| In November 2007 the MS Explorer, carrying over | | | | over 16,000 feet (approx. 4,890m). We are familiar |
| 150 tourists and crew hit an iceberg in the Antarctic | | | | with the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) but in |
| and sank. Miraculously, no souls were lost or turned | | | | Antarctica the phenomenon is known as the |
| into human lollipops, but it was a terrifying ordeal and | | | | Southern Lights, or Aurora Australis. Antarctica has |
| a lucky escape for those onboard. Perhaps it was a | | | | no government and belongs to no country, although |
| timely and sobering warning that this type of tourism | | | | various claims have been made on parts of it. It still |
| should never be marketed like a Disney attraction. | | | | belongs to the penguins and I vote they continue to |
| Let's hope it also served as a warning to those who | | | | rule! At least when a penguin makes a fool of itself |
| think travel insurance is an unnecessary expense! | | | | it's cute and funny - in contrast to most politicians. |
| Trips to the Antarctic have become very popular in | | | | Many brave explorers risked their lives in the hostile |
| recent years with tourists heading south in their | | | | environment, icicles hanging from their grizzly beards. |
| thousands. Have our fears about global warming and | | | | They had solid, masculine 'don't mess with me' names |
| climate change caused this massive migration to the | | | | like Sir Ernest Shackleton, Robert Falcon Scott and |
| Poles to see the magnificent glaciers and landscapes | | | | Roald Amundsen. Nothing much can survive in such an |
| before they disappear? Al Gore has to be | | | | environment in the way of flora and fauna, other |
| commended for his efforts, but is he to blame? Or | | | | than penguins, fur seals, whales, hardy varieties of |
| should we blame all the cute penguin films, like Happy | | | | algae and lichen and some ugly-looking bugs. There |
| Feet? At one time it was a place only visited by | | | | are several species of birds, including Skuas, Petrels |
| explorers and scientists and not looked upon as a | | | | and Antarctic Terns, but only a few are passionate |
| tourist destination, but times are changing. | | | | enough to breed in those icy temperatures. Not |
| Conservation groups are concerned about the impact | | | | surprisingly, there are no humans living permanently in |
| of so much tourism on the environment and calling | | | | the Antarctic, although since the 1700s sealers and |
| for limits on the number of visitors. Most trips to | | | | whalers have spent time in the area. The research |
| Antarctica are made on ships departing from | | | | stations run by various governments and agencies |
| locations in South America. The routes are designed | | | | are staffed during the summer months, and many |
| to take in areas where the largest amount of wildlife | | | | year-round. A wide variety of scientific experiments |
| can be viewed. There are faster ways to see | | | | are carried out but the most talked about in recent |
| Antarctica though. For an aerial view you could take | | | | decades has been the hole in the ozone layer - which |
| a tourist flight departing from Australia or New | | | | is believed to have been caused by us messy |
| Zealand. It's a round trip of about eight hours. | | | | humans. The hole is also being monitored by NASA |
| Whichever way you do it you'll be leaving a carbon | | | | satellites, or are they really looking for the alleged |
| footprint with your happy feet and stinking up the | | | | missing Apollo 11 original Moon walk tapes? Many |
| pristine air! This new type of adventure tourism | | | | meteorites and craters have been discovered so |
| seems here to stay. Like a penguin slithering down an | | | | who knows what might be uncovered down there. |
| icy slope to the sea - it can't be stopped. With the | | | | Perhaps they'll find Amelia Earhart or the missing Child |
| ice sheets melting at a frightening rate, sea levels | | | | Benefit CDs which our government carelessly lost. |
| look set to continue rising. Despite this, Antarctica | | | | Rumour has it the reason the government wants us |
| holds the record for the world's lowest recorded | | | | to carry identity cards is as a back-up system for |
| temperature at -129°F (-89°C) during 1983. | | | | when they lose our personal data. At least we'll know |
| You wouldn't even be able to say 'Brrr'. It's hard to | | | | who we are, even if they don't. It's not surprising |
| imagine. I experienced -28°F in Colorado and | | | | that we want to see Antarctica ourselves but |
| saw a cat frozen as stiff as a board. When you | | | | perhaps we should be content with staying in the |
| stood it up it looked alive with tail held aloft in a | | | | warm and watching documentaries or films like March |
| friendly but icy greeting. My friends stood it next to | | | | of the Penguins. In the animated film Happy Feet, the |
| their mail box to greet visitors (sentimental they are | | | | penguin 'Mumble' was unable to sing to attract his |
| not, those leathery ranchers). I've heard that freezing | | | | true love because he had an awful voice and so |
| is the most painless way to die but I'd prefer not to | | | | resorted to tap dancing to woo her. I didn't see this |
| test that theory personally - and it's too late to ask | | | | particular film, but presume he got his girl in the end - |
| kitty. In case you're unsure, Antarctica is located in | | | | fish breath and all. Whatever they have to do to |
| the southern hemisphere, around the South Pole. The | | | | survive, perhaps we should think more about their |
| Arctic is north. (You'd be surprised how many people | | | | welfare and leave them alone. If the ice shelves keep |
| don't know). All but about two-percent of Antarctica | | | | collapsing there'll be nothing left for them to tap |
| is covered with ice. Many people mistakenly believe | | | | dance their happy feet on. |
| there are polar bears in Antarctica, but they are only | | | | Jean Andrews is a freelance writer living in the UK. |
| found north in the Arctic regions. Antarctica has | | | | She regularly contributes articles for TIA Ltd who |
| dormant volcanoes and an active one at Mt. Erebus | | | | offer travel insurance and quotes - even for those |
| on Ross Island. The highest peak is Vinson Massif at | | | | who are travelling to the Antarctic! |