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What's new in 2004? > Antractica, Argentina, Falkland Islands, India, Poland, Peru, Burma & South Africa!
January
ANTARCTICA was a dream. A dream I knew one day would turned into reality. Which day I had no idea. The idea was implemented sometime last October...
I stocked up on winter wear while visiting in Toronto. I had a vision it'd be the next Antarctica season then. Which cruise? What day? I had no clue at all! I went about traveling around Europe & America the next 2 months. Upon my return from Spain in end Nov, I began to plan. Looked around for a cruise ship. I much prefer going on an aircraft but as of now, nothing exists commercially. So, cruise it shall be.
Found out Radisson Seven Seas Cruises has the shortest journey. I can't afford to be on leave for a long stretch of time. So, RSSC it shall be.
Alas, found out I needed a visa to enter Argentina. Had to fly to Jakarta to get a visa. God help me! The Embassy took 3 weeks b4 it granted me a visa! & they made me "worked" for it as well! Ok, finally got the approval on Dec. 30! Geez, I was scheduled to leave for L.A. on Jan. 10, 2004. 10 days to get everything in order.
Incredible it had been... the journey pre-Antarctica. To me, it was even more incredible that everything finalised nicely in such a short period of time. Guess what? I didn't even pay a single cent until Jan. 5 or 6! Oh, it broke my heart when I knew how much I had to fork out. If I live in the States, it's amounting to buying a new car!
So, finally I was scheduled to leave on the Jan. 14 cruise. It was an amazing start for the year. Rush was the very word associated with this trip.
But, this is only the beginning... A trip evolves... without me realising what's to come to pass...
A great beginning to the year 2004. A sense of accomplishment. Success! - My last continent. It's my dream to have set foot on all the 7 continents; if not every traveler's! I tried to do the impossible - 1 step further. To head for Antarctica & then back up north to the Arctic in a single trip! It was not planned prior to departure...
It just turned out the way it was... A miracle manifested!
I did it! 2 "poles" in a single journey! What a feeling!
March
INDIA! Where the last of my 7 wonders: The Taj Mahal resides.
It was said that's where you'll see immortal love. It's a nice thought :-) Immortal love... does it exist? I have no answer. Or rather, perhaps, I don't believe in it.
Unfortunately. Reality is but a sum of one's own consciousness & experiences. Mine? It doesn't encompass immortality of any kind.
Change is a constant. Including myself.
India is a country where one has more questions than answers. A land of forts & tombs. A history of war & love. A journey into the past, present & future. A glimpse into one's own humanity & genorisity. For many, they leave their souls here. For me, it didn't touch me that way. Instead, it reminded me of home ages ago. When things seemed so hopeless, chaotic & despair. It is not a comfortable feeling. It never was. Yet, it still exists out there in this world & consequently it exists in here. Something no one can do for anyone but live through it themselves.
April
To be continued...
Trips: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 < Last Trips | Next Trips >
ANTARCTICA was a dream. A dream I knew one day would turned into reality. Which day I had no idea. The idea was implemented sometime last October...
I stocked up on winter wear while visiting in Toronto. I had a vision it'd be the next Antarctica season then. Which cruise? What day? I had no clue at all! I went about traveling around Europe & America the next 2 months. Upon my return from Spain in end Nov, I began to plan. Looked around for a cruise ship. I much prefer going on an aircraft but as of now, nothing exists commercially. So, cruise it shall be.
Found out Radisson Seven Seas Cruises has the shortest journey. I can't afford to be on leave for a long stretch of time. So, RSSC it shall be.
Alas, found out I needed a visa to enter Argentina. Had to fly to Jakarta to get a visa. God help me! The Embassy took 3 weeks b4 it granted me a visa! & they made me "worked" for it as well! Ok, finally got the approval on Dec. 30! Geez, I was scheduled to leave for L.A. on Jan. 10, 2004. 10 days to get everything in order.
Incredible it had been... the journey pre-Antarctica. To me, it was even more incredible that everything finalised nicely in such a short period of time. Guess what? I didn't even pay a single cent until Jan. 5 or 6! Oh, it broke my heart when I knew how much I had to fork out. If I live in the States, it's amounting to buying a new car!
So, finally I was scheduled to leave on the Jan. 14 cruise. It was an amazing start for the year. Rush was the very word associated with this trip.
But, this is only the beginning... A trip evolves... without me realising what's to come to pass...
A great beginning to the year 2004. A sense of accomplishment. Success! - My last continent. It's my dream to have set foot on all the 7 continents; if not every traveler's! I tried to do the impossible - 1 step further. To head for Antarctica & then back up north to the Arctic in a single trip! It was not planned prior to departure...
It just turned out the way it was... A miracle manifested!
I did it! 2 "poles" in a single journey! What a feeling!
March
INDIA! Where the last of my 7 wonders: The Taj Mahal resides.
It was said that's where you'll see immortal love. It's a nice thought :-) Immortal love... does it exist? I have no answer. Or rather, perhaps, I don't believe in it.
Unfortunately. Reality is but a sum of one's own consciousness & experiences. Mine? It doesn't encompass immortality of any kind.
Change is a constant. Including myself.
India is a country where one has more questions than answers. A land of forts & tombs. A history of war & love. A journey into the past, present & future. A glimpse into one's own humanity & genorisity. For many, they leave their souls here. For me, it didn't touch me that way. Instead, it reminded me of home ages ago. When things seemed so hopeless, chaotic & despair. It is not a comfortable feeling. It never was. Yet, it still exists out there in this world & consequently it exists in here. Something no one can do for anyone but live through it themselves.
April
To be continued...
Trips: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 < Last Trips | Next Trips >
Jan 2004 -- U.S.A.: L.A., Miami; Argentina: Buenos Aires, Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego; Falkland Islands: Stanley; Antarctica: South Shetland Island, Neko Harbor, Paradise Bay, Port Lockroy, Arctowski
Mar 2004 -- India: New Delhi, Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Sikandra, Fatehpur Sikri
Apr 2004 -- Japan: Tokyo, Hichioji; Peru: Lima, Cusco, Aguas Calientes, Machu Picchu, Chinceros, Ollantaitambo, Pisac
May 2004 -- Poland: Warsaw, Zakopane, Morskie Oko, Wieliczka, Krakow
Aug 2004 -- Burma: Yangon; Vietnam: Hanoi, Halong Bay
Sep 2004 -- U.S.A.: Houston; Peru: Aguas Calientes, Chincheros, Cusco, Machu Picchu, Ollantaitambo, Pisac, Lima.
Nov 2004 -- South Africa: Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Hermanus, Newlands, Robben Island, Simon's Town
Dec 2004 -- Australia: Sydney, Hobart, Bicheno, Cradle Mountain, Devonport, Launceston, Sheffield, Swansea (Tasmania)
Mar 2004 -- India: New Delhi, Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Sikandra, Fatehpur Sikri
Apr 2004 -- Japan: Tokyo, Hichioji; Peru: Lima, Cusco, Aguas Calientes, Machu Picchu, Chinceros, Ollantaitambo, Pisac
May 2004 -- Poland: Warsaw, Zakopane, Morskie Oko, Wieliczka, Krakow
Aug 2004 -- Burma: Yangon; Vietnam: Hanoi, Halong Bay
Sep 2004 -- U.S.A.: Houston; Peru: Aguas Calientes, Chincheros, Cusco, Machu Picchu, Ollantaitambo, Pisac, Lima.
Nov 2004 -- South Africa: Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Hermanus, Newlands, Robben Island, Simon's Town
Dec 2004 -- Australia: Sydney, Hobart, Bicheno, Cradle Mountain, Devonport, Launceston, Sheffield, Swansea (Tasmania)