We haven't updated you since 2017! Here we are at New Year!
In other news we have been chasing snow and cold weather for the past few months. We had a wonderful Christmas and start to the year in Vail Colorado with great friends. Sadly the snow was nowhere near what those in Europe were enjoying! Still a lovely holiday and recharge. We faired better with snow in Park City, Utah during the February half term. The second day it snowed for 24 hours, when it stopped we were treated to 14 inches of pure powder. Wonderful, but old legs were exhausted. We had a wonderful week just the four of us but quite the coldest ski trip I've ever had, the warmest it got was -7C and on average it was -10 C and below plus wind. It just meant lots of warm up stops with hot chocolate etc. We've had a cold winter here in DC but very little snow. Two winter treats were not quite enough for me! In January I jumped on a work opportunity to check out Antarctica. Hey, it's a hard job, I know ;-)
I began my Antarctic adventure in Ushuaia, at the bottom of the world where the scenery was spectacular overlooking the Beagle Channel. Then I embarked on a 10 day cruise around Cape Horn, across the infamous Drake Passage and down to the South Shetland islands and the Antarctic peninsula. Apparently the seas were moderate but after 48 hours of bobbing from side to side, some of us did not fair so well. At sunset on the third day we saw land and went ashore at Yankee Harbor. There were gentoo penguins and a few chinstraps for as far as the eye could see. The light felt surreal, it was as if we were in an Edwardian photo.
Aboard our expeditionary ship it truly felt as if we were on a voyage of discovery. One couldn't help imagining epic voyages of the likes of Shackleton to this harsh and remote environment. Here nature and majestic wildlife dominate. The vast icebergs were mesmerizing sculptures in tones of glimmering white and blue., while mountains and glaciers stretched beyond the horizon. The beauty of silence was broken only by the wind, the sound of humpback whales breathing or glaciers calving. Every day we went out on zodiac cruises or ashore to admire this vast landscape and enjoy close encounters with the wildlife, such as the magnificent humpback whale that came right up to our zodiac, tilted its head to look up at us before gently gliding by. Magic. Unforgettable. Watching the penguins waddle and slip along was adorable and one never tired of admiring the scene.
We visited some picturesque spots including Wilhelmina Bay, the Lemaire Strait, Paradise Bay and Deception Island. We landed at the former British Base at Port Lockroy, run by four women, where I sent some postcards from the post office - as predicted they took 6-8 weeks to arrive! (Considering my postcard from the Orient Express, posted in Venice on October 31st last year, arrived the same week, I'd say Antarctica postal service isn't bad!)
This was a trip of a lifetime and I feel very privileged to have been. We still have much to learn about Antarctica. I sincerely hope that we continue to protect and preserve this pristine and magical environment.
But enough about my travels. The rest of the family are well. Gregorio has a new toy - a red jeep (he'd been dreaming about it for 20 years!) and is slowly getting back into running after injuring his knee on the slopes at Christmas. Thankfully he has not had to travel this year.
Mati continues to do well at swimming. And some surprising hidden talents seem to be coming to the fore including the poem and letter she wrote for Gregorio and my wedding anniversary. She's also quite the baker. She and Isabella are helping me put together an afternoon tea baby shower for a friend tomorrow. The house has been turned into something of a Great British bake off. Talents they did not get from me - I am happy when my Victoria sponge rises and looks presentable!Isabella did well in her mocks in February and now has her head down with eyes firmly on the finish line for her IGCSEs this spring. Oral exams next month and then written exams begin in early May and go on till mid June. Most week-ends she has been volunteering at the hospital and is pleased to gradually be given more responsibility.
We are now gearing up to the Race for Hope in early May. The team will be out in force to raise funds and awareness for this annual event. Please join the team!
More news when we have it.
Lots of love,
Emma, Gregorio, Isabella & Matilde xxx
