2012-12-29

【Aiden in English】

        Cape Horn in Chile is located at a latitude of 55 degrees 58 minutes 47 seconds south and a longitude of 67 degrees 16 minutes 18 seconds west. It is the southernmost point on Earth, other than Antarctica. It covers the two most significant bodies of water, the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans, and is known as a notorious graveyard for sailors.

        I awoke to three short blasts and the light flick

2012-12-28

【Aiden in English】

        By December, a hot summer had come to the south. However, the cold still numbed my teeth as we waited on the sun deck for the glaciers and sheer mountains to appear over the horizon in the Strait of Magellan, which separates the Pacific Ocean from the Atlantic Ocean. 

        Due to tidal constraints, we had to delay our arrival time by two hours in Ushuaia, Argentina, this afternoon. Unex

2012-12-27

【Aiden in English】

        Antarctica is the Earth's southernmost continent, encompassing the South Pole, as described in geographic textbooks. It's the fifth-largest continent after Asia, Africa, North America, and South America. Approximately 98% of Antarctica is covered by ice that averages at least 1 mile (1,600 meters) in thickness. Its mountains cover a significant area, making Antarctica the highest of the seven continents on aver

2012-12-26

【Aiden in English】

        So, there I was with my mom, standing on the balcony of Star Princess at the crack of dawn to see the Amalia Glacier in the central part of the Chilean Southern Patagonian Ice Fields. The glacier descended from the Andes Mountains and sat like a frozen river above the sea. It had immense weight, and the oxygen had been pressed out of the ice, presenting it with a stunning crystalline appearance and a strange blue glow

2012-12-25 Christmas Day

【Aiden in English】

        "Merry Christmas!" shouted the Star Princess Captain loud enough to be heard miles away in the morning. "Merry Christmas to All." I didn't think my mom set a wake-up call, but our captain set the mood for the day. As I dressed, he kept us informed about the weather and talked for hours. The basic point was that a chilly, breezy day would be ahead.  

2012-12-24 Christmas Eve

【Aiden in English】

        As I learned along the way, Chile is nicknamed "the Shoestring Country" for good reason; 24 times longer than its average width and in no place wider than 150 miles/241 kilometers, it stretches nearly 2,700 miles/4,345 kilometers, a span of latitude that encompasses parched deserts, fertile coastal plains, dense rainforests, and, finally, continental ice caps, fiords, and glaciers.

  &n

2012-12-23

【Aiden in English】

        Today, our ship was cruising at sea, and it was my first day on board in the Youth Center for ages 8-12.

        This morning at breakfast, I could barely sit still and wait till 9 O'clock because I was going to take the Youth Program. The omelet I ordered wasn't good, but even that couldn't hold down my excitement! As we entered a room marked SHOCKWAVE, I noticed other children inside. I

2012-12-22

【Aiden in English】

        I woke this morning to the sound of people coming from the streets. I stepped onto our private balcony outside the hotel room in Valparaiso, the largest port city in Chile. At a glance, the spectacular hillsides were dotted with a variety of colorful houses. A series of peculiar boats sparked in the beautiful bay in the distance. I checked the date and immediately cheered myself up. Yay! It's Saturday. I looked for

2012-12-21

【Aiden in English】

        In a Chinese proverb, an hour in the morning is worth two in the evening. It's always pleasant to start a new day with a scrumptious breakfast. I had fried eggs and toasted bread with strawberry juice. The eggs with white bread looked plain but yummy, and the juice tasted fresh and very berry. As we loaded up our luggage and checked out, I made a French silent farewell to the hotel and the great city of Santiago.

&n

2012-12-20

【Aiden in English】

        I awoke at 9:00 am this morning to the sharp sound of a phone ringing. I started to get dressed while my mom answered the call. When she hung up, she looked alarmed. The tour guide was already here! I rushed to put on my shoes and took a quick, hasty wash. Then, we dashed to the hotel restaurant and gulped down some croissants with a cup of fruit juice before running to our tour pickup bus. We had to switch buses for o

2012-12-19

【Aiden in English】

        When I woke up early this morning, I still felt sleepy. However, I had to catch a plane at 7:58 am to the Chilean capital city of Santiago. My mom and I had a quick breakfast at the bar. We took a hotel shuttle van and rushed to Rapa Nui Intl—airport (IPC) on Easter Island. I couldn't believe my eyes. The airport was so small that the plane seemed the same size as its building! Why didn't I realize the fact wh

2012-12-18

【Aiden in English】

        Walking toward our new tour guide this morning, I felt a sense of dread crawling up my stomach. This tour would involve a long hike on the side of the crater, covering at least 10 miles. When our tour group arrived at the archaeological site of Ahu Vinapu, the heat began to intensify. Before I could change my mind, I trekked up the hill. But not long after, I was exhausted from climbing, and my feet were sore from walk

2012-12-17

【Aiden in English】

        Today was my first day exploring South America after connecting a series of flights for more than 23 hours. As soon as I stepped off the plane on Easter Island in the Pacific Ocean—the Navel of the World—I knew this would be an extremely hot trip (not including Antarctica).  

        When I woke to the rooster's morning chorus of "COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO", I was