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“It is not standard to have aircraft collide.”
Sean Duffy.
New Secretary of Transportation
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We have been taken over by clowns and idiots.
And corrupt billionaires.
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Some time ago, I began reading stories of the Roman Empire.
How familiar it all seems.
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It is hard to keep my mind from drifting to the disaster that has become this country.
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Yesterday morning there were patterns on the bird bath which was frozen solid.
It reminded me to check out the photograph I saw recently in a National Geographic Expeditions brochure.
It had looked very familiar and sure enough…
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Glacier Alley, Patagonia, Chile.
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It’s hard to believe now that I could ever have travelled somewhere as spectacular as Antarctica without a camera.
Joking, I’d said that instead I was taking a photographer with me, which was partly true.
Tim was great with a camera, but it was more that he took me on the trip, rather than vice versa.
Like myself, he was employed in the airline industry and he was compulsive traveller, who knew how to make connections!
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When, one day Tim called me up and asked how I’d like to go to Antarctica, I’ll admit it was not something I’d ever thought about, not knowing it was even possible.
But it sounded like a fine idea.
Another airline friend was delighted to come too.
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So, in November 1981, we met up with Tim’s friend Andy in Rio de Janiero. There we joined the World Discoverer for her first trip of the season.
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The little exploration ship, chartered by Society Expeditions, was positioning from an Amazon cruise.
The leg from Rio to Montevideo carried only the few passengers who were doing a round-the-world cruise, so it was available for sale at highly discounted rates for the likes of us.
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Once on the ship, I suddenly felt daunted by being in the company of so many wealthy people. It was all very well occasionally riding in a first class seat when someone had got me upgraded and that always made me uncomfortable too.
But whereas on a ‘plane, I could hide inside a book or pretend to be asleep, we would be on that ship in plain sight for three weeks.
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Tim and Andy had no such qualms, and weren’t aware that I did, getting frustrated with me when I was afraid to leave our cabin by myself.
On the first day out I was charged with sorting out our dining arrangements. I stood in a short queue hoping no-one would speak to me, but found myself next to an elderly English lady who seemed equally shy.
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It was in fact fortuitous, because the three of us ended up sharing a table with Mrs Thomas and her travelling companion, Mrs Platt and we had a wonderful time.
Andy is from Guernsey and coincidentally, the two ladies were from Jersey.
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Mrs Platt’s husband had worked for Shell and during WW2 they had been in Montevideo. She knew all about the scuttling of the Graf Spee.
She had travelled extensively and told many fascinating and entertaining stories.
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The five of us got through a good drop of wine during dinner and laughed so much we became known as the fun table.
One thing I remember seems extraordinary now.
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A young man on the cruise wore a single earring in the right ear, which in the 80’s was a mark of being gay. But there was another meaning and Mrs Thomas was curious…
“Young man,” she said, “You can only wear an earring like that if you have been around the Horn under sail! Have you been around the Horn under sail?”
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We never did learn, nor did we care, about the man’s sexual persuasion, but Tim found out that he worked for the US Postal Service. He was always alone and I never saw him speak to anyone.
Perhaps other people wondered about Tim, Andy and I. Who was with who? We shared two adjoining cabins but it was all very platonic.
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The Captain and the ship’s officers were German, but most of the rest were Indonesian and they could not have been more delightful.
Sometimes we were invited to take meals in the crew mess which was a lot of fun. I’ll always remember those sweet smiling faces.
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On days when we were at sea, there were interesting lectures about the wildlife and birds we would see or about the Antarctic explorers.
In between, I enjoyed looking out to sea, watching for the first iceberg, whales or penguins.
There was no chance of being bored.
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Before heading across the dreaded Drake Passage, we sailed down Glacier Alley which is part of the Beagle Channel.
That day was far colder than any of the days we spent on the Antarctic Peninsula, but it was wonderful, the scenery simply stunning.
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Seeing that photograph brought back the whole experience.
It was about so much more than the destination, though that alone was sensational.
It was being on that special little ship with wonderful and fascinating people.
I live for your pictures!
Thank you!
Thank you, Carolyn, for your fascinating memories of traveling with interesting friends! I love your photography too!
Joanna
Patagonia is one of those places we’d still like to visit one day – we might have to do it before we get too old because I’ve read there are amazing hiking trails. But Antarctica – wow! You can definitely say that you’ve seen places that other travellers have only dreamed of.
You see, there you do it again: Your story is so interesting, that I have to read your post for a second time now to look at all your beautiful photos!
Brilliant photos, as always, but even more fascinating reminiscences
For someone who worked for so long in commercial aviation, recent events must have been shocking, to say the least. I enjoyed your memories of life on the ship too.
Best wishes, Pete.