Antarctica with Quark Expeditions By Dave and Deb

January is the perfect time of year to visit Antarctica. We started our expedition on January 30 and it turned out to be the most incredible time to visit the continent. Newly hatched penguins had now grown to adolescence. They developed the most curious nature by the time they had grown a bit. When we’d land on the shore after a good day of kayaking or exploring on the zodiacs, young penguins would waddle over to see what we were up to.

Chinstrap Penguins, named so because of their obvious chinstrap pattern on their face

An adolescent penguin comes over to say hello

The wildlife of Antarctica was outstanding with whales breaching, seals sleeping, birds flying, and penguins playing right before our eyes. But it was the landscape of Antarctica that truly took our breaths away. Dave has been going through photos from years past putting together photography compilations of our travels. Many of his stunning photos had never seen the light of day due to catching flights and moving onto the next location. He has become adept at going through images quickly, choosing the best, sharing them with our readers and moving on.

Beautiful layers of blue ice in the icebergs

But on a closer look, we realized that he was missing many of the best of the best. Well, no longer. The best images have yet to come. You’ll be seeing a lot more of these amazing photo stories from Dave in the coming weeks, right here every monday. And today enjoy!

Antarctica in Photos

Beautiful Antarctica Ice and skies

A penguin looks back over the shore of the continent

A Beautiful whale breach: This whale stayed with our ship for 45 minutes!

Antarctica with Quark Expeditions

Quark expeditions is currently offering huge savings to Antarctica and the Arctic. From now until Sept. 30 you can save up to $7948 per person on select voyages to Antarctica, and 15% – 25% on select cabins during the Arctic early bird sale. Find out about all the savings at our exclusive landing page.  We’ve visited both Antarctica and the Arctic with Quark and both expeditions have been trips of a lifetime for us. It’s now time to create your own once in a lifetime moment.

Visit Quark Expeditions for great savings on Antarctica and Arctic Voyages

Check out: 11 of the Best Things to do in Antarctica

A whale shows off his tail in this amazing whale fluke capture

Antarctica Ice

Iceberg reflections in the still water

Ice, Ice and more Ice

Old Whaling Stations

Old oil drums on abandoned whaling station

Old abandoned whaling stations can be visited when taking an expedition to Antarctica. This is a ruin on Deception Island. Back in the day it was a large whaling station where they slaughtered whales for their oil.

Crumbled building on Deception Island

Exploration

We even camped on the continent of Antarctica

Each day we’d leave the ship to go out and explore by zodiac

Our guide, Solen Kayaking around an iceberg

We spent several days kayaking in Antarctica. It was the most serene and peaceful thing we’ve ever done. There was nothing but the sound of ice crackling and our paddles dipping into the cold water. We could move silently as to not disturb wildlife and we came very close to seals sleeping on floating ice, penguins jumping and we even had a whale breach right behind our group of 12 paddlers.

Wildlife

Seal basking in the sun

this guy looks so content!

Can’t get enough of penguins

The Penguin highway in Antarctica.

A penguin checks out his own reflection

Let us be honest with you. Penguins smell. When you land on shore to observe a colony, the stench immediately hits you. It’s a mixture of fish and feces. However, they are so darn cute that soon your nose gets used to the smell and you could sit for hours watching them. We saw a lot of penguins in Antarctica, but each viewing was as exciting, cute and fascinating as the first.

We never tire of penguins in Antarctica

When visiting the continent  you are not allowed to approach penguins closer than 5 meters. But, if you stand or sit very still, they may approach you and that is completely allowed!

A whole lotta penguin love going on

Stunning Beauty

A glorious way to start the day

Brash Ice leads out from an Iceberg

Snowcapped mountains of Antarctica’s mainland in the distance

A stop at the British Base is a must. You can do some shopping and send a postcard home!

Whale bones pieced together to make a full whale carcass. It’s huge!

Whale bones are common to see when walking on beach shores at abandoned whaling stations.

The tranquil scenery of Antarctica

Paddling the calm waters of Paradise Bay, Antarctica

Icicles form on a giant Iceberg in Antarctica

Our travels to Antarctica were courtesy of Quark Expeditions. The leader in Polar adventures.

Four Seasons Announces New Hotels Opening in 2015 | Luxury Travel Advisor

Four Seasons Announces New Hotels Opening in 2015 | Luxury Travel Advisor

Engineering Marvel - China

China is set for a July opening of the most terrifying walkway in the world, stretching a quarter-of-a-mile across a canyon at a dizzying height of 980ft ... and it's made of GLASS.

If you are terrified of heights you would be advised to stay well away from China 's latest attraction.

The Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon skywalk is set to smash records to be the world's longest and highest glass-bottomed bridge.

The dizzying footbridge spans between two cliffs in the national park of Zhangjiajie.

 

If you have vertigo look away!

 

The dizzying walkway is suspended between two cliffs in the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon area with unbeatable views of the national park.

 

There are even plans to hold fashion shows along the sky-high pathway.

Israeli architect Haim Dotan was behind the ambitious venture, which will easily dwarf America's Grand Canyon Skywalk which sits 718ft above ground measuring 68ft long.

 

The terrifying platform is no quick stroll, stretching a whopping 1410ft above the impressive Hunan province scenery.

 

 

Visitors will be able to marvel at the stunning Zhangjiajie national park landscape, which boasts over 3,000 sandstone pillars, and was the inspiration for James Cameron's 2009 movie, Avatar

For tourists who catch the adrenaline bug from completing the transparent walkway, there will also be the opportunity to try the world's highest bungee jump.

This record-breaking bungee will snatch the title from Macau Tower 's 764ft-high attraction.

Last month a similarly scary walkway opened in south-west China in Chongqing , which extended 87.5ft from the edge of a cliff.

Visitors are suspended in the air with 2,350ft of valley below their feet, leaving them feel as though they are walking on air. 

 

Located in the Longgang National Geological Park , the bridge has been named Yuanduan, meaning 'at the end of the clouds’.

With jaw-dropping panoramic views from its observation deck, it is the longest cantilever bridge in the world

 

The park is limiting it to just 30 people at a time to ensure visitors have plenty of room to enjoy the view

The 12 Best 'Free' Things to Do on a Cruise

Stepping on a cruise ship can sometimes feel like walking into a Caribbean straw market, with vendors hawking their wares left and right. Book your extra-fee restaurant here; pony up a few more dollars for dinner theater there. Don't forget to snap up a spa special before they're gone.

With so many cruise ship dining venues and activities carrying surcharges these days, it's easy to forget there's still a lot of things to do that don't cost a single cent.

So say yes to adrenaline-fueled activities like surfing, skydiving, ropes course climbing and culinary indulgences including great pizza, poolside milkshakes and meals created by celebrity chefs -- and you'll still ring up a total onboard expense of $0.00.

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1. Drink!

Who wouldn't want to drink for free throughout his or her cruise? While several luxury lines offer alcohol-inclusive fares, until now no mainstream cruise line has done so. But that all changes in 2016, when Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Sky will begin including most drinks -- up to $11 -- in its basic cruise prices. Passengers on the ship's three- to four-night Bahamas cruises will be able to imbibe a variety of beers, wines and premium spirits on the house. Unlimited soda and juice are free for passengers ages 3 to 20.

2. Surf the Internet.

Staying in touch with friends and family while on a cruise has never been inexpensive. Internet has traditionally cost a pretty penny, but that's changing. As more cruisers demand Internet, companies have responded with faster, cheaper access to the Web. A select few are even going so far as to serve up the Internet for free. Crystal, a luxury line, provides 60 to 90 minutes of free Internet to all passengers, depending on cabin category. Among mainstream lines, Royal Caribbean will become the first to offer free access in May 2016 onboard its short Majesty of the Seas cruises to the Bahamas.

3. Dine at a Celebrity Chef-Affiliated Restaurant.

Several cruise lines have partnered with celebrity chefs to offer extra-special dining experiences that would be nearly impossible (or very expensive) to have on land. But those experiences usually come with an extra price tag. Not so on Carnival, Crystal, Oceania and Royal Caribbean. On Carnival, you can fill up on juicy burgers at Guy's Burgers, the brainchild of Food Network chef Guy Fieri. Crystal offers each of its passengers one free dinner at Nobu, the acclaimed eatery from famed chef Nobu Matsuhisa. On Oceania's Marina and Riviera, cruisers can dine at Jacques, the creation of French chef Jacques Pepin. And on Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas, cruisers get delicious but healthy cuisine at Devinly Decadence, care of NBC's Biggest Loser chef Devin Alexander.

4. Sip a Milkshake Poolside.

Most cruise ships offer free soft-serve ice cream but tack on a surcharge for milkshakes (if they're even available). But milkshake-lovers on Oceania ships don't have to worry about spending a few extra dollars to indulge their dairy desires. Poolside crew members will whip up milkshakes (vanilla, chocolate or strawberry) on the spot for instant satisfaction.

5. Take in a Broadway Show.

Snagging tix to a hot Broadway play is never going to be affordable unless you're doing so at sea. On the wide-open waters of the ocean you can see "Cats," "Mamma Mia!" and "Saturday Night Fever" on select Royal Caribbean ships or "Rock of Ages," "Legally Blonde: the Musical" and "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" on select Norwegian Cruise Line ships -- for nothing more than the cost of your already-paid cruise ticket.

6. Have a Slice of Pizza.

Carnival, Princess and Royal Caribbean loyalists disagree as to who's got the best slice of pizza at sea. Carnival cruisers argue the thin crust pies from Pizza Pirate are the best, while Royal Caribbean fans argue for the cheesy yumminess that is Sorrento's. Princess cruisers say Alfredo's Pizzeria has the best hand-thrown slices, bar none. What all can agree on is the price: free for one and all.

7. Surf and Skydive.

Get your adrenaline pumping without putting a dent in your wallet on Royal Caribbean with free surfing and skydiving. Nine ships in the line's fleet have FlowRider surf simulators; two of these also offer iFly by RipCord vertical skydiving. With the FlowRider, you can give surfing or boogie boarding a try for free, as many times as you like, but you'll only get one complimentary go on iFly by RipCord.

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8. Scale a Ropes Course.

It's not just those with acrophobia who might find their knees knocking while making their way through these high-in-the-air obstacle courses. You'll find Carnival's 16-piece SkyCourse on Breeze, Magic, Sunshine and Vista, while Norwegian's 40-element ropes course (which includes the "plank," a narrow band of metal that extends eight feet over the side of the ship) is on Breakaway, Getaway and Escape. If you find yourself stuck halfway through, just remember the $0 price tag means you can stop without losing anything (except, perhaps, a little pride).

9. Putt-Putt to Your Heart's Content.

A favorite activity for families and couples, you'll find top-deck mini-golf courses on all of Carnival's cruise ships, most of Royal Caribbean's vessels, three Norwegian Cruise Line ships and two Disney cruise ships. Most courses are just nine holes, but you can play them again and again without paying a penny -- perfect for when you're trying to cultivate your hole-in-one swing or need a rematch against your opponent. For an even more competitive twist, join a mini-golf competition if one is offered.

10. Snuggle up in a Bathrobe.

Carnival takes a proletarian approach to its cruises -- there are no 1,000-square-foot suites with wraparound balconies on the Fun Ships, nor do suite passengers get much more than extra space. And everyone gets a bathrobe. So snuggle up on the couch in your cabin while watching TV in a soft cotton robe, or throw the robe on for the walk up to the spa. (Just please don't wear it to the buffet for breakfast.)

11. Catch a Flick Outdoors.

The movies might not be first-run, but admission is free, and you can bring in treats from your cabin or the buffet without having to smuggle them under your jacket. Outdoor Lido Deck movie screens, which can be found on virtually all cruise lines these days, are even more romantic than the real deal, with prime viewing from the pool by day and on snuggly loungers covered with warm blankets at night, popcorn included. 

12. Watch the Sun Set Over the Ocean.

It's one of the most beautiful sights in nature, and it doesn't cost a dime. Grab a loved one's hand (or your favorite cocktail), walk over to the ship's railing, and take a deep breath. You've seen it before, sure, but watching the sunset over the ocean never fails to give you that, "I'm on vacation, and life is good" moment. Enjoy.

--By Dori Saltzman, Editor