Years ago, when I set foot for the first (and so far last) time on the barren soil of Antarctica, I stood there and looked around me with a measure of amazement and wonder. I was amazed because I could hardly believe I’d made it, having hitched a ride as I did on a Chilean Navy vessel. I was filled with wonder because I had no idea what the heck I was supposed to do next. Antarctica is like the moon. It takes an immense effort to get there, you have to travel across a vast dangerous space (i.e. Drake’s Passage) ,and once you reach it, you feel an immense sense of accomplishment. Then when you survey the world you wonder, OK, what now?
Writing in the Sydney Morning Herald, Carolyn Swindel finds the “getting to” part the same as I did. A pain, but a worthy one. Yes, she makes it and finds Antarctica a bounty of icebergs, seals, penguins and birds. Now don’t get me wrong. I loved going to Antarctica and I agree with Swindel that its a worthy adventure. In fact her piece here really rekindled my interest in the continent waaaay down under. I’d go again. And even if Antartcia was like the moon, hey, I’d go to the moon, too.