** ANTARCTICA - 2002 **
** Chapter ONE **
** FLIGHTS TO THE 'START' **
This is the 26 June 2004 edition
of this page.
The TRAVELOGUE starts here:
3rd December 2002
Where is the START? Well, it depends on what you mean!
What do I MEAN??
To me, an Antarctic voyage starts when one catches the boat to get there. That boat was to be the FIFTH
element on MY voyage. The boat, a ship the NORDNORGE, was to leave from Southern Patagonia at USHUAIA.
Before that, I needed to get to BUENOS AIRES (by Iberian Airways) to catch a plane to USHUAIA. To get to Buenos
Aires, I also had to catch an IBERIAN plane from Heathrow to MADRID (in Madrid, there would be a long wait
for the plane to SOUTH AMERICA!)
Before even that, I needed to get to HEATHROW!!
Having packed everything over the past WEEK (by teatime last evening) I indulged in an interesting,
relaxing evening last night. All bags were packed for today's OFF! Opening up the MAIN case (for
my shaver and its operations) I put a clean pair of pyjamas IN. Today, I got up with the DAWN (the alarm
was set to 5.50am) - so had some cereals for breakfast and set the 'empty fridge/freezer' onto DEFROST
aided by a sharp platic tool!! (It has only got an hour until 7am!)
My main case had somewhat MORE contents than in NORMAL packing (like warm clothing for the
SOUTH POLE!) - but still within the 20Kg limit set by the airlines. After waiting for the above-mentionned
defrosting to complete, I over-ran my start-walk time of 7.00am by 6 minutes, so I'd probably arrive
at the coach-stop six minutes (?) later than my scheduled 7.35am..
Unfortunately, the EXTRA weight over this 'mile and a half trek', even with the 'wheelie' case, played
havoc with my wrists, despite the 2:1 'mechanical advantage' of its arrangement!! Multiple 'hand-changes'
between the case and my 'INSIGHT' hand-baggage was necessary - but it still made me arrive later
than anticipated (at 7.50am) before having a few quick words with fellow-passengers. On turning right,
to look up the road, within seconds, there was the 412 Coach for LONDON!!
I t was SOLID TRAFFIC all the way from Malvern, via WORCESTER, CHELTENHAM, the A40 and
the M40 - although 'opening out' on the last two roads!! That got me to HEATHROW (Central) COACH
STATION safely. Making my way, quickly, to the toilets and then the 'Little Chef' (at the airport), I got stuck-
into a Cheeseburger, chips and diet-coke meal - for £3.95 the lot!
From there I needed to meander off to TERMINAL ONE (only to find out that I REALLY needed TERMINAL
TWO!). That 'Terminal transfer' was a surprisingly long walk - so, halfway, I picked up an AIRPORT trolley to
ease my progress! It certainly was a relief to my wrists!!
Eventually, I got a lift going in the correct direction (confused by the intermittent fire-alarms!) and enquired at the
IBERIAN info-desk about checking-in early! (I was a long way ahead of my time). The nice, kind English-speaking
Spaniards said "OK" and offered me an earlier flight on the IB3179 at 15.30hrs (instead of my original IB3171 at
18.05hrs) - saying that I'd have more time, maybe, to look at MADRID!
Meandering around the DEPARTURES area, from about 13.00hrs, it would be a long time before the new aicraft had got
its GATE assigned! I passed through the 'Departure Checkin' and their 'body & baggage scanner areas' before I got
to in an inner area where my new flight was actually assigned. It annonced thaat I would have a 'takeoff-time' of
15.30hrs (but still NO GATE yet!).
Now, at 13.27hrs, I find that my IB3179 also has an 'alias' of BA7063! Still waiting, after toiletting, I switched my
'seaside sounding alarm' OFF, which, I think, must have been 'set-off' by the security scanner!! (I had thought, first,
that the chirpy bird-sound around 'departures' sounded like one of my own alarms. However, in the toilets, the sound
was still with me! It WAS my own alarm, which wouldn't easily switch-off with the STOP button - although I could
NEUTRALISE it with the button above the 'stop' function!!)
Trying to relax after this confusion, I went into the Caffe NERO and had some of their 'nosh'. (Just some sandwiches
of Ham & Mature Cheddar - some of which was eaten now - and the remainder in MADRID airport, later!!)
The 15.30hrs flight (BA7063 and IB3179) 'took-off' at about 15.46hrs and cruised just above the clouds and landed
at 17.33hrs after descending VERY quickly, with just 10deg to 15degs of flaps. In this rapid descent and deceleration,
about 45degs of air-brakes was used! There were NO MESSAGES either on-route, or at the destination, to tell us
where we were - or what the LOCAL TIME was!
After several 'transfer-flight' enquiry-offices, about where the BUENOS AIRES flight (the IB6841) goes from, I gradually
got closer to the expected 'gate' (probably B19 ?!) - but they'll decide "nearer the take-off time" which is at about 23.45hrs.
En-route, I noticed a number of refreshment shops - most NOT displaying prices (in EUROs or anything else!) - but, at
last, I eventually found one with MENTOS mints and strawberry in tubes at 0.90Euros each. So I bought two of them.
That represented my first purchase in Euros (at which the assistant 'clocked-up' 1.80 Euros) before I tendered my
first ever 5€ note! I could then examine and start to recognise the currency with her 'change'.
An earlier departure (at 22.50hrs) was NOT advised for BUENOS AIRES as my boarding card was already for
the 23.40hrs flight - AND my BIG CASE would already be on that one too!! [ It would be too much hassle - especially
as I don't speak SPANISH!]
4 December 2002
'Take-off' was after midnight (a half-hour behind schedule!) at 12.15 am.. We just started the engine and
BLASTED OFF!! The young lady, who was sitting in front of me, joined me in Row 28 (I had the J whilst
she took the L seat!). We both slept a bit between meals, there being severe turbulence ans children crying.
She seemed to speak a few languages - but REALLY she is a SPANISH speaking ARGENTINIAN, and
very good company! She made a better job with her ENGLISH than I could possibly have done with ANY
of her languages. Sometimes she realised her limitations (and admitted them!) - but we are both so 'fired-up'
with common interests, which included technology, science, computing, 'the web' etc that we 'got on' marvellously.
I told her about my final destination and learned of another of her languages (HEBREW - which she has
recently started) in a University in SPAIN! She is also studying computing and wildlife in SPAIN, itself, -
at CORDOBA I believe!!
Today's MADRID to BUENOS AIRES leg was 6333 miles and was accomplished in a B747-256B
aircraft. There was a VERY long wait at BsAs (its abbreviation!) Airport baggage retrieval fo rmy own
bags to appear. I had just about 'given up hope' because I then needed to look out for the NORWEGIAN
COASTAL rep to appear.
She was ALICIA LACAGNINA, who had three or four people left to find. She started by giving us a brief plan
for our next few days, before taking our USER-FRIENDLY tour-guide info that the NORWEGIANS had sent
us - and gave us a set of VOUCHERS for all FOUR of us which were UNREADABLE!! This worried me and
although the others were quite happy for me to take charge of these 'documents' - I conveyed my apprehension
to them.
The two maps were OK! The confusion about ARGENTINIAN currency didn't get resolved - it only
made things worse!!
But our 'movements & vouchers' were left with me, an I'm particularly UNHAPPY about it. Nobody else
wanted them anyway!! Then at 14.00hrs, I found my NORWEGIAN version of our travel itinerary - and
my own 'marked-up' annotations of what vouchers were in my possession. I'd just returned from a couple
of walks around BUENOS AIRES, seeing if I can really use US DOLLARS CASH in various shops, I found
that even the first shop's transaction (at which I purchased a "7-up light" for just under a dollar) was very successful!
I then went on a 'bigger walking trip' and combined my dollars (and 'pesos' change from my first shop) with other
'currency exchange experiments'.
IMPRESSIONS OF WALKING IN BUENOS AIRES
(a)HEAVY TRAFFIC crosses even when lights are GREEN for pedestrians!
(b)Pavements are so badly constructed and maintained thats it's a wonder that I haven't 'ricked an ankle' yet!
[Perhaps I'd better stay in my room until tomorrow's breakfast]
The advantage of these 'included trips' is that ankles are not 'at risk'! They would be from 9.30am tomorrow!
Back in my room, I decided to TRY AND UNDERSTAND the tickets that ALICIA had left me this
morning (for the FOUR of us). It was TOO HOT before 2pm to read them, - let alone understand them!!
When it became slightly cooler, I tried to analyse the correlation between the NORWEGIAN "Travel
Itinerary" (complete with my own annotations) and the two sets of tickets.
Because of a complete LACK OF ANY CORRELATION, I then tried to obtain 'reception' to catch
Alicia and get her in contact with me. Both attempts failed, but they said, eventually, that they'd "leave
a message" for her to contact me on my 'room phone number'.
In addition, of course, we have the 'DODGY' pavements in BUENOS AIRES - and a completely disgusting
view from my window - so BAD that the management had already pre-drawn the curtains!!
On returning to the room from an 'exploration', ALICIA's note was waiting, asking for me 'to ring back'. When
I did ring, not from my room but from RECEPTION, she explained that she COULDN'T understand - so I
had to hand over to a 'staff member' (a guy) speaking slightly better English. He could neither understand me
nor Alicia's problems! ALICIA will see us all tomorrow morning and return our OLD tickets, and meanwhile,
I'll have to tell our small group what has happened - probably during breakfast between 8am & 9am?!
The afternoon's exploration was cut short because of the DANGEROUS PAVEMENTS and their possible
threatening of my Antarctic Walks! I shall stay INDOORS until after tomorrow's breakfast!! No channels on
the TV were understandable to me, - so I got the radio working! When there was no 'crackling' it was mostly
reasonably pleasant (that's the music!).
Then it was 'out again' for a walk by the river's edge (actually the DIQUES with various craft on them, and which
opened out into the RIVER PLATE and URAGUAY). I then shopped for sandwiches and a 'light-coke' (all
with $US - not pesos yet!!)
Then, for me, it was bedtime at about 18.34 hrs - to 'make up for lost sleep last night'. Night, night everyone!!
5 December 2002
This night I did some improved 'cat-napping' (and toiletting) than on the previous night. I, slowly, got dressed
and sorted out my paperwork from 6am.. By 7.00am, in need of sustenance, I went for a FULL breakfast,
with the intention of meeting ROB and two others, to tell them of the news!!
I had a VERY FILLING BREAKFAST which was very good, having each course THREE times over!! There
was no Robert (ROB) or any known English speaker by 8.15am, so I left and went straight to my room, 1001,
toiletted and completed the packing etc, intent on going downstairs at 9 a.m ready for meeting others and getting a
9.30am start!
Whilst in my room, at 8.35am, I got a phone message from Reception which said that ALICIA had changed our
'start-time' to 10.00am.. I thought, moments later, that I ought to go DOWN at 9.15am, 'just-in-case'! Having
completed my note-writing by 8.45am, it was just a matter of waiting patiently - but, at 9.15am, I went down to
reception, and met another lady at about 9.40am who announced that Alicia will be late - about 10.10am! SHE
"wished us well" and left before Alicia arrived at about 10.05.. We went straight to the coach at about 10.20am, -
for a 10.30am start. [I had already told my three travelling companions about the LACK of meaningful tickets,
and described which ones we had and hadn't got, - with a small demonstration].
At our first stop, in the LA BOCA district, we all photographed (me using my new replacement camera - a
PENTAX 35 mm- for its first experimental use!) and visited the 'artist alley-way' for about a
quarter-hour (reminded me of a similar street in Moscow) and then, back in the coach, we got our 'missing
tickets' from Alicia (the NORD NORGE vouchers). She then expressed sympathy as she admitted "I know
now why you were so worried!!"
Some of the city (including part of our planned tour!) is closed to 'groups' WITH a guide.
We MAY visit them later, or on our own, if required! We stopped at a number of photo-stop opportunities.
One of these, seen only at LONG RANGE, I decided to do a walk on my OWN. It entailed making a complicated
traffic crossing in order to get some closer photos.
This was the SAN MARTIN park, opposite the ENGLISH TOWER (which I photoed on my return!).
Being as
I was the ONLY photographer (indeed the ONLY PERSON) to visit that park from our group, I took a friend's
EMail address so that I could forward a photo or two. Moreover, I marked its location on my map of BUENOS AIRES.
Later, we had a 'stop' where we ALL got out and walked around, photographing freely.
At this place, opposite a MUSEUM (no toilets!) just south of the PALERMO district, most of us crossed the road
between the rose-garden and where the coach stopped. We all enjoyed the extent of the 'Japanese-Style' garden
opposite, taking photos at various places ON the bridge and in the very attractive gardens!
Later the driver took us around MANY places, ALICIA describing each! A cemetery had a lot of tributes to major and
minor people (some rich, some poor) and it was THERE that EVITA PERON insisted on being buried (eventually, in the 'poor
section'!). I took a number of photos of her tribute in this mausoleum - as well as several others around.
[The burials are
quite DEEP, going down 5 metres or so, and below the top level there are many flooding and drainage problems!]
After an approximate 20mile (2 hour) trip on today's coach, I was back in the hotel doing my write-ups by 14.14hrs. [Before
we all go to bed, we should hear from ALICIA about our required start-time (and which AIRPORT). It may be very early!]
A further visit to my last shop got me 2 packets of sandwiches and 1 diet coke ( costing $2.0 US with 2.1 pesos change! - dig this
crazy currency-deal!!) That'll count for tonight's evening meal and tomorrow's breakfast. I was back in my room by 15.09hrs.
[Obviously, the shop was very pleased to have US dollars coming into the shop. It showed itself with serviettes being added
FREE!?]
Then I went on a BUENOS AIRES walk on its waterfront around the YACHT SQUADRON 'club premises'.
This was totally around DIQUE No4 on my large map. Then it was back to the hotel-room for refreshments (bought
earlier) and for getting tomorrow's 'paperwork' in order! Now, it was already 16.49hrs - and I've, still, not heard any news from
'Alicia'.
At 17.28hrs, I was back in my own room after buying another 'tub' of ice-cream (identical tub and the same shop as
yesterday!) It is INTERESTING, this psychology of the "incredible sinking PESO". Unlike an earlier shop, I didn't question
whether they'd accept US Dollars in payment. I just presented it for payment anyway!! However, yesterday this 'tub' cost $1US
exactly, - and today my dollar got 2pesos change!
My evening meal (half of sandwich bought earlier!) lasted from 17.35-17.45hrs!! I then checked with reception about any
possible messages from ALICIA. The guy said that no messages had been received yet, but the FLIGHT should be from the
DOMESTIC AIRPORT, which means that the departure from the hotel should be just after 4am!!
In the evening, I went to Ron's Room for multiple discussions until 22.08hrs, and then a message came from
'reception' that our coach DOES go at 4.00am. Ron and I therefore booked early morning calls for 3.15am!!
We, by then, had been discussing computers, technology, travel, politics, etc, etc - with a GREAT amount of
COMMON ground!
6 December 2002
I cat-napped ALL night and the 3.15am alarm DID NOT come through! (Ron got 2 calls and the 'couple' got
THREE calls!!) I got up at 2.30am anyway, and went down to 'reception' at about 3.30am, hearing the stories from
the others. After ALICIA arrived, we were given cups of coffee and a bun each.
The trip to the airport (Domestic Services!) was just a 3mile ride on the coach - and then we caught the plane to
USHAIA. That was a 1500mile ride (in an MD88 aircraft) to the southern tip of ARGENTINA (part of PATAGONIA)
from where we would got our boat to ANTARCTICA.
There was another long wait at 'baggage reclaim' at Ushaia, after spending a pleasant 3.25hour journey, by plane,
in conversation with Ron (from Northern Ireland).
(.... to continue in the DRAKE's Passage chapter ....)
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