The journey to the South Pole

Trip to the North Pole has become one of my most exciting trips, after which it wanted to get to the South, and to close the earth's axis on both sides. I grasped the opportunity and called the company theme - he, too, wanted to get there. If the North Pole has been conditionally extreme adventure - we went on the icebreaker, was the feeling of conquering the elements, - the journey to the South was different. Forty-hour flight back to go there and forty, with overnight stays in Anterktide and airport lounges. It was not extreme and exhausting.

Our journey started from Dolkabara where we are with the theme together, ate Grilyato, said goodbye to friends and left for the airport. From there, they flew to Madrid (5 hours), then to Santiago (a further 13, 5 hours). They were transferred to the Puente Monto (1, 5 hours) and from there to Punta Arenas (2 hours). Between each transfers waiting for several hours.

In Punta Arenas checked into the hotel, where the next day flew to Antarctica. Punta Arenas - a port city on the Strait of Magellan and many expeditions to Antarctica start from it. On the first day we were visited by the Americans - the organizers of the trip - and checked our equipment. They were very meticulous in regard to procedure and rules.
26 Photo © Sergey Dolya





I laid out all the equipment on the hotel bed, the guide looked at me and said that I do not have four things: ski mask wind, sunscreen, third pants and two bottles with a large neck - one that of her drink, second, that it write. Organizotory obsessed with ecology: we were warned that if we pee in the snow, they will have to cut cubic meter of ice floes, to take her to Chile and there disposed of, so that nothing disturbed the pristine purity of Antarctica ...



I had to go to the city, not buy everything you need:



Punta Arenas, a small town, one day I was already there:



In the city you can often see cars with numbers - a minibus. Options taxi in the city perform conventional passenger cars:



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All bins and trash in Punta Arenos raised a meter from the ground, so that cats and dogs can not get to them:



Trees in the center of the beautifully trimmed:

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Inside you can see a lot of branches, which are regularly pruned, giving the tree form:



Inside you can see a lot of branches, which are regularly pruned, giving the tree form:



The first briefing. He told us about how we fly and where we live. Generally, briefings were many, and most of them were devoted to the environment. We were told how to behave at the South Pole, like brushing your teeth, how to eat and how to sleep. In short, the meaning of each briefing boiled down to the fact that man must leave behind in Antarctica only footprints in the snow.

At the briefing, there were two groups: the first to the last flew the 89th parallel and get out to the pole on skis. It is about 100 kilometers from the small and ten days of travel. They, incidentally, is also subject to the requirements to write in the bottle and drag them myself. The second group, our, flew to the Pole itself was composed of 13 people, 11 of whom were Russian. The South Pole has been extremely popular destination among Russian tourists. The only company that officially carries travelers to Antarctica - ALE Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions - great guys, arrange all responsibly and at the highest level. We all booked through their partner company in Russia Special Travel Club:



This infographic provides an opportunity to assess the scale of the Antarctic - the territory of the United States it is easy to fit, and remains almost the same. From Punta Arenas, we flew four and a half hours to the camp in Antarctica, and then from there another five hours before the pole:



In ALE you can rent a piece of equipment. I agree in advance on a sleeping bag, someone in the meantime take gloves or pants:



After the briefing, we again took a walk around the city. In the central square is a monument to Magellan. Around a lot of dogs, and, the following picture can be seen in any city in Chile. Just some dog Country:



Beside selling all sorts of souvenirs:



It is believed that if to kiss the big toe from Magellan, be sure to come back here again. Subject to kiss did not, but tickled - tickled the statue was not frightened:



River, apparently, once filled with water:



Besides the stray dogs in the city, there are domestic:



Police cars in the lattice. The hole only on the windshield in front of the driver:



Central square. Beautiful clouds:



The next morning we took the bus and drove to the airport. The first time I saw the bus with the door inside the cabin. It made this in order not to let the heat (cool on the street):



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The airport has a small design, symbolizing the flight to the South Pole:



Our stuff at the airport no one checked how they were on the bus and drove. We were asked to go out and go through security, but purely nominal - not even checked our passports:



With us, the guys were flying out of the club "Seven Summits". Climbers have an honorable tradition: to conquer the seven highest peaks on seven continents existing. Club members flew in itself a pole, and the mountain range of Vincent, which is considered the highest point of the Antarctic:



Then we loaded in IL-76 and flew ...



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