Ren and...the 7th continent: Antarctica!!!!!

9.31am, 19th february, Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, excited

Yes, excited....this is gonna be the trip of a lifetime! Just 35000 people per year visit Antarctica...and I'm gonna be one of those!!!
The day I decided to take these 3 months off I already had in mind to go all the way there, then I booked the trip, but still seemed far away but now not...I need to board my icebreaker between 4pm and 5pm, and there off we go, me and another 47 crazy people like me. 10 days, crossing the Drake passage, and landing in Antarctica, on some of those 2% of land it has, then on the ice, seeing penguins, whales, albatross and whatever else. We checked the weather this morning, somewhere at a research station it's 2 degrees above zero, so not that cold! Better than the south pole: -47 C!!! (but I won't go there!).
There's a girl I met a couple of days ago and she might join as well if there are still places available, there are last minutes much cheaper than what I payed, but I'm happy to know I'm going, I would have been too disappointed not making it in case I could come here and no offers, so whatever, the money will be terribly worth!

Anyway, all this is just to say that I will be offline for the next 10 days, no chance to connect to gmail from there. So no worries and be ready for the very very long mails I will be writing during the trip and you will be receiving starting the 28th february!!!!!!

My icebreaker is already al the harbour, I could see it from the window of my room this morning when I woke up. It's the Grigoriy Mikheev, check out this link http://www.lastfrontiers.com/hoteldetail.php?id=603 you can imagine me there for the next 10 days!

Right, time to set off for last shopping (sunglasses, sea sickness pills, book, antarctic equipment for landings, ...)and then..ready!!!

Take care, please keep writing me and I will read when I'm back.

AntarcticRen

punta arenas, almost the end of the world!

Right, another time 5 days without news...but this time I have a big excuse... been without internet connecction for the whole time or almost, just checking very quickly.
Been camping, hitchhiking, enjoying nature and penguins, enjoyed a lot!
Now i'm down south in Punta Arenas in the chilean patagonia, very very south, and of course it';s colder... 10 degrees instead of the 30 of yesterday! It's ok, need to get ready for Antarctica!!
that's all for now, need to take a shower and head to a nice restaurant for my birthday dinner!!! hope for some drinks later too!!
ren

i'm not very good in updating this blog, eh?? Sorry, it's just not natural to write here...I prefere my loooong mails ;-))
Anyway, many kilometers done since last time I posted here. I was in BA back then, hoping to dance tango. I made it and enjoyed it. Then I had a road trip on a Ford Falcon 1973 from BA to Bahia Blanca, good fun, especially speaking spanish the whole day! Asado waiting for me in BB, and of course my Guille, the crazy ISFiT friend. Loved every minute there, also when I got a bit pissed off because at 1am we still hadn't had dinner and instead of getting ready he was singing and dancing in his bathrobe, ah ah! We went to the sierra and to the beach, I learnt the mate ritual and I noticed that people drinks it even if it's 30 degrees outside, lying on a beach!
From there I moved to Viedma, 4 hours south, already in PATAGONIAAAA. And with the luck I normally have, Guille organized me to meet one of his friends and her boyfriend + another friend, who welcomed me like an old friend. We went to the river, and to the beach, we did shopping and ate together. At 2am this morning I waved them goodbye, and made my way further south. I'm now in Puerto Madryn, here it's the real Patagonia of my dreams!
I'm gonna meet a belgian girl, we should buy a tent and keep going camping..it's gonna be fun!!
I promise I will write here more often but for now...HASTA LUEGO!!
Ren

BA day 3: it's still sunny!

I'm still here, enjoying sunny BA, european BA, cultural BA, food in BA, soaking up this city!
It's very nice, it's strange but I do feel at home. There are corners remind me of Brussels, many more reminding me of Torino...maybe I never moved from europe??? ;-))))
Been to Palermo yesterday, unfortunately (or maybe luckily!!) I didn't have much money with me so could not buy anything...there are such wonderful shops there! Today Recoleta, the high end area, big mansions, nice parks, and the grave of Evita Peron, it's a must to check out! Walked down Florida, hated it, too crowded, any via Garibaldi or Rue Haute of the worlds look the same.
tonight no plans yet, either out with Luchito or maybe a movie somewhere, still didn't manage to go and dance/watch tango, maybe tomorrow or friday...I need to!!!
till next time...enjoy ;-)
ren

Buenos Aires, first day

Quick update to let you know I arrived safe although some turbolence here and there. 25 degrees in Buenos Aires, good to know that most of you are covered by snow today ;-)
Í'm pretty tired as not much and confortable sleep, but I can't miss to discover the place a bit, have some food and enjoy!
That's it for now, sun is waiting!
ArgentinianRen

no excuses

backpack is packed (well 1 small thing missing - my jeans, still in the drier!), house is packed, sun is shining, I'm ready to go!!! Scared, I am, never travelled 3 months, will I get bored??
NOOOOOOOOOOO
I can't wait to be on that train, and to reach BA tomorrow morning, 28 degrees, asado, tango and penguins ;-)
Right, time to go, last few things and.... next news from BA!!!
ren