...begins with a single step. I try to keep this saying in mind as my husband, Cory, and I set off for Ushuaia, Argentina for our once-in-a-lifetime Patagonian adventure. But the journey from our apartment in New York City - a whopping 6,458 miles away - requires a daunting itinerary of flights, including an overnight layover in Buenos Aires, …

Our plane lands in Ushuaia at 9:30am, and Cory and I head immediately to the Cruceros Australis office for check-in. The process was relatively seamless and was finished well before noon giving us a wide expanse of day to fill before boarding begins at 5pm. Cory and I are not much for souvenirs, but we dutifully walked the city's main streets, …

Our first full day on the cruise begins at dawn with ''early risers coffee'' on the deck. I'm excited at the prospect of our first trip on the Zodiac boat and make sure that Cory and I are near the front of the pack when the time comes for disembarkation instructions for Cape Horn. As a result, we're among the first to start the 160-step walk to …

Our second -- and, sadly, last -- full day on the ship passes with ease. Cory and I are not scheduled to board the Zodiac boats for our tour through the Alacalufe Fjord until later in the afternoon, so we spend a blissful few post-breakfast hours on deck reading and drinking Bloody Marys. Although we've only been aboard the Via Australis for 36 …

As Cory and I began to research the cruise, the stop we were most looking forward to was the trip to Magdalena Island to see the penguins. Our guides have informed us that close to 70,000 pairs roam this relatively small expanse of space, and we board the Zodiac boat with both our digital and video cameras, prepared to capture every second. This …

During our first breakfast at EcoCamp, Cory and I learn that we will be sharing our guide with another couple, Doris and Richard. We realize we've been a bit spoiled - this is the first time on this trip or any other we've taken with Adventure Life that we've had to share a guide. At first I'm concerned, because Doris and Richard are a sprightly …

Mornings in EcoCamp are almost indescribably cozy, as Cory and I wake each day to a freshly lit fire and hot water for tea (courtesy of Rafa, who sneaks in pre-dawn to prepare). This morning is especially wonderful as the skies around Torres del Paine are uncharacteristically clear and cloud free. Before going to the main building for breakfast, …

A new group of EcoCampers arrived late last night, and there was talk that one of them was planning to join us on our 13 mile roundtrip trek to the Tower Base. However, we learn at breakfast that we are on our own with Rafa - the mystery camper fell ill during the night. While I feel badly that this unknown man's vacation has gotten off to a …

Packing up and leaving EcoCamp is one of the hardest things Cory and I have had to do on a vacation. We've had such a wonderful time here and could have easily spent another week just taking in the sights of Torres del Paine and enjoying the company of the staff. Our transfer to Puerto Natales comes early in the morning and we say a blurry …