The Lake District of Chile

After leaving Ushuaia our ship headed up the Coast of Chile to an area that is wild and unspoiled and often beautiful although it is often hidden by clouds and rain and high wind.

It is an area that gives you the feeling you have been transported to another Planet it carries a feeling of mystery of something alien.

The trip took 2-3 days before we reached Puerto Arenas we did not stay long since high winds did not allow for safe passage to the port so we continued to

Puerto Montt a very beautiful and unique area that is also very young geologically.It has had the most powerful earthquakes in recorded history some as high as 9.6 which occured in 1960 known as the Great Chilean earthquake.

Like New Zealand which also has a very active land area these areas have enormous beauty while they can be potentially dangerous.So that Ying and Yang adds to their appeal.These Pics will give you a feel for the place.

Ushuaia

Coming back from Antarctica my ship stopped in the most southern city on the planet Ushuaia.

It is close to Tierra del Fuego National Park so it is a popular stop if you are in the area.You can take a local bus or a taxi.I would advise you simply take a Tour and save the hassle.A bus would cost about 21 USD and the entrance to the Park about 15USD

Here it is often windy and cold and you can often sprinkle some rain as well.

The area is one of the highest concentrations of Cataracts in the World because of the depletion of the Ozone Layer.It has improved recently but suggest you use a good Suntan lotion and of course Sunglasses as well.

As usual Photos are a great way to get a feel for the area.

View from the Bus near Tierra del Fuego National Park

Staying healthy when you Travel

The most important factor when you Travel is to stay healthy there is nothing worse then having an ailment or catching a bad cold when you are on a trip.

It is amazing but the trays at security at airports is a haven for viruses and bacteria, so after leaving security you should wash your hands or use a wipe.

When you get on the plane the same deal,wipe your seat and the tray table.When you go to the bathroom never never drink the water.

I have found speaking to Airline crew that flying in the long term can be hazardous to your Health I cited the BBC story regarding the air quality in all Boeing planes prior to the 787 in previous posts.

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-32786537

The radiation exposure over time has caused a variety of health conditions in airline crew and Astronauts as well since Ionized radiation causes long term damage to the immune system.A majority of Astronauts who have worked in space have been victims of this exposure since they are not protected by the Earths atmosphere.

On an aircraft for every 5 hours of flying you are receiving about the same level of Rems as a chest x-ray.

As a result I take antioxidents like Resveratrol and Pomegranate extracts since they have been found to have anti-radiation effects.

I combine that with a higher then normal level of fruits and vegetables including Cauliflower and Broccoli.These vegetables have been found to not only have anti cancer effects but also boast the immune system.That is why berries should be on your menu the more the better.

You need to maintain your normal hours of sleep regardless of the time change and you need to buy fresh fruit and vegetables to have in your Hotel room.I have had problems with clean food in many parts of the world so if I can find a local market I will buy fresh and wash it in my room.That is the only way to protect yourself from fruit and vegetables that have not been cleaned properly.

I even bring a small amount of fruit and vegetables with me that lasts from 1-2 days.I also bring small cans of Salmon from Alaska so I have protein as well.

I never traveled this way but have found that sometimes because of bad weather or delays on my trip I never get a chance to eat something healthy.Well either for your destination or on the plane bring your own food.I recently flew Business class on Iberia to Madrid from Miami and ended up eating my food that I picked up rather then what they served.

OK thats my wise tidbits for today.

Thanks for your kind words.

Falkland Islands

If you really want to visit the UK head to the Falkland Islands an area of the world that is more English then England.If you want to get close and personal with Penguins well this is the place as well.After taking a short boat ride from my ship was taken in a 4 wheel drive car that gave a ride that was as much fun as the destination.The trip involved a great deal of driving on rough unpaved roads to the beach area the Tuxedo guys have their community.

And what a group it is watching all the action is really mesmerizing the only problem is the area does not smell like a Perfume factory.

Its cold and rainy just like jolly old England but you really could not care less.

Antarctica

Recently on a Cruise Ship to Antarctica these trips can only occur during the summer in the southern hemisphere.So made the journey in Feb.

After Leaving Buenos Aires we traveled to the most southern city in the world Ushuaia Argentina,

Interesting enough this area has a very high level of Cataracts in the population which most likely relates to the higher level of dangerous Ultra Violet rays which exist in this part of the world because of Climate change.

We then left for the Falkland Islands which the Argentines call The Malvinas a conflict that still exists and may relate to the possible existence of large oil exploration possibilities.

We then crossed the Drake Passage after briefly stopping near Cape Horn to give respect to so many sailors who in pre-iron ships could not survive the famous rough seas in this area which I was worried about.At 5 AM the entire ship was alerted as the passengers were told of the area we were in.

The weather was superb after the sunrise the Sun was out every day we traveled across Antarctica.

After a day of cruising we stopped at Paradise Bay a favorite spot for Cruise ships because the area is teeming with wildlife.Will continue on my next post.

The Bernina Express

Recently Starting in Tirano Italy got a real buzz riding The Bernina Express to Chur in Switzerland.

Swiss Trains are expensive so I purchased the same Ticket with a stop in Singen in Germany through Deutsche Bahn…… the same Ticket purchased through Swiss Rail is about 135USD my Ticket was less then 33 USD.

The trick is to make your last stop in Germany and getting off early if you are going to in my instance Zurich.

The Train leaves this sweet and relaxing town around 2:30 PM so rather then connect from Milan or another town I arrived the night before and stayed at a Hotel that is a few feet from the Train station.

The Hotel is called Binario Zero and was very modern and clean the only problem is you must check in at another Hotel a short distance away.

I booked the Panoramic car which cost an additional 15USD but it was more then worth it.

After leaving exactly on time in Swiss style we started to travel around a nearby lake before beginning our ascent.The Train offers you an App to download so you can have a Narrator in the language of your choice give you a minute by minute explanation of this wonderful ride.

The Photos will give you a better idea then anything I can tell you.

The main point is Go…………. this is a great 6 hour ride that you will remember for the rest of your life.

Use it or lose it.

The best way to accumulate Rewards quickly are with sign up bonuses for various credit cards with the main Banks and American Express.

The problem is the Reward programs are being devalued more often and with a greater impact to members of the programs.

My opinion outlined in a previous post is you need to model your Rewards portfolio in the same manner as an Investment portfolio.In that sense no matter where you travel and whatever Airline you use you will have a strategy to Travel at low cost just by using your Rewards.

The issue is the Big Guys either Marriott or IHG or Hyatt or Delta or United or British Airways or American keep raising the bar on the use of their currency then why bother at all in this Rewards Jamboree.

At this point the only logical answer is plan a trip and either use the Rewards you have now or plan a trip sign up for the bonus from the program or programs you think will work best and use them in a short time because they are losing value as I am writing this post.

All the major Hotel programs are watching each other lower the value of their programs where it stops no one knows.

So the mantra is Use it or lose it.

IWM Duxford

After leaving Alesund I flew with Norwegian Air to Oslo and then flew to Gatwick.

From London you take the Train from Kings Cross to Cambridge and from there to Duxford for the Museum.I decided to go on Sunday since a Shuttle picks you up near the Train station and takes you to the main entrance of the Museum.

The Bus is about 3 USD and runs about 3 times a day it is No. 132

It is a lot of fun to be close to the Aircraft that fought all through World War 2 and even watching them in action if any are being flown that day.

Make some time when you are in London and you can experience the Museum and Cambridge.

The Bus from Cambridge is about 30-40 minutes.

Here are some Pics.

A quick trip to Alesund

It is strange but often I find that the colder the climate the warmer are the people.This is certainly true in Norway.

After flying on Norwegian air from Geneva to Oslo I then took a short flight to Alesund.The Weather was typical really awful with

rain and high wind with cold temperture as well.

Alesund is made up of many islands so if you go any type of distance on Public transportation you will enter a major adventure.It will involve Buses,Ferries then Buses that drive on Ferries and more Buses.That was my trip from Alesund to the Geirangerfjord.This is a trip that is in my view even more interesting then the destination.

You can arrange your trip to stay in the city of Geiranger for a few hours which has nice places to eat and friendly local people.

Here are a few Pics

On the Ferry to
Geirangerfjord

The front of the Bus on the front of the Ferry.

Getting close to another Ferry or another Bus.

Did you know there is a Canyon in New York ?

You heard it right the largest Canyon on the East coast it is called

Ausable Chasm and it is a fun visit.

I came from Burlington Vermont with a local Ferry which takes about 1 hour.

You call the great people at the Park and they send a free Shuttle to pick you up about 10-15 minutes later.

After you arrive you decide what route you want to take and if you want to include the raft tour.Yup a raft tour which in my view is the best part of the adventure.

The various trips through the park take an average of 2-3 hours so you can arrange to take the Shuttle back if you are coming from Burlington.

As usual the Pics are the best way to get a feel for the experience.

So if you are in the area check it out.