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Zach GZach G
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traveled in 26 countries Read more Calgary, Canada
  • TravelerSouth America
    Day 159

    Foz do Iguaçu

    February 11, 2023 in Brazil ⋅ 🌙 25 °C

    I mean, what can you say?

    It's marvelous. It's on every list of the 7 natural wonders of the world, and there is absolutely no doubt as to why.

    These falls are HUGE. They're gorgeous! It's an absolute must on any trip to either Brazil or Argentina.

    Both countries have a share of the falls, and they offer a slightly different experience.

    The first photos are from the Brazil side, you get panoramic views of the falls, and the walkway will take you right in to the 'Devils Throat', right next to the largest of the falls, where the sound is deafening and you will get absolutely soaked from the sheer power of the falls. It's amazing to be able to see them in all their glory and get so close that ALL of your senses will be lit up by the experience.

    We also took the helicopter tour from the Brazil side, which is an amazing experience in its own right, but the views from the air over these falls are just incredible.

    On the Argentina side, their walkways go out to the edges of the falls at the top, and you can peer right down over them. It really gives you an appreciation for how much water is going over, and just how fast it moves.

    We ended up with extra time here because our plans changed, and boy, are we glad we did. Amazing, amazing to see with our own eyes!    Read more

  • TravelerSouth America
    Day 155

    Florianopolis

    February 7, 2023 in Brazil

    We actually stayed in 2 places here.

    It's a beautiful island with more than enough beach to choose from, so we stayed in Campeche and Canasvieiras, 2 towns outside of the city of Florianopolis.

    Our original plan was to come for 3 days, but we stayed for over a week, and we are glad we did!

    More beaching, sunning, tanning, playing in the water, lots of relaxing, we definitely enjoyed it. We've been traveling hard for over 5 months, so the break is a beautiful thing.

    We are off to see the epic Iguazu falls next!    Read more

  • TravelerSouth America
    Day 145

    Montevideo

    January 28, 2023 in Uruguay ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Uruguay is lovely. It's really laid back, chill, the people don't seem to be in a hurry.

    Montevideo very much fits the vibe. It's a nice colonial, Latin-American city that very much bears the scars of its previous dictatorship but is very proud of its history.

    Colonial buildings, statues, monuments to those who fought for their independence, tree-lined streets, incredibly friendly people.

    We wandered the streets for a day and visited the local Marijuana museum where we were gifted some of the local product and enjoyed a nice relaxing evening there.

    It's not that cheap here, unfortunately, so we decided to move on. We had to change our original plan due to the prices of certain flights, so we won't visit Paraguay, but we are off to Brazil next, we will be there until we head home (we think) for lots more beaches, sunshine, relaxing and to party during the famous Carnaval!

    Adios, mundo español, Óla Brazil!    Read more

  • TravelerSouth America
    Day 142

    Sauce de Portezuelo

    January 25, 2023 in Uruguay ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    We went a little way up the coast in Uruguay to a quiet beach town for some proper R and R.

    We spent three days here just relaxing, visited a 'playa naturista' and kept things really laid back.

    The sunsets were unbelievable, and there was more than enough beach to go around.    Read more

  • TravelerSouth America
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    Day 138

    Buenos Aires

    January 21, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    Buenos Aires is a HUGE, metropolitan city, with lots to offer everyone. Even a week felt short, and we never would have been able to see it all.

    It seems to us it's a city best enjoyed for its nightlife, with an incredible amount of bars (a few we visited were rated top 50 in the world) and restaurants. Parks, markets, beautiful tree lined, colonial-latin American streets, and an overall laid-back, yet proudly 'Porteño' vibe.

    (Porteño is the name the locals give themselves)

    We visited the gorgeous Recoleta Cemetery, the colourful La Boca neighbourhood, bid farewell to our friends from Antarctica, enjoyed our rooftop pool, and just wandered around Palermo to spend our week. We took in a tango show as a special treat. It was wonderfully Argentinian and an absolute must if you find yourself in Buenos Aires!

    And with that, we bid farewell to Argentina. It's been an amazing experience since we first step foot in Mendoza almost two months ago.

    The people, the culture, the nature, the food, the wine, the friends we made, and the countless memories have all made Argentina maybe our favourite country in the world.

    We are incredibly grateful to have been able to experience it as we did, and are already looking forward to the day we can return.

    Hasta la próxima, querida Argentina!    Read more

  • TravelerSouth America
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    Day 127

    Gand Island

    January 10, 2023, South Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ⛅ 1 °C

    64.27°S 62.54°W

    We found out on this day that due to changing weather patterns, we would have to leave and head back to Ushuaia to get ahead of storm systems moving in.

    We had planned to leave the following afternoon, but ended up heading north a day early.

    So, for our last day, we were treated again to an incredible whale watching experience and an absolutely beautiful afternoon to relax and enjoy the scenery.

    It was our first time having any sunshine on the voyage, and when sun hit those glacier covered mountains, it was absolutely magical.

    We spent our last afternoon relaxing in the hot tub on the top deck with the friends we made along the way.

    The 10 of us felt very close during the voyage, and it was one of the best parts of the trip to meet so many wonderful, kind, life-loving people.

    To Alan, Karina, Mike, Caroline, Jody, JP, Adam, and Amy, thank you all for making this voyage so much more special. It has been one of the greatest pleasures of our lives to share this with all, and sincerely hope to see you again soon.

    And with that, we say goodbye to Antarctica.

    It's not something that can be adequately described or conveyed through photography. It's magical, remote, untouched, unspoiled, powerful, beautiful, magnificent, and on a scale that can't be imagined.

    The landscapes, whales, penguins, and birds, the cold water, the lessons we learned, and of course the friends we made, have made this an experience that I'm not sure can ever be equalled.

    Even though we have still lots of time left to travel, it felt like something was ending when we turned north and away from the white continent.

    We hope to return again.    Read more

  • TravelerSouth America
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    Day 126

    Paradise Bay / Skontorp Cove

    January 9, 2023 in Antarctica ⋅ 🌧 1 °C

    64.53°S 62.50°W

    Easily the most photogenic place on our journey, Paradise Bay was named for the ease with which whalers used to be able to hunt whale here.

    Now the home of Argentinian research station Almirante Brown, Paradise Bay immediately moved us to tears when we stepped on to the deck for the first time here.

    It is tranquil beyond words. The water was a mirror, not a breath of wind, the only sound whales blowing all around the bay.

    We hiked up to a panoramic viewpoint to take in the entire bay, and had another incredibly successful whale watching tour. The whales here just didn't care that you're around, and we got appreciate the humpbacks feeding up close and personal.

    We saw them lunge feeding, we saw the adults teaching the calves to bubble net feed, and we were surrounded at times by these whales feeding on the abundant krill.

    As much as I try, there just aren't words to convey how spectacular it was to be surrounded by all this.    Read more

  • TravelerSouth America
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    Day 126

    Danco Island

    January 9, 2023 in Antarctica ⋅ 🌧 1 °C

    64.43°S 62.36 W

    Another great morning in Antarctica.

    We got to make a landing on Danco Island, in the Errera Channel to see a penguin colony and some great views of the bay. The huge mountains provided great protection from winds, and it was as calm as could be.

    Beautiful blue icebergs, more whale watching, big groups of penguins out swimming, eating their krill, it felt like we had a little bit of everything this morning.    Read more

  • TravelerSouth America
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    Day 125

    Wilhelmina Bay

    January 8, 2023, South Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌧 1 °C

    64.25°S 62.5W

    Wilhelmina Bay may have just been the highlight of the trip.

    We went whale watching by zodiac in the afternoon.

    The usual process is to be called down to the mudroom, put your gear on, wait to be called, do partner safety check, be checked by the guides etc. The process can take some time, and although no corners were cut, we were being told by our guides to hurry as much as possible, go, go, go!

    We scrambled into the zodiacs and were treated with what I can only be described as wildlife encounter so intimate and close-up as to be spiritual.

    We went out to our spot and first we were investigated by a pod of up to 20 orcas. As you can see from the video (Credit to our amazing expedition leader and whale biologist Marilia), they were extremely inquisitive and curious, and we were as close as I think you'd ever want to be to an animal with 'killer' in its name.

    After the orcas left, we continued, and approached some whale blows we saw in the distance. Our zodiac driver stopped at the usual safe distance and we waited, and AGAIN, the humpback came so close to us you felt like you could touch them.

    They were playing with us, making calls when they came up for air, splashing their fins and tails, giving us everything (and more) we could have asked for.

    Our guide said that in his 17 years of Antarctic guiding, he had never seen anything like it. It was deeply moving to have been so close to such a huge, majestic creature.

    When they did finally go on their way there were tears, hugging and many, many thanks to our incredible guides.

    My only regret is that I can't post more here, (I'm limited to 2 videos).

    So I will post what I can for now, and we will make a compilation when we get some time to try to convey the magnitude of this experience.

    Just incredible.

    Back aboard the ship that evening we all did the Polar plunge! The water temperature was -0.3 degrees (yes, you read that right). They tied a rope on to us, just in case, had some amp up music going in the mud room, and treated us with a shot of Vodka after completing the feat.

    Yes it was cold, but damn do you feel good!

    That evening we celebrated a birthday with the group of friends we had made on board the ship.
    Us, a Canadian couple from Toronto, a Brazilian couple from Miami, and 2 Australian couples all bonded pretty early on on the voyage (something I will talk more about later), and everyone had a great time on our new friend Mikes birthday, some even said it was the best day of their lives.    Read more

  • TravelerSouth America
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    Day 125

    Orne Harbour

    January 8, 2023 in Antarctica ⋅ ☁️ 2 °C

    64.37°S 62.34°W

    At Orne Harbour we made our first steps on to the continent proper!

    This is the site of the only Chinstrap Penguin colony on the continent of Antarctica, and we did a small hike up around a few nesting sites to a great view point over looking the Harbour itself.

    We got some great views of the chinstraps, and we got to witness a National Geographic moment, an Antarctic Skua trying to steal eggs or chicks from a nesting site being fought off by the penguins. The penguins won!

    We had a zodiac cruise around the gorgeous Harbour, surrounded by icebergs and the towering, dark, glacier covered mountains.    Read more

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