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 Madison
    Families 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 skills
    Luke 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 bound
    We are not too concerned about the delay at Madison's airport. We have enough Girl Scout cookies for a while.

    Adios Madison

    ¡Comienza la aventura! Nos reunimos en el aeropuerto de Madison para iniciar el viaje al sur. Montón de caras sonrientes de las familias que vinieron a despedirnos,

    Leaving Madison
    Families gather to say farewell to explorers

    y también algunas caras tristes, particularmente de mis hijos. Todavía tienen fresca la memoria de la última vez que me fui a la Antártida; tarde tres meses en regresar. Demasiado tiempo para estar lejos de ellos. Esta vez es más corto, pero aún así los extrañaré.

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

    Y ahora en el aeropuerto, practicando nuestras habilidades. unos escriben en la bitácora de viaje, otros toman fotos y hacen vídeos de la fauna natural, mientras esperamos a que arreglen al avión.

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

    No nos preocupa demasiado la demora. Tenemos cinco horas de espera en Atlanta, y el aeropuerto de Madison es más tranquilo que el de Atlanta, además de tener internet gratis. Estamos bien; Claire trajo una caja grande de galletas de las Girl Scouts para compartir con los estudiantes de Chile, así que estaremos bien por un buen rato.

    Girl Scout cookies Chile bound
    We 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.