Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Bottom of the Earth

Hi again from the bottom of the Earth. Today we are sailing through the Chilean fjords without going out to the big sea. The seas are much calmer and the view is spectacular. There are large cliffs of granite and snow capped mountains as well as glaciers. Some of the people on this cruise are going to fly to Antarctica tomorrow. It costs $3500 a piece and they have to have their clothing and shoes disinfected. They are very strict about what you can bring with you or carry out. Basically, nothing because they are trying to keep it pristine. Tomorrow we are going on an excursion into a penguin reserve. We will be hiking into a park to see Magellan penguins in the wild. I'll try to get some good pictures.
Some information about the people on this cruise. There are 1035 passengers, 800 of which are going all the way around the world, starting in Florida and ending up in Seattle, WA at the end of April. We are going to get off in South Africa. This is a very geriatric group. Who else could take this much time off and spend this much money ? There is one woman who lives on the ship and has been on it for ten years. They call her Miss Dolly, and she is probably living out the premise that it is cheaper than a nursing home. The single gentlemen vie for a chance to sit next to her at meals or in entertainment venues. I think she holds court in her suite as well. We haven't been invited. The crew are young of course and mostly from Indonesia. They give excellent service and are fun to talk to about their native country. Until next time,
Love, Gwen

1 comment:

  1. Gee, Gwen, this trip sounds so fantastic. Maybe you should hold your own court in your suite and see who you can attract! Could be interesting. I am so glad you are going to a few lectures,etc. I always learn so much at those things and it really enhances my vacation. Keep up the great work at letting us know what you are doing=for those of us who need to live vicariouly through you!
    SR

    ReplyDelete