seas & oceans
Is Antarctica worth it? – and all your other questions answered
Our expedition to the great white continent inspired a host of questions, most commonly: is Antarctica worth it? We share our answers below The cynic, it is said, knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. It doesn’t make you a cynic, however, to question the value of a trip to Antarctica given the hefty price tag. Ranging from seven to twenty thousand dollars per person, it’s a once in a lifetime expense, so it’s perfectly natural to ask: is Antarctica worth it? This is the question readers asked most frequently about our trip to the seventh continent. Value, of course, is subjective. Some people value an expensive wedding while others prefer to spend on the honeymoon. Some value a three-carat diamond while others prefer fine dining. Of course, we at Atlas & Boots value t...
In photos: 22 reasons to visit Antarctica
From island-sized icebergs to close encounters with humpback whales, we share some of the myriad reasons to visit Antarctica Antarctica was the final frontier for us. It was the only continent we hadn’t visited – our seventh – and a twice-postponed adventure that we had been planning for over two years. We finally boarded our Albatros Expeditions ship in early January and sailed out of Ushuaia to cross the notorious Drake Passage. Three days later, we crossed 66°33′48.9″ south of the Equator – the Antarctic Circle – before making landfall on the continent the following morning. Finally, we’d made it. Albatros Expeditions A map of our voyage 21 reasons to visit Antarctica For us, visiting Antarctica was a watershed moment. It was everything we had hoped it could be: wild, isolated, beautifu...
Antarctica: why my seventh continent was more than just an ego trip
Kia explains why a voyage to Antarctica finally gave her a sense of peace I am one of six sisters, which has always earned me a certain cachet; a sort of second-hand, useless celebrity like that of air hostesses and identical twins. The last time I mentioned “all my sisters” in public, a stranger cut in to ask how many. People are often keen to know if we all get along, how often we see each other and what it was like growing up. I tell them it was happy and messy and loud. The truth is that it was for a while, but as soon as we entered our teens, we found ourselves shunted to a different orbit: home, school, library. My sisters and I were no longer allowed to roam freely, thanks to our parents’ conservative views on what young Asian women should and should not be. We each adju...
Which countries produce the most plastic waste?
The US and UK produce the most plastic waste per person than any other major country, according to new research Plastic waste is polluting the entire planet. It has been found in the Mariana Trench (the deepest point in the ocean), falling from the sky in Arctic snow, embedded in Antarctic ice and secreted in the Alpine soils of Switzerland. The UN Environment Programme has said that if current trends continue, our oceans could contain more plastic than fish by 2050. It is widely recognised that plastic harms wildlife, but concern is also growing about the volume of microplastics humans consume in their food and water. One study found that the average person eats at least 50,000 particles of microplastic a year. Plastic fibres have even been found in 83% of tap water around the world. Pari...
Britain’s best long-distance footpaths
Britain’s best long-distance footpaths provide excellent access to the UK’s outdoors while showcasing the finest scenery our isles have to offer When you think of the best long-distance hiking trails from around the world, little old Britain probably wouldn’t top of your list. Hikers will more likely be drawn to the Triple Crown of the Appalachian, Continental Divide and Pacific Crest trails in the US, New Zealand’s Great Walks or the famous Annapurna Circuit and Everest Base Camp treks in Nepal. However, the UK does have an extensive network of long-distance footpaths. Managed by the National Trails in England and Wales and Scotland’s Great Trails north of the border, the UK has thousands of miles of tramping to be discovered – and the network continues to expand....
Adventure travel books 2021: our top 10 picks
We share the best adventure travel books 2021 and explain why each should be on your reading list From a cross-country road trip in a hostile America to boundless sand dunes in remote China, our crop of adventure travel books 2021 have one thing in common: their journeys are more than just physical. There are tales of derring-do, but beyond the sparkly appeal of adventure are stories of recovery, rebirth and the healing power of nature. In Nepal, one man re-attempts Everest after a lethal earthquake. In the UK, another walks back from the brink of suicide while, in the US, a woman emerges from a three-year battle with leukaemia. Ultimately, these are tales of not just exploration and adventure but of courage, curiosity, resilience and hope. Adventure travel books 20...
Poles of inaccessibility: the middle of nowhere
The poles of inaccessibility are arguably the true last frontiers for explorers. But where and what are they? I’ve long been fascinated with the most remote places on Earth and the epic journeys of discovery to reach them. I’ve spent countless long mornings lying in bed leafing through giant reference books on the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration and even longer afternoons poring over immense maps detailing epic quests across untamed oceans. It was the names of Amundsen, Livingstone and Magellan and their unfathomable tales of distant lands, high seas and adventure that first inspired me to travel. For modern explorers, the poles of inaccessibility represent the outer limits of mankind’s grip on our planet. What are the poles of inaccessibility? Not to be confused with the Nor...
