Seeing is believing, is this really true? Finally after two years of having a dream and six months of fund raising, I was finally able to come to this very harsh, cold dry continent yet it was very welcoming and peaceful.   I feel so overwhelmed with mixed emotions like excitement, happiness and also sadness. Happy, because I challenged myself in getting here -which I finally did it- and also sharing my story back at home. I am excited, because I can’t wait until I get home and start working to save the last wilderness on earth.  I am also sad because I have to leave the greatest people and friends (human and animal friends) that I have made in the past fourteen days. Usually I get home sick after travelling for more than one week, this time I wanted to stay longer because I feel like it has completely changed who I am. I will always cherish these memories of Antarctica and everyone who has contributed in me getting there, financially or emotionally. Thank you every one, thank you Antarctica.

 Buthaina Al Mahuruqi

We are speechless! How can we describe what we have just experienced? This wonderful, beautiful, unforgettable, impressive cold frozen paradise called Antarctica! Coming from one desert in the UAE to another desert in the Antarctic – so much alike and at the same time so different.

Every day on this journey has been better than the one before and everything has exceeded the expectations held from when we left the UAE. We have gathered a lot of new knowledge about our self, each other, the team, the environment and the adventure we are partaking in. We are privileged and honored to participate in what we see as a life changing experience.

When we step of the boat in Ushuaia in a couple of days it is not the ending of an adventure but the next chapter in the journey we started two weeks ago. Antarctica will forever be with us and we are so thankful to Robert Swan and his team for inviting us to this expedition. Also, a big thank you to HCT and Al Hosn Gas for the support and believing in us to make this fairytale come true.

Budoor Al Ali & Rikke Maria Eriksen from Higher Colleges of Technology, UAE

“en busca de un mundo más sostenible”

Hola Daniela , hace  ya muchos días que nos separamos, ya se que ahora no entenderás porqué tu papa se ha ido tan lejos y por tanto tiempo, pero te voy ha contar un cuento para que lo entiendas .Tu papa está en la Antártida, un lugar de  los más maravillosos que quedan en el mundo . He venido hasta aquí con mis amigas  Nathalie y Belén para unirnos a la expedición IAE 2013 .Aquí hemos encontrado un grupo de 80 amigos de más de 29 nacionalidades  diferentes que compartían nuestra misma aventura. Desde el primer día  que llegamos nos han  estado  enseñando a trabajar en equipo. Ya te darás cuenta que trabajando en equipo todo es más fácil y que cuando consigues el objetivo que persigues poder celebrarlo con todos es muy gratificante.

Otra de las cosas que he aprendido es que nada es imposible  si tu tienes claro tu objetivo . Esto me lo ha enseñado Sai.El es un amigo de la India que tiene un pequeño  problema al caminar, pero eso no le ha impedido  conseguir su sueño , estar aquí  en la Antartida y disfrutar de esta experiencia.

También he aprendido a valorar y disfrutar de los pequeños detalles , ver la cara de alegría de Lilian al tocar la nieve por primera vez o la alegría  de todo el grupo al ver el primer iceberg .Has de aprender a disfrutar y valorar cada momento de tu vida por pequeño que parezca . Valorar las pequeñas cosas te hará ser más fuerte.

La Antártida es lugar muy especial donde viven tus amigos los pingüinos con sus amigas las focas ,las ballenas , las orcas y otros muchos animales más “No te preocupe que a todos les he dicho que yo soy el papa de Daniela”. Es tan bonita la Antártida que después de escuchar a mi amigo Rob ahora tengo claro que hago yo aquí . He venido a aprender y a ayudar a conseguir que el día de mañana tu y tus amigos podáis  conocer y disfrutar de lugares  tan especiales como este . Que podáis disfrutar del mundo tal como lo hemos conocido nosotros y a poder ser un mundo aun mejor .Rob también nos ha enseñado que no estamos haciendo bien las cosas y que aunque no va a ser fácil  está en nuestras manos  cambiarlo. Daniela, no esperes a que alguien haga  algo primero, hazlo  tu. Si no eres tu ¿ quién lo va hacer?

Hoy emprendo Yo este camino , pero tendréis que ser tú y tus amigos quien en un futuro  hagáis realidad  el sueño que hace muchos años  empezaron Rob y sus amigos. Conseguir un mundo más sostenible.

Que tengas dulces sueños Daniela.

“in search of a more sustainable world”

 Hello Daniela, it has been many days since we haven’t been together, perhaps you may not understand why your dad has been so far away and for such a long period, but I’m going to tell you a story to help explain.  Your dad is in Antarctica, one of the most wonderful places left in the world.  I came here with my friends Nathalie and Belén as part of the IAE 2013 expedition. Here, we joined a group of 80 friends from over 29 different countries to share the same adventure. From the first day we arrived, we have been learning about teamwork. Now, you will know that working in a team makes things easier, and when you achieve your goal, celebrating as a team is very rewarding.

Another thing I’ve learned is that nothing is impossible if you have a clear goal.  Sai taught me this lesson.  He is a friend from India that has a little trouble walking.  But, this has not stopped him from achieving his dream to be here in Antarctica and enjoy this experience.

I’ve also learned to value and enjoy the small things in life, for example seeing Lillian’s happy face when she touched snow for the first time or seeing the joy of the whole group when we saw our first iceberg.  You should learn to enjoy and appreciate every moment of your life, even if it may seem small. Valuing the little things will make you stronger.

Antarctica is very special place where your friends the penguins live along with their friends the seals, whales, the orcas and many other animals. Don’t worry dear, I have told them all that “I am the father of Daniela.” Antarctica is so beautiful and after listening to my friend Rob, I am now clear what I am doing here.  I’m here to learn and help make sure that you and your friends can come and enjoy special places like this in the future. I want you to enjoy the world as we have experienced it and perhaps make it an even better place. Rob has also taught us that we are not doing things well today, and – although it will not be easy – we have the power to make a difference.  Daniela, don’t wait for someone to do something first, do it yourself. If not you, who?

Today I begin this journey, but it will be you and your friends who in the future will make this dream, that Rob and his friends started many years ago, a reality. Deliver a more sustainable world.

Sweet dreams Daniela.

David Garcia

Whale oil, in times gone, was used as an energy source. Deception Island though offers a stark reminder about its place in whaling history with buildings and big metal storage vats still remaining to this day. The whaling activities on the island commenced in 1906 and construction for a base soon followed. Yet after the First World War the price of whale oil plummeted due to the Great Depression that engulfed much of the world. The whaling station was abandoned and there it still sits today along with a whale graveyard. Today many people see clean renewable energy sources as the way forward in combating climate change and protecting our environment. It makes you wonder what role Antarctica could potentially play in the move towards harnessing renewable energy as a way of lowering our carbon emissions. The reason the whaling stoped on Deception Island is that the market for whale oil disappeared during the depression and it no longer became profitable to kill whales. Perhaps a similar situation could happen today in regards to climate change and lowering our carbon emissions. If we simply stoped supporting and using energy sources that are harming the environment then maybe they might start cutting back as the demand will have disappeared. Instead if we started supporting clean renewable energy sources we might be able to help protect Antarctica from climate change.

Morgan Pettersson

In an unfortunate turn of events, one of our team members; Mariam Alhammadi, had to return home from Ushuaia. With the expedition hanging in the balance for her two companions- Rikke Eriksen and Budoor Alali, another team member, Joe Bularzik sacrificed his spot on the ship to help take Mariam home. It was a demonstration of true leadership, commitment and dedication from Joe, the likes of which have never been seen before. You are with us in spirit Joe and Mariam in Antarctica!

My love for the faraway land of Antarctica began long ago. I am not sure if it was the penguins or the remoteness that enticed me to learn more about Antarctica, but I brought it to my teaching. I am a teacher, and therefore my interests, my passions, are passed on to my students.

Each year, I would teach my young charges about the land so far away. I never dreamed of going myself, until the day Robert Swan came to speak at my school.  In the Footsteps of Scott  was the expedition that he spoke to us about. In 1985-86, Robert, along with Roger Mears and Gareth Wood walked 900 miles, carrying all of their supplies with them, to the South Pole. This was a life changing experience for Robert Swan, and it turned into a knock-on effect to change my life too. Originally, a man born in 1868, is the inspiration that led Robert Swan to Antarctica. It was Robert Scott, that fascinating, bigger than life character that attempted to reach the South Pole first, made it second, and froze to death shortly afterward. Robert Scott became a legend nonetheless, and Robert Swan was influenced as a young boy by the legend of Scott of the Antarctic!

I remember listening to the story of In The Footsteps of Scott that day Robert spoke. I remember then going to see Rob after his talk to ask him to sign my copy of the book he wrote for children about his journey, called Destination Antarctica. I then began to speak to Rob and he asked me if I wanted to go to Antarctica with his organization 2041. That is how my involvement began. And, after my voyage in 2008, I am returning in 2013. This time though, I feel a much stronger connection to In the Footsteps of Scott, and to Scott, Oates, Wilson, Bowers, and Evans. After venturing to Antarctica with Robert Swan in 2008, I became thirsty to learn everything I could about the race to the pole.

I learned that Robert Scott was a good man, interested in learning about Antarctica and sharing this with the world. Very little was known about Antarctica at this time, and the scientific studies that Scott and his team took part in were invaluable to what we now know. Scott may have failed in one sense, well dying is a pretty big negative in one’s plans, but he was successful in the legacy he left behind. He inspired many afterwards, and he inspired Robert Swan, and in turn inspired me.

As a teacher, each year I teach my class about the early explorers, as there is no better example of courage, perseverance, self-control, and wonder that I can think of. I teach them about the incredible leadership of Ernest Shackleton, the scientific work of Douglas Mawson, the strong work of Amundsen, and the devotion, determination, and curiosity of Robert Scott. In teaching the race between Amundsen and Scott, my kids walk away see Scott as a hero and not as a failure. They see the scientific work he did, and his perseverance, and they are in awe. Last year, we wrote letters to Robert Scott, as his memory is alive in us. I gave the letters to his granddaughter, Dafila Scott (whom I have been so honored to have met!). She was touched and wrote my class a beautiful letter. A link was formed that brought the past to life for my class!

In the Footsteps of Scott is alive and well and living in my experiences and in my classroom. A whole new generation of children now know all about that special person, Robert Scott, and that very special person Robert Swan. They know that their teacher is lucky to be in Antarctica for a second journey in the Footsteps of Swan who followed in the Footsteps of Scott!

Wendy Gediman IAE 2008 and 2013

The Drake was very nice with us, and the trip was more comfortable than expected and finally last Tuesday at 9:00 we saw the first iceberg, wind was much more colder, and waves calmed down. All of us were excited looking for first Antarctic signs.

Same day in the afternoon, with no delay we had the first landing into Antartica, first  contact with ice and penguins on the Mikkelesen Harbour. The next morning, we were woken up at the entrance of “le Maire” channel, a narrow channel between steep high mountains covered up with glaciers… We really got the impression to enter a new untouched world, preserved from any human touch. Then we took the zodiacs to go a place where hundreds of icebergs finish their travel… a fantastic, unexpected paradise where fur seals, leopard seals, minke wales, penguins, even Orca live in peace and harmony… Many different stories to tell you about when we are back, but most importantly, we had the opportunity to experience a world where everything is sustainable: every day we have had lectures on different topics linked to change management, leadership, sustainability, all framed into the discovery of Antarctic secrets. We appreciate the real commitment that the 2041 team lead by Robert Swann is showing in walking the talk. All precautions are taken so that our stay do not impact the sealife and land that we are visiting.

We will never forget the learnings and will come back with “fresh” ideas to lead Coty into the sustainable world. Coty has the opportunity to lead the way and inspire other partners… All of us can do something… So lets do this! Act today, Shape tomorrow…

Nathalie Perroquin, Belen Garcia & David Garcia

I doubt there are words out there in the English dictionary that would be able to properly portray the emotions, views, and essence of the places we saw today. But if I were to try, I’d say that it’s been unbelievably magical. But even saying that doesn’t do it justice.
Starting the day off during the early hours of the morning sailing through the Lemaire Channel was unquestionably brilliant. It really brought the sheer height of Antarctica to reality when comparing the near 1 kilometre high peaks to the size of the Sea Spirit. Towering over us, were these beautiful peaks that were full of contrast due to the white snow and the dark-rocks that lay beneath them, but probably just as impressive, was seeing the amount of wildlife that exists in the channel! Every once in a while, you’d be able to hear one person or another shouting “Whale at 10 o’clock!” or “Penguins!!”, and then have three-quarters of the expedition members run over to one side of the ship or another!
A zodiac cruise through Iceberg Alley was our next activity on the itinerary, and I have to say, as someone who’s spent nearly most of his life in Oman were dessert-like conditions are prevalent, being in a Zodiac cruising past dozens and dozens of icebergs of snow-white and almost fluorescent blue was absolutely breath-taking because it really did feel like I was put in a whole different world! Not to mention that the amount of wildlife increased even further as whales started appearing all over the place in packs! I was lucky enough to get a picture of a feeding whale while it was scooping krill out of the water! Possibly my favourite picture (so far!).
The cruise then took us to Port Charcot where we landed and used our newly obtained mountaineering skills in the snowy environment for the first time and learned a little more about the historic relic that can be found on the island. To find out that such a remote place at the bottom of the Earth has so much history was mind-blowing, and to think that our predecessors had the bravery within them to go somewhere that’s completely alien, and the only hard fact that they would know before making their journey is that it’s a place engulfed in extreme conditions and it’s a place where only the strong survive.
The day ended (and sort of merged into the next day) with a camp out on Antarctica at a place called Ronge Island. Personally speaking, I’ve been camping quite a few times, but I must say that this particular night out was different from any other night out I’ve had before, and probably will ever experience again. Not only was it absolutely freezing, but what I experienced that night was completely worth every shiver and chill experienced; In a world dominated by mobile phones and internet, it was extremely refreshing to be in a place so far and so disconnected from everything else in the world. Besides that, it was also the company that made the night bearable, and how everyone was looking after the person next to them throughout the night really showed the strong bonds that were built between people that were complete strangers only a week ago.
There is no comparing Antarctica with any other place in the world, its potential in changing people and creating family-like bonds between complete strangers is inconceivable unless experienced.
Ameer Abdulhussain

As an 11 year old boy Robert Swan read an adventurous tale of Antarctic exploration. He was inspired by the story of Robert Falcon Scott’s race to the South Pole. Rob eventually fulfilled his dream by crossing the ice in the footsteps of his hero, and was so struck by the beauty and fragility of Antarctica that he dedicated his life to sharing the wonder of this most precious habitat and environment. Rob now leads the call to action for people like you and me to help to protect and preserve Antarctica.

This year we celebrate 10 years of the International Antarctic Expedition. It is a special anniversary in the journey towards our 2041 goal to ensure that people around the world continue to cherish and conserve Antarctica. Some 80 people from 28 countries on this expedition have added their voices to Robert’s.

The start of the trip also coincides with the tenth birthday of my son Luke, who is fascinated by penguins. Luke has been a penguin fan since he was a baby – and adopted a Rockhopper penguin at London Zoo on his eighth birthday. Sadly, Roxy the Rockhopper penguin met an untimely end when an urban fox managed to get into the penguin enclosure at London zoo. Luke was devastated.

What can we do to protect Luke’s beloved penguins in the wild, well out of the reach of Mr. Fox? How can we make sure that other little boys or girls with Rob Swan’s dreams can follow the footsteps of Scott in coming years?

Global warming is threatening their opportunity. Antarctica is warming in the West and in the Antarctic Peninsula. Warmer winds caused by human-induced climate change create melt water that destabilises ice sheets and creates more sea ice. Many of Antarctica’s ice sheets also act as a barrier that protect the continental land ice mass from slipping into the sea. So loss of ice sheets might mean that melting could accelerate in future. That would be a major problem because of the loss of habitat and impacts on ocean currents – and would also lead to significant rising sea levels, over time.

Balancing this warming in the West, East Antarctica has been cooling because of strengthening winds over the Southern Ocean which prevent warmer, moist maritime air reaching the ice. Westerly circumpolar vortex winds which shield Eastern ice are caused by the hole in the ozone layer. That hole creates winds at stratospheric altitudes (a difference of -15°C). However, this is a temporary effect with the ozone layer predicted to have returned to 1980 levels by 2070. The net effect is that today Antarctica is cooling as a continent, but warming will become prevalent across Antarctica when the ozone layer fully recovers.

Antarctica is different from the Arctic because sea ice in the North Polar region does not have the shield of winds seen in the South, and the North is also easily accessed by warmer waters. However, we now see evidence of warming of the Southern Ocean too. For example, warm water is melting Pine Island Glacier from beneath. So we can expect to lose more and more ice as this century progresses.

Scientists have shown that breeding success of penguins is already impacted by changes in snowfall and sea ice. For example, the numbers of Adélie penguin breeding pairs have fallen from 15,000 to under 5,000 since 1975. Meanwhile Gentoo penguin pairs have grown rapidly since the 1990s. This is because of the changing nature of the ice present. Some penguins will eventually lose their habitat, while others may thrive. As the ocean warms and sea ice shrinks then the organic nutrient for marine life, krill, will decline too. That will mean iconic species like fur seals, penguins and albatross will find it more difficult to bear young. Plants will flourish in areas where they could not before. Overall, the balance of nature will move towards species suited for a warmer climate.

Looking to the future, the International Panel of Climate Change scientists projects warming over 3°C by 2100 and sea ice declining 33%. West Antarctica’s ice sheet could discharge enough ice to raise sea level up to two metres which would flood many coastal cities. A warmer Antarctica would be a very different Antarctica. It would be a more hospitable continent in some ways, but that would be at the cost of its unique character and irreplaceable value to the world.

It is vital that society and political leaders understand the impact of global climate change, appreciate the abundant scientific evidence, and act now before it is too late. We must work together to stop global warming in Antarctica. Let’s keep the dreams alive of little boys and girls who wish to trek to the South Pole, for all our children, for ourselves, and for Luke and his penguins.

John MacArthur

In addition to many memorable lines, the movie “Coming to America” offers this touching exchange:

Lisa McDowell: “So why did you come here?”

Prince Akeem: “To find something special.”

Lisa McDowell: “It’s a long way to travel.”

Prince Akeem: “No journey is too great when one finds what he seeks.”

Today, we got our first glimpse of the great White Continent.  The first Antarctic icebergs were sighted, as we arrived on the South Shetland Islands.  After two days, our 800 kilometer (500 mile) journey across the Drake Passage, known as the roughest waters in the world, has come to an end.

The movie “Coming to America” came to mind because of two conversations in the last day.  At breakfast this morning, a ship attendant came by our table to offer toast.  His deep and smooth “radio voice” solicited a comment from fellow traveler Lillian Moremi*, “Doesn’t his voice remind you of the King [Jaffe Joffer] from the movie Coming to America”?  We all laughed in agreement.

At lunch yesterday, Rob Swan talked about a possible move for him to the United States later this year.  He thinks this may be the year that the U.S. acts on climate change.  And he wants to be there to support it.  Indeed, in recent speeches, President Obama has stated that addressing climate change will be a priority for his second administration.  We have also seen increasing conversation in Washington, D.C. on the idea of a federal carbon tax.

For the past three years, Rob has lived and worked in China and India.  The many Chinese and Indian participants on our expedition are a direct result of his efforts in those countries.  He has focused on these countries as they are important players in the global climate dialogue.  According to the International Energy Agency, China and India were responsible for 70% of the CO₂ emissions growth during the period 2000-2010.

As we begin to explore Antarctica, I reflect on how my journey in life has been a long one: from the hot banana plantations in the tropics to the cool canals of The Netherlands.  I also consider whether now is the time to come back to “America” to work on climate change.  If enough of us are there, perhaps we can help create something special…

Perhaps, this great frontier continent will whisper some answers for me…

Photo caption: My first iceberg sighting in the Antarctic Ocean.

* Lillian Moremi is from Botswana and may be the first woman from that country to visit Antarctica.  She is a coordinator for the Ducere School Improvement Programme.

Roberto Jimenez

What is it that inspires normally sensible adults to travel from all corners of our world to visit the most southerly, empty, frozen desert on the planet? Why do they work so incredibly hard to raise funds needed to make that journey, and then suffer inevitable seasickness crossing the roughest ocean passage in the world so that they can battle with bone chilling winds and frost-bitten temperatures of the white continent?

Is it because Antarctica is a clean, quiet and pristine environment where you can look to the night sky and see the cloudy stars of the Milky Way extending 10,000 light years above your head? Is it because you can see a humpback whale breach its massive barnacled tail within touching distance of your fingers, or because penguins in their dinner jackets busily scurry around your feet, oblivious to your presence? Or is it the majesty of soaring ice cliffs glistening crushed diamond blues as they plunge into oceans rich with life?

The inspiration differs for each of us but what unites the members of the IAE 2013 expedition, and all those who have taken part over the last ten years, is the knowledge that we must cherish and preserve Antarctica if humanity is to have a sustainable future.

Antarctica is the vital global thermostat that regulates the Earth’s climate system. The ice sheets reflect heat, which cools the planet, and the dark polar ocean absorbs heat from the sun and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This coldest continent is also the Earth’s memory. Its ice encases 800,000 years of planetary knowledge covering eight glacial periods with intervening warm periods. Antarctic ice cores help scientists to understand what is happening with climate change today, and what the future may bring. Antarctica is also essential to the global ocean ecosystem too with nutrients exported north providing 75% of global ocean productivity.

If we are to ensure a safe operating space for humanity then Antarctica must be conserved. But around the world ocean heat content is rising, global temperature anomalies are increasing, and sea levels creeping upwards. Ice cores drilled in Antarctica tell us that sea levels during interglacial periods could have been 6 to 9 metres higher than today and the great ice sheets may be more vulnerable than we thought. The stunning loss of the Larsen Ice Shelf in Antarctica in 2002 reminds us of this threat.

The temperature in the Antarctic Peninsula has also risen by almost 3°C in the past 50 years (ten times the global average) causing some of the smaller ice shelves to melt in 2006, and wildlife to suffer and migrate. Rising temperature is of great concern. Antarctica holds some 70% of the freshwater on the planet. If that were to melt it would be catastrophic for many of the world’s coastal cities.

Antarctica is the best of humanity too. No one owns it. There are no guns needed. Thirty countries operate research stations in Antarctica in harmony, under the Antarctic Treaty. The people on this expedition want that to continue. We wish to make sure the world continues to preserve and to protect Antarctica when the treaty expires in 2041. We want to be the best of humanity, to make sure that we save Antarctica because it is likely that by doing so we are also saving ourselves and future generations.

John MacArthur

Kyle O’Donoghue, expedition cameraman, has plied his trade as a freelance cameraman and director for the past 10 years. His adventures have taken him down the last unpaddled tributary of the Amazon the Rio Maranon, in search of a lost underwater city in Zanzibar and deep into the rain forests of Central Africa to film gorillas. Kyle is an avid rock climber and mountaineer and for the past three years has been filming an attempt to paraglide off all the seven summits. He has shot for National Geographic, Channel 4, PBS and SuperSport as well as edited a number of documentaries for broadcast. This is Kyles’ 11th Expedition with 2041 and Robert Swan. Two days after the expedition he will be in the Canadian Arctic to film a 72 day sledding and kiting expedition on Ellesmere Island.

Above- Footage from previous expeditions by Kyle

We are going today to Antarctica, and it requires crossing the Drake Passage. Before our departure, it has been mentioned several times that the weather and sea conditions can change very instantly in the Drake Passage. The stormy seas and icy conditions made the passage one of the roughest stretch of water in the world. Again it occurred to me that no story of a destination is complete without recounting the process of getting there, and I decided to do some research to understand why the Drake Passage has such a notorious reputation.

The Drake Passage is the body of water between the southern tip of South America at Cape Horn and the northernmost reaches of Antarctica. It is named after the English navigator Sir Francis Drake (born 1540-43, died in1596).

The Drake Passage has an average depth of about 3,400 meters with deeper regions of up to 4,800 meters near the northern and southern boundaries. The passage spans about 800 km between the west Antarctic Peninsula and the southern tip of South America, and it is the narrowest stretch of water in the southern ocean. Thus, the winds are increased as they are constricted through the narrow channel between the Andes Mountains and Antarctic Peninsula, and in the process, generate complicated and unpredictable weather. Furthermore, the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (an ocean current that flows clockwise from west to east around Antarctica) squeezes through the Drake Passage speeding up and creating powerful eddies. Combine these factors; it is easy to see why the Drake Passage has such a notorious reputation. I am looking forward to being there.

Figure 1: The Drake Passage is a strait between South America and the South Shetland Islands, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (National Oceanography Centre,2011) (Credits:http://www.noc.soton.ac.uk/o4s/cn/orc011/orc011_bg.php)

Wisam Rammo

It was a spectacular day, full of unforgettable moments and finally ended up with a special achievment. Though it was our first time together and we never met before, somehow, we were here in the world’s most southern city in the world (Ushuaia) and guess what? We went up hills all the way hiking on the Martial Glacier! Superior!

We had an unbelievable harmony as a one well-connected team, listening to each other, supporting the team spirit and keeping everything run as smooth as possible just to successfully achieve the task and we did.

I am so thankful to every single person’s will, passion and trust that turned all challenges we had into just a simple reality.
It was a really day to remember especially that I never done any  climbing mountains exercise before but it still made a difference in my life as I am sure it did to everyone else.

I can tell, that was just the golden key to the White Continent, Antarctica!

Amal Al Saffar
Kingdom of Bahrain