Terrance Talks Travel: The Quirky Tourist Guide to Antarctica

By Terrance Zepke

Antarctica is the end of the world but the beginning of an amazing adventure. Everything you need to know about traveling to the South Pole is included in this reference, including how, when, why, and where.

After reading this guidebook, you will know when you should go to see the most wildlife, how you should go, and where you should go. There are dozens of phenomenal photos, maps, and trivia boxes included, as well as a Wildlife Checklist, Packing Checklist, and a Code of Conduct for Visitors.

While there is no doubt that the unique and wonderful wildlife is the appeal of Antarctica, there is more. You won't believe all the adventures that are possible on the White Continent, such as kayaking, swimming and scuba diving (!), and camping in Antarctica. Discover all the incredible options available, including a funky bar at the South Pole where you can enjoy a drink at the world's southernmost bar, Blood Falls, Discovery Hut, a strange "museum" housed in ice tunnels, and more!
Not only does the author have first-hand knowledge of Antarctica, she will reveal tips for making the most of your journey, including what to expect and how to prepare for it. There is a list of reputable operators at the back of this reference, as well as a list of “Fascinating Facts.”

Terrance Zepke is an award-winning and best-selling author of forty-seven books, including the popular TERRANCE TALKS TRAVEL series. She is a travel blogger, agent, adventurer, and host of UBER ADVENTURES. Zepke has traveled to all seven continents and enjoyed a wide array of adventures, including dog-sledding in the Arctic Circle, camping in the Himalayas, shark-cage diving in South Africa, and a gorilla safari in Uganda. She is in demand as a speaker and has appeared in most major media, including The Washington Post, CNN, The Learning Channel, The Rick Steves Show, NPR, Associated Press, PBS, The Good Morning Show, and The Travel Channel. For more on this author and her books (or to subscribe to her travel tips blog) visit www.terrancetalkstravel.com and www.terrancezepke.com.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Terrance Zepke
• Release date: Mar 28, 2017
• ISBN: 9781942738206

Terrance Zepke

Terrance Zepke has a B.A. in Journalism and a Masters degree in Mass Communications and has also studied parapsychology, which is the study of paranormal phenomena, at the renowned Rhine Research Center. She is an award-winning and best-selling author of more than fifty books. Terrance has traveled to every continent and enjoyed all kinds of amazing adventures, such as piranha fishing on the Amazon River, an elephant safari in Nepal, dog-sledding in the Arctic, and spending the night in the famously creepy Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum as part of a paranormal investigation. She is in demand as a speaker and has been featured on NPR, The Learning Channel, History Channel, Around the World, CNN, Rick Steves Show, Good Morning Show, and the Travel Channel. She is the host of TERRANCE TALKS TRAVEL: UBER ADVENTURES and co-host of A WRITER'S JOURNEY: FROM BLANK PAGE TO PUBLISHED. More about this author, her books, and dozens of free repots can be found on www.terrancezepke.com and www.terrancetalkstravel.com

Book preview

Terrance Talks Travel:

The Quirky Tourist Guide to Antarctica

Terrance Zepke

Copyright © 2017 by Terrance Zepke

All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, magnetic, and photographic including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission of the publisher. No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher and author assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.

All queries should be directed to: www.safaripublishing.net.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Zepke, Terrance

Terrance Talks Travel: The Quirky Tourist Guide to Antarctica

1. Travel-Antarctica. 2. Adventure Travel-Polar Regions. 3. Ushuaia. 4. Antarctica Peninsula. 5. Antarctica Wildlife. 6. Antarctica History. 7. Antarctica Guidebook. 9. Antarctica Cruises. 10. Antarctica-South Pole. I. Title.

First edition

CONTENTS

Introduction

Getting There

Terrance’s Top Ten Picks

Touristy Things to See & Do

About Antarctica

Code of Conduct for Visitors to Antarctica

Average Temps & Packing Tips

List of Tour Companies

Animals Checklist

Titles by Terrance

INTRODUCTION

Antarctica is the fifth largest continent covering nearly 5.5 million square miles. It is a remarkable, bizarre, and unique place. It has no countries. There are no permanent inhabitants. Plant life is almost non-existent. Only a few species of animals can survive in this brutally harsh environment. We’re talking about a place that is buried under an ice sheet that is up to three miles thick! And this frozen land mass is surrounded by frozen seas for most of the year. It can get as cold as -122◦F (-80◦C) in the winter. Surprisingly, Antarctica is classified as a desert! Equally surprising is that the animals that call this bitterly cold, unforgiving climate home cannot survive anywhere else.

There are research bases with temporary residents that stay for a couple of months to two years at the longest. While some bases have a population of one hundred during the summer, there is a skeletal staff of no more than twenty at most bases during the winter months. There are roughly forty-five research stations in operation, so this is approximately 3,500 inhabitants during the summer and less than 1,000 in the winter. You can learn more fun trivia and the incredible history of Antarctica, in the About Antarctica chapter.

You will most likely explore the white continent by ship. You will eat all your meals aboard the ship, but it may interest you to know that food for the various bases is brought in during the summer months in large quantities so as to last for months. It is mostly canned or frozen. Some research stations have greenhouses, which grow fruits and vegetables, using a hydroponic system since importing soil is not permitted.

You can only travel to Antarctica mid-November to early March. This is their summer season and the only time travel is feasible. The best months are January and February when penguins are being born, which means the colonies are still on the islands. Most of the rest of the time they are at sea, which makes them harder to find and observe.

If you want to know what you will