Journal Entry

And we are off to the adventure! We gathered at Madison's airport with family to begin the trek down south. Lots of smiles and good wishes from the families who came to say farewell,

Leaving MadisonFamilies gather to say farewell to explorers

and also some sad sad faces, particularly from my kids. They still have fresh in their minds that last time I left for Antarctica it took me three months to get back. Long tome to be away from the family. This time is shorter, but I will still miss them.

Diego sad Diego is sad to see dad go to Antarctica.

And now we are in the airport, honing down our skills for the adventure, writing journal entries, taking pictures and videos of the wildlife, while we wait for the plane to get fixed.

Luke honing photography skillsLuke is honing his photography skills with the airport's wildlife

We are not that concerned about time. We have a five hour layover in Atlanta, and Madison's airport is calmer that Atlanta's, and it has free internet. We are doing well; Claire brought a large box of girls scout cookies to share with the Chileans, so we are set for a while.

Girl Scout cookies Chile boundWe are not too concerned about the delay at Madison's airport. We have enough Girl Scout cookies for a while.

Comments

Guest

Can't wait to hear all about your adventures! Have fun and be safe!!!

Guest

Could it be the foot of Magellan that has kicked your group in the stomach?
So sorry to hear of the cancellation of King George Island, but know that you are having many other unforgettable experiences. Hope all are well and/or getting better. Looking forward to more posts.

Guest

hi Juan and team!
We wish you all the best! We are very excited for all of you!

Janet and PT team

Juan Botella

Thanks! We are in Atlanta waiting for flight to Santiago. Good spirits overall. Thanks, and have fun in Fairbanks.
The JASE team.

Guest

Have a great trip!! I look forward to checking in on your adventures! ¡Buen viaje!

Guest

Have a great time and come home safely. Looking forward to hearing the details of your trip!!

Guest

Have a great time and come home safely. Looking forward to hearing the details of your trip!!

Anna Caldwell-…

Thanks for your kind words!
In the Plaza de Armas here in Punta Arenas, there is a giant state of Magellan, and it is said among sailors that you must kiss the foot of the statue in order to return safely. We visited the statue last night and Claire, Juan, Luke and I did kiss the statue, so the trip should go smoothly for us. Lynn did not, so she might fair otherwise, but she has another day to kiss it before we head to Antarctica.