november-2011

Departures
18 Thomas Cook Travel
Celebrate the centenary of the great
race to the South Pole
WHEN ROBERT
Falcon Scott and
ADVENTURE
his men arrived at
the South Pole in
January 1912 to find that the rival
team – led by Norwegian Roald
Amundsen – had beaten them
by over a month, the British
explorer wrote in his diary:
“Great God! This is an awful place.”
With frostbite and -30°C
wind chill to contend with – not
to mention the fact that he lost
that great race 100 years ago
– it's no wonder Scott's review
was less than glowing.
But there’s no denying the
dramatic, desolate beauty of
Antarctica, or why the appeal
of this icy wilderness endures.
For a start, it has less annual
precipitation than the UK and
is technically a desert, albeit a
rather frosty one. Then there’s
the brilliant wildlife – from
humpback whales, orcas,
fur seals and a whopping 17
species of penguins. Polar hero
Amundsen (pictured) would have
encountered these creatures
after sailing the exploration ship
Fram around the Falkland Islands
and Cape Horn, before traversing
the White Continent's glaciers
and peaks on husky-driven
sledges to finish in pole position.
You could mark the centenary
of Amundsen's expedition to
the South Pole by taking part in
a similarly challenging Antarctic
ski or ice marathon. Or, better
still, take in the breathtaking
landscape on the comfort of
a cruise ship. Hurtigruten’s
very own ms Fram will sail a
17-day voyage through the
Chilean fjords and Antarctic
Peninsula, with special onboard
celebrations on 14 December
to mark the centennial, on
4 December (departing from
Buenos Aires). Like Amundsen,
it's guaranteed to be a winner.
See cruisethomascook.com
for more information
PHOTOGRAPHY ALAMY