Exploring Myself on Mare Australis in Patagonia

If I could suggest a mental health vacation, a trip via boat through the channels of Patagonia to Cape Horn would fit in. The endless panoramas of snow- capped peaks and glaciers interspaced with shore excursions a tonic to the soul. It did my soul good to shut out chaotic months of planes, trains and strains. The chance to intermingle with travelers from around the world provided plenty of human contact, but it was the moments filled with nature that did the trick. Did that penguin really smile at me?

The zipping onto shore via Zodiac was a twice day event, and the comrade wonderful, but the chance to wonder off at the end of the world best. When I first arrived in Punta Arenas to board I saw a Princess Cruise ship out in the harbor, it was huge! I was really gratified to see our little, but mighty Mare Australis dockside, no tenders needed to board. The size mattered because I wanted to feel as if I was an explorer, not a number, more importantly I wanted to explore myself, mission accomplished.