> > I would love to visit Antarctica. After reading the book _Antarctica_ by Kim Stanley Robinson, I wish that there were affordable tours for that continent.
>
> There are small cruise ships, and passenger room on research vessels, that go down to the ice from here. "Affordable" is relative, but I think an Antarctic cruise is about the same cost, all up, as a holiday trip to Europe; maybe NZ $5000 or so. Europe is about as mystic and remote a destination as Antarctica, around here, but I hope to visit both some day.
>
> Brunnen-"knows several people who have been to Antarctica"G

Wow. I'm guessing that the cruises go down to the ice in the Antarctic summer(?), because Antarctica is supposed to be the coldest place in the world! On average. Either it's too cold to snow; or it snows only very little on the continent. I understand that, because of the measly amounts of annual precipitation which would otherwise cover things up... and the vast tracts of white nothingness which reveal every last cigarette butt on the ground... and the preservative effect of the cold... it's also the best place in the world to collect sizeable meteorites. I think it's the most desolate desert on earth.

It must be an awesome sight. But I bet they've got Internet to help pass the unchanging days and endless nights. :-)

Wolfspirit