I have travelled a lot in my early days working in tourism. With 4 years of (almost) none stop travelling, I have visited some really interesting countries and took the time to immerse myself into the local culture as far as I could. But I think this next trip is one of those that will change my life.
It all started on Instagram
Social media definitely proved me their potential in many occasions. Improving sales, raise the awareness around a brand, etc. We all know about it. But I never really expected anything for my personal branding. I surely take care of my social profiles because I know people are looking. Yet, Instagram was just a show case of my love for photography and travel.
One day, more precisely early September of 2017, I received a message from an Instagram user named @antarctica_XXI. The request was neat and clear. A little talk about websites and marketing. After checking some additional information on the web, I found out it’s a Travel Operator that takes people on cruises in Antarctica… I followed my instinct and took a free morning to meet the sales manager at their office in Santiago de Chile. It turns out this interview was the first of many others that would lead me to integrate their team.
December 25th, 2017. I got the first email from an Antarctica XXI’s booking executive! If it isn’t a Christmas gift! Anyway I don’t believe in Santa anymore, but I just realized that I was going to Antarctica on a 10 days expedition air-cruise* to the Polar Circle. An amazing chance to discover and learn about the destination, but also about the challenges that the operators have to face on a daily basis to give their travelers the best experience.
Planning on chasing pictures
I know I have to be prepared if I want to take pictures down there. Also, I wasn’t sure if I had to take an extra protection for my cameras. Both of them are « tropicalized » so they should resist to extreme temperatures. It will also be an opportunity to test which of my full-frame cameras is the most resistant to the extreme conditions of Antarctica (mainly low temperature and humidity).
List of equipment:
- Canon EOS 5DII
- Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
- Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS II USM
- Sony a7 II
- Sony E-mount 24-105mm f/4
- Rokinon 50mm f/1.4
I also brought a tripod, but I soon realized it would be difficult and uncomfortable to use is due to the fast changing weather conditions, and also because landings on islands and on the continent are about walking to discover the different landscapes.
Leaving for Antarctica
February 1st. After missing my morning transfer to the Airport, I finally managed to catch my flight from Santiago to Punta Arenas, which is located about 2100 km south of the Chilean capital. Antarctica XXI’s program includes one night in this city, then a 2 hours flight straight to the Chilean base on King George island, in Antarctica peninsula. There, the cruise ship and the crew wait for the passenger to embark for a 9 days navigation towards the Polar Circle.
Before embarking, we’ve been informed that everything about this trip (including the flights) will depend on weather conditions. Therefore, I realized it’s not a simple cruise we’re talking about, but more an expedition to Antarctica.
What about this travel destination? Who are the travelers? What’s an Air-Cruise?
More posts are coming with details of my trip experience with Antarctica XXI, onboard of the Ocean Nova ship to the Polar Circle.
