THE PERFECT ANTARCTIC HONEYMOON
Suzy Guttler and Juan Castillo, newlyweds, have a penchant for high-octane thrill rides. After getting engaged in Jordan’s Lost City of Petra and getting married in a fantasy ceremony on Italy’s Lake Como, Suzy and Juan went on their honeymoon to the Great White Continent to start their happily ever after.
Both of us have always considered travel an important element of our lives and our relationship. Juan and I have taken in the historical and cultural wonders of the Great Pyramids of Giza and swum in the crystal blue waves of French Polynesia.
We have scaled the mighty alpine ranges of Everest Base Camp and walked through the East African jungles beside families of gorillas. We searched the globe for the most spiritual honeymoon destination and found it in the seventh continent, Antarctica.
We want to explore the far reaches of our world, to take part in its unfolding history. And thus our adventure began…Quark Expeditions’ World Explorer will take its passengers on a 10-day, 3,200-nautical-mile journey to the South Pole.
WE WANTED TO TRAVEL TO THE LAST FRONTIER OF OUR PLANET
Ushuaia, the southernmost city in South America, is the starting point of our journey. Ushuaia, sometimes called “The End of the World,” is actually the entry point of the seventh continent. We have finally made it to the Antarctic Peninsula after two days at sea through the perilous Drake Passage.
A fresh discovery could be made every day in Antarctica. We marched alongside penguin colonies in their natural environment, as the birds waddled up to our lenses in a remarkable display of curiosity. The animals rapidly taught us that they don’t fear humans. In fact, they welcomed our close interactions with them
We rode Zodiac boats through a sea of flaming icebergs, avoiding getting too near in case any of them tipped over. Realizing that these magnificent icescapes dated back thousands of years was mind-boggling.
We paddled our kayaks through calm polar waters and watched humpback whales swim lazily through the tide only inches from our boats. In order to satisfy our natural inquisitiveness, we retraced the routes of the brave explorers who first came onto the continent only two centuries ago.
THE BEST PART AFTER A LONG DAY OF EXPLORING
The finest part was returning to our heated cabin and sharing a passionate moment with the Great White Continent on our balcony after a day of exploration.
One of the most memorable parts of the journey was the ceremonial polar plunge, when we all stripped down to our swimsuits and dove headfirst into the frigid Antarctic waters.
The Polar Bear Plunge is the name given to the tradition by those who claim it originated in the Arctic. Participants would endure the cold water on New Year’s Day to mark the start of a new year. How else could we commemorate our wedding and the start of our happily ever after?
Antarctica was an otherworldly adventure, fascinating in every way and gorgeous in every aspect. The Great White Continent is the most romantic and life-altering travel destination available. (Imagine Titanic but without the sinking.) We have now arrived at the most remote and uninhabited part of the earth after braving the weather together. There’s no easy way to get there.
