So, you have been reading Jules Verne recently. You feel tired of the tour trails suggested by travel guides, usually. You want to go a bit off-beat and maybe, have a tryst with your destiny. Then secretly, the place that you wish to go to is Antarctica. The land of mysteries, yet to be uncovered. Where nature still triumphed over man, yet, has a gruesome tale of humans slaughtering whales for their oil. The land whose dominant color is Pristine White. Believed to be lifeless, in variety of forms - life still thrives. Wherein lies - the Deceptive Island.
Virtually uninhabited - by humans - this is the southern most continent of this planet, which can give you some of the most amazing travel memories, that you will cherish for a life-time.
Welcome to Antarctica - welcome to the snow-capped land of the penguins, seals and the whales. The giant ice-bergs stand silent and still, although with a warning to melt down, and freeze everything that drowns. This zone has some of the exotic and rare species of both flora and fauna, that is bound to mesmerize anyone. Especially, the remote island - the Deception Island is bound to captivate its onlooker with its glory. But, beware, its deceptive after-all. Its one of the active volcanoes of Antarctica, mostly underwater, deceiving the plain eyes of its destructive potential.
Here are some of the places that are a must to visit while on Antarctica trail:
1. First one, is Deception Island. It is an island in the South Shetland Islands archipelago, with one of the safest harbors in Antarctica. This island is the caldera of an active volcano, which seriously damaged local scientific stations in 1967 and 1969. It previously held a whaling station, where whales had been slaughtered for their oil, which was necessary for running industries in Europe and other parts of the world. Now its a tourist destination and scientific outpost, with Argentine and Spanish research bases. Although various countries have asserted sovereignty, it is still administered under the Antarctic Treaty System. It is one of the most marvelous destinations in Antarctica, with volcanoes, hot-springs, and the most popular host - the Penguins.
2. Snow-hilled island is another awesome place to go. Snow-capped icebergs and the Penguin family awaits to greet any tourist who would love to watch them.
3. Visit Ross island, an island formed by four volcanoes. First discovered by Sir. James Clark Ross, its named after him. Huts made by Scott’s and Shackleton’s expedition are still preserved here.
4. King George Island, the island named after King George III, is the largest of the south Shetland islands lying 120 km off the coast of Antarctica in the Southern Ocean. It is relatively ice-free and easier to access compared to the other locations in Antarctica. This is the reason why, there are a lot of research base-stations here.
Apart from these must see places, there are a few things to do, which will make your experience of Antarctica memorable.
1. Catch a glimpse of igloo: Igloo or the snowman’s hut is very popular in a lot of shows. Find out for real, the truth behind them.
2. Book a kayaking trip for yourself through the antarctic waters. See the whole coastline of Antarctica, while passing underneath the snow-tunnels.
3. Unleash the buddying photographer in you: Capture the rarest of the rare flora and fauna pics, which would later, make you shine among your group of friends.
4. Send yourself a post-card from the southern most region of the world. The post office has a collection of variety of pictures of this region printed on the postcard. And if you happen to be a stamp-collector as well, add collections of antarctic stamps to your galore.
5. A daring swimmer - swim in the deception bay. You might also consider taking a polar plunge or a Zodiac Cruise.
Food is an essential part of any travel trail. Though off-beat, due to the extreme whether conditions, Antarctica has its own choices:
Sledging biscuits, Antarctic Hoosh and Pemminican, race-around-the-world, etc.
Wondering how to get there! Flights to Antarctica are the most common methods to reach there. If you have ample time set aside for this life-time journey, then, you may book a cruise. But, make sure you book well in advance in order to avoid last minute disappointments. In case your nerve for adventure is coaxing you to begin the thrill well in advance, then booking an Yacht to Antarctica is another option. There are a lot of companies offering yacht services, however this might be pocket pinching for the budget friendly travelers.
And here, there are no hotels. Yet, one has the unique experience of staying in vessels, which transports the travelers from one place to another. However, one must make sure to do the bookings in advance.
Patience while caught in snow-storm, endurance to fight the way out, enjoyment of serene beauty and discovery. Enjoy the snowman’s life and add a memorable travel experience in your travel memoir.
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