My Southern Continent Adventure

Join me on an extraordinary journey to the ends of the Earth! This itinerary outlines my trip to Antarctica, starting on 20 February 2026.
I hope you'll feel the wonder of what I hope to see on my travels and share my interest in this pristine, frozen continent.

My Itinerary

My journey will start on 20 February with a flight with Iberia from London Heathrow to Madrid, changing for a long overnight trans-Atlantic flight in one of their flagship Airbus A350-900 to Buenos Aires, where I will stay for 2 nights

Take a look at the Photo Gallery pages for photos of Buenos Aires when I get there, and of subsequent days of travel and wonderment.

The Plan

This gives you a broad plan of the trip, that starts officially in Buenos Aires.

Buenos Aires: A taste of Argentina

21-23 February. In around 2000, I enjoyed one night in Buenos Aires when en route to Uruguay while on duty during the last days of my Royal Air Force career. We paid our respects at the Malvinas Memorial but clearly did not do so in uniform! My other recollection was of a classically beautiful, historic city centre. This time I am booked on a half-day city tour during my one full day in BA, where the daytime temperature will be around 26C. I hope to enjoying some local cuisine, drink some proper Argentinian Malbec and maybe see some tango being danced.

It will be huge contrast to what is ahead of me but a step closer to the Antarctic dream.

Ushuaia: Gateway to Antarctica

23 February. This is where my 'package' begins when I will be taking a charter flight with Aerolineas Argentinas from BA to Ushuaia, sometimes known as 'The End of the World.' The town is surrounded by stunning mountains and overlooks the Beagle Channel, is the departure point for most Antarctic expeditions. Conditions there are likely to be around 15C in rain! I don't anticipate there will be time for an afternoon stroll around the town before we are taken to the port to board the SH VEGA, our home for the next 10 nights. The crisp air and breathtaking landscapes truly set the scene for the voyage.

The VEGA

24/25 February.The SH VEGA is a 5-star ice-class expedition cruise ship operated by Swan Hellenic and named after the first historic ship to successfully navigate the North East Passage. This 3-year old, state-of-the-art expedition ship will be our home while we navigate first across the notorious Drake Passage and then cruise around the Antarctic Peninsular and Weddell Sea. Our days will be filled with lectures on Antarctic wildlife and history, wildlife spotting from the deck, and finally landing several times on the Southern Continent.

Antarctica: Unforgettable landings

26 February - 4 March. This will be the climax of the expedition, to set foot on the Antarctic Peninsula. We will be transferred ashore by Zodiac inflatables, in hopefully 4-5 different locations, dodging the icebergs and hopefully to encounter with curious penguins and majestic seals, and exhilarating hikes on pristine white landscapes. The sheer scale and untouched beauty of Antarctica that I anticipate seeing at first hand is thrilling.