenge Supervisor at Stanley Black & Decker, Inc and Bahar is a Amenities Engineer at US Coast Guard Academy. They’ve discovered a approach to journey effectively, saving cash and treasured annual leaves. Up to now they’ve travelled 83 nations throughout seven continents.
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