The 7th Continent!

My sense of adventure has always had its limitations, but it was encouraged by Arctic fellow travellers tales of the Antarctic, sometime ago. The research started and the desire grew, to set foot on the 7th Continent, where many intrepid travellers have ventured before me.

Tales of rough sea crossings of the Drakes Passage, a passage of sea, named after Sir Francis Drake and the main entry point from the toe of South America, did little to dissuade me. Armed with every seasick medicine and potent, from acupressure spikes for my ear to wristbands, from prescription drugs to OTC medications, I packed my bag with some trepidation a week ago.

A routing from Dublin to Santiago in Chile via Paris, kicked the adventure off in style! 2 days in the Chilean capital in 30 degrees plus sunshine, set myself and my companions up for the trip of a lifetime.

Little Mateo in the W Hotel wished to practise his excellent English on us and it helped that he was in charge of the excellent Chilean pink prosecco! As he chatted and we imbibed, we met fellow passengers checking into the Hotel to join our Ship the following day. They say water always finds its own level and in no time at all, we found like minded fun people, Australian and Irish ladies, chaps from US and UK, all madly keen as we were ,to start the journey of a lifetime!

After 2 fascinating days exploring the very clean sprawling city of 8 million people

we were ready for off. My conundrum was what style to wear, going from plus 30 degrees to a reported temperature of freezing at Puerto Williams, our port of embarkation! The worries of the First World…but guess what, I managed!

Silverseas excellent staff organised the various permutations of getting almost 200 excited passengers from City Centre to the charter terminal of Santiago international Airport and we were off!!

A frisson of excitement filled the air, as ourselves and our fellow travellers settled in for the 3 hour plus journey. As I had not sampled the traditional Chilean drink of Pisco Sour previously, it was appropriate to do so as we departed this beautiful country and I would recommend it, at least one! My travelling companion and I did our best to convince a lady sitting beside us to try it also, who possibly thought 2 Irish ladies were becoming quite jolly in the middle if the day!!! One must get others to join in tbe fun!!! Don’t think she will sit beside us on the return journey!!

7pm we are on board, ready to Rock and Roll, as the ship slips out of port into a very calm Beagles Channel with the lights of Argentina winking on land. Such intrepid travellers!!!