Antarctica

With candid stories and vivid photography, take an Antarctic cruise with award-winning journalist, author and avid traveler Jewel Allen. A journey to Antarctica has the conveniences of a cruise, but make no mistake; it's far from easy. Despite the sun and it being summer here, it is glove-liner and thick-mittens freezing cold. It's remote. There are no elevators on the Expedition; there is a lot of walking up and down stairs between 6 decks, in and out of 12-man Zodiac boats, hiking icy switchbacks to breathtaking views. The vastness of ice and glaciers is humbling. Each passing iceberg, its base layer a bright turquoise, is a work of art. The wildlife is fascinating and funny, the way the seals loll around, or how the penguins waddle on "highways." On separate occasions, we saw pods of orcas and humpback whales fluking in open water, then breaching next to the ship. But most of all, with its pristine, snow-covered mountain ranges, icebergs and ice floes, Antarctica is simply beautiful.