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Sailing Off the Beaten Path on a Windstar Cruise to Alaska

A Windstar cruise to Alaska took me to off the beaten path locations combined with soft adventure experiences in Misty Fjords National Monument and Endicott Arm

Southeast Alaska is an extremely popular cruise destination, and rightly so. The snow-capped mountains and glacier-carved fjords provide a stunning backdrop for small towns that can only be reached by ship.

After four big ship cruises to Alaska, I thought I had seen it all. But my recent Windstar cruise took me off Alaska’s beaten path and gave me experiences only possible on a small ship like the Star Seeker.

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“Grif’s Penguin Friends” – An Elizabeth Hartman Quilt Design

A penguin themed quilt made for my grandson and photographed on south Georgia Island

I made this penguin quilt for my second grandson using one of Elizabeth Hartman’s patterns.

When I planned my trip to Antarctica and South Georgia Island, I asked my grandson if I could borrow it for a little while. I promised him that I would try to photograph the quilt with penguins.

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My Ponant L’Austral Review – French Sophistication and Elegance at Sea

Sharing my detailed Ponant L’Austral review after cruising for 18 days in Antarctica and South Georgia Island

My dream trip to Antarctica was on the beautiful Ponant L’Austral, a purpose-built French expedition ship designed to provide the highest levels of luxury while exploring the southern and northern polar regions.

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My Favorite Things to Do in Ushuaia, Argentina, the Gateway to Antarctica

I discovered plenty of things to do in Ushuaia during the three days I spent there before an Antarctica cruise

Despite being at the “End of the World” in South America, the city of Ushuaia, Argentina, gets a lot of traffic during the warmer weather season. It’s the jumping-off point for cruises to Antarctica, arguably the more accurate end of the world.

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The Easiest Way to Get from Puerto Natales, Chile to Ushuaia, Argentina, the Gateway to Antarctica

I am sharing the details of how I travelled from Puerto Natales, Chile to Ushuaia, Argentina to board the L’Austral ship for a cruise to Antarctica

Ushuaia, Argentina, is the gateway for Antarctica trip expeditions. My Patagonia trip ended in Puerto Natales, followed by a few days in Ushuaia before boarding the Ponant L’Austral ship for an amazing 16-day cruise through Antarctica.

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My South America Cruise Port Excursions – An Introduction to Wildlife and History

These are the various things I did on the port stops on my cruise around South America

I’ve been fortunate to combine trips to South America and Antarctica twice. My first trip was on a Princess Itinerary that sailed around the southern tip of South America with 4 days in Antarctica. This was an easy way to visit many ports along South America’s coast, combined with some scenic cruising in Antarctica.

My second visit started with a three-week Patagonia exploration, followed by an 18-day sail on Ponant’s L’Austral from Ushuaia to Antarctica, South Georgia Island, and the Falkland Islands. The ship then headed north to Puerto Madryn, Argentina, and finished in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

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My Independent Patagonia Itinerary With a Side Trip to Iguazu Falls

Sharing all the details of my independent Patagonia itinerary combined with a few days at Iguazu Falls

I planned a three-week trip for my husband and me to Argentina and Chile to see Iguazu Falls and the highlights of the Patagonia region. Not knowing if we would ever go back, we took our time exploring each area. Many tours offer similar, shorter itineraries, but it was easy to see the sights independently, and it allowed us to do it on our own schedule with some built-in downtime.

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