Patriot Hills Antarctic base opens for 2009 season

by Kraig Becker on

The only privately owned Antarctic base opened for the 2009 season a few days ago, allowing explorers, scientists, mountaineers, and adventure travelers, access to the frozen continent for the first time since January. Commonly known as Patriot Hills, the base is operated by Antarctic Logistics & Expeditions (ALE), a company that supports the adventurous men and women who are traveling to the South Pole or other locations on the Antarctic continent.

Traditionally, the base opens in November and remains open for approximately three months, allowing expeditions to come and go from Punta Arenas, Chile, a city found at the far tip of South America that is often used as the staging ground for adventurers heading to Antarctica. Patriot Hills sits at the edge of a rare, naturally occurring blue ice patch that serves as a runway for ALE’s Twin Otter and Illushyn aircraft, which makes it the perfect place to shuttle visitors to and from the ice.

The travelers making the journey to Antarctica come for a number of reasons. Some will make the long, 500 mile journey to the South Pole on skis, while others will trek to nearby Vinson Massif to climb one of the seldom visited mountains there. Adventure travelers with enough money will also make a “last degree” journey to the Pole, beginning their journey at 89ºS and ending when the reach the bottom of the world.

Over the next few months, Patriot Hills will be a bustling community of explorers coming and going from a variety of places in Antarctica. The tent-city will serve as a base of operations for a number of interesting and unique expeditions, all coming to visit one of the last true frontiers on Earth.

25 great adventures for 2010

by Kraig Becker on

The latest issue of National Geographic Adventure has just hit the newsstand with a special treat inside for adventure travelers looking for their next big trip. The magazine has listed its selection for the 25 best new trips for 2010, offering up suggestions of places to visit in nearly every corner of the globe.

The list is organized in alphabetical order by destination, starting with Bhutan and running through several U.S. locations as well. Each of the locations also has a tour operator associated with it, and clicking on the text will give you a more detailed description of what you can expect on your adventure.

No matter what draws you to adventure travel, you’re sure to find something on the list that appeals to you. For instance, if you’re up for a challenging kayaking adventure, head to Bhutan with Bio Bio Expeditions, where you get the opportunity to make the first descent on a previously unpaddled section of the Drangme Chhu River. Does an island adventure sound more enticing? Then plan a trip to Sri Lanka with Access Trips, where you can go surfing and mountain biking through that amazing setting. And for those who would prefer a little more rest and relaxation with their adventure, there is always the Muang La Resort in Laos which offers jungle escapes that includes luxury rooms and a deluxe spa. That trip is available through Asia Transpacific Journeys.

No one knows adventure like National Geographic, and you can bet that each of these trips will deliver in that category. With 2009 quickly coming to an end, it is never too early to start planning your own adventures for 2010, and this list is a great place to start.

The international top five crappy pizzas

by Catherine Bodry on

Bad pizza? Isn’t that an oxymoron? Nope – despite the simplicity of melted cheese on dough, there is indeed such a thing as horrible pizza. I know; I ate some in Kaili, China – a town that has maybe 3 Westerners living in it, in a country that generally doesn’t do bread or cheese. I should have known better. All the ingredients were super-processed and frozen, and it tasted as though I was eating a fake, plastic pizza.

The hilarious list comes from Tom Gates over at MatadorNights, and includes such vivid descriptions as “[the cheese] sweats as if masturbating,” definitely not something I want my pizza to do.

The top five worst pizzas in the world (excluding my pizza in Kaili, which definitely deserves a mention) are served at:

  1. Pronto Pizza in La Serena, Chile
  2. Te Pizza el Gallso in Buenos Aires, Argentina
  3. San Marcos SRL in Florence, Italy
  4. Suba Galaxy Hotel in Mumbai, India
  5. Italian Pizza on Koh Chang, Thailand

I’ve eaten plenty of delicious local food in India and Thailand and know better than to order pizza there, but the lure of my favorite comfort food has certainly convinced me to override common sense and order a pizza (or hamburger, or fries, or spaghetti) at restaurants aimed towards foreigners. My advice comes from experience: ignore the evil voices trying to convince you how good the melted cheese with herbs will be, and go for the curry. It’s cheaper, and oftentimes the curry you get back home – especially if you live in BF Alaska – will be along the same lines as the pizza you’ll get in Asia.

[Via iamkohchang.com]

Gadlinks for Friday 10.16.09

by Brenda Yun on


Another Friday is upon us here at Gadling, and after that balloon kid fiasco yesterday, which also happened to be Blog Action Day, I think we need a good few days of rest. So cuddle up with these cool weekend reads and enjoy what I hope will be a drama-free weekend!

‘Til Monday, have a great weekend!

More Gadlinks HERE.

Classic Treks: The Paine Circuit

by Kraig Becker on

Yesterday we mentioned how amazing Patagonia is for adventure travelers, and in the process referenced the Torres del Paine National Park in Chile, which also happens to be home to one of the best long distance treks in the world. This classic hiking trail is known as the Paine Circuit, and backpackers from around the world make the journey to South America each year just to hike through the dramatic Patagonian landscapes.

The Paine Circuit is roughly 65 miles in length and requires about 8 to 10 days to complete. The entire route is lined with amazing scenery that is distinctive to Patagonia, including beautiful valleys filled with glacial lakes, stunning mountain vistas, and the legendary Towers of Paine, three unique rock faces carved out of pink granite.

Trekking the circuit independently is incredibly easy, as a solid infrastructure is in place to assist backpackers in getting on the trail. Shuttles run on a regular basis, and there are a number of trailheads from which to begin the trek, with access near Puerto Natales, and El Calafate. The price of the shuttle is generally about $20 and the park entrance fee is another $14.

The trek can be a bit gear intensive, as you’ll need to carry everything you’ll need along with you. Packs tend to get heavy, and pack animals are not used on the circuit at all, so you’ll need a stove, sleeping bag, clothing for a variety of weather conditions, and possibly a tent as well. On the Paine Circuit, you can choose to stay in your own tent for free, or pay a nominal fee to stay in the assorted cabins, or refugios that are found along the trail.One of the great aspects of hiking this trail is that it gives you the sense of a high alitude, alpine trek, without the severe altitude. There is no fear of alittude sickness on the Paine Circuit, as the highest pass is just 4071 feet. But the hike can still be a challenge, as the legendary Patagonian weather can strike at any time, with high winds and heavy rains making conditions very uncomfortable.

The Paine Circuit has a lot to offer any backpacker, and should easily be on your short list of international treks to complete. The stunning scenery is worth the journey alone, and you’ll be exploring one of the most remote and unique environments on the planet.