You'd think living in Montana would have conditioned me to cold temperatures over time. Although, my comfort level never expanded to anything lower than 60 degrees, I have learned to adjust my wardrobe accordingly. You can find me wearing two pairs of pants and at least three shirts December through February. All these layers help me feel like …

As itineraries for Antarctica are determined so heavily by the weather and ice conditions, it is impossible to say what landings you’ll make on your journey.





I can’t tell you how many times I’ve typed that to travelers as they plan for their Antarctic journey. On the receiving end of that news, it can feel like …

There are people that believe that Antarctica is "shared" among multiple countries because it is not its own continent, but instead a massive wall of ice along the edge of our disc-shaped planet. I however like to believe that tis treaty comes from an international desire to make Antarctica the exception from the rest of the globe. That …

It’s easy to get carried away talking about Antarctica and completely neglect the rocky terrain of Patagonia. Looking back, this feels like such a different experience, it must have been a completely separate trip. But no, before arriving in Ushuaia, my partner-in-crime and I flew into El Calafate to be transported to El Chalten for some …

*Summer of 2019. A small room where two people sit with stale coffee.*

Interviewer: Rachel, describe what Hell would be like for you

Rachel (that’s me) : I’m glad you asked Gene. Hell to me would be … being in close quarters with lots of people. And not being able to escape them! … like on a boat or …

I’m a small town-Mountain Girl so I’m not usually a big advocate for taking time to visit the Capitals when traveling. Buenos Aires has become my favorite exception. We only had one day and looking back I would have traded one of our Ushuaia days for Buenos Aires. This city felt like a combination of France, Mexico and New York City. …

Walking in the woods is one of my favorite activities. I believe that clean air is one of the best purifiers for our bodies. Therefore increasing your breathing rate out in nature is medicine. Or maybe it’s more like drugs because I am addicted and crave it every day…



We planned to hike something lite upon arrival, Laguna Torre …

People joke about “needing a vacation from their vacation.” Usually they are referring to being so exhausted from planes and activities. I felt like I needed a few days after my return - not to sleep - but to adjust back to real life. In Antarctica there are no cars. There’s no ringing telephones. You have the people with you, …

I traveled on the new World Explorer with Quark Expeditions. This company was one of the first to offer Polar travel to Antarctica, helping to earn them the role as one of the “leading” companies. Their growing fleet offers more options and availability to travel each year.





This ship accommodates 176 travelers in addition to the …