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Taking the Plunge: My Journey to Antarctica

Posted by on November 15th, 2018

Thanks to my job as a Destination Specialist with Vaya, I’ve had the pleasure of traveling extensively throughout South America and visiting some very special places. It never fails, however, that tales of Antarctica elicit the most interest. More travelers than ever are trekking to the White Continent, but it still remains an intimidating and… Read Full Post

Lake or Shake: Crossing the Drake

Posted by on August 10th, 2018

Many of our travelers ask us about the Drake Passage, a body of water that is crossed on the way to Antarctica. It’s well-known as an unpredictable place, where the waters can be so tempestuous that captains refuse to cross, or so calm that they refer to it as “Drake Lake.” Thinking back on my… Read Full Post

INTI: The Chilean Street Muralist

Posted by on July 20th, 2018

I moved to Santiago, Chile a few years ago, and one of the first murals I saw that took my breath away was located outside the Bellas Artes metro station on two kitty-corner walls. These portraits were huge, with monochrome backgrounds, bold colors, and clean lines. The subjects looked like button-eyed dolls with patchwork hands,… Read Full Post

How I Was Introduced to Antarctica

Posted by on July 1st, 2018

Antarctica is a continent like no other, an ice-laden land that’s often misunderstood – or at least that was how it seemed to me 15 years ago, when a friend mentioned his desire to work at the McMurdo Research Station on the southern tip of Ross Island.  Little more came to my mind than Sir… Read Full Post

Is Land Tourism Threatening the Galapagos?

Galapagos tortoise_Photo by Max Aliaga

Posted by on June 26th, 2018

On Sunday June 3, the NY Times ran an article entitled “Is Land Tourism Threatening the Galapagos?” This article centered around a letter that the International Galapagos Tour Operators Association (IGTOA) wrote to the Ecuadorian Minister of Tourism, calling for more stringent regulation of land-based tourism in this magnificent and fragile island ecosystem. Here is… Read Full Post

The Real Paddington: Andean Spectacled Bears and Where to See Them

Andean Bear at Inkaterra_photo courtesy of Inkaterra

Posted by on June 16th, 2018

You may remember from the popular children’s books that Paddington Bear, although found in a London train station, was actually a stowaway from “darkest Peru.” Although you won’t find any bears in Peru that wear raincoats and eat marmalade, you can see the real-life version of Paddington, the Andean spectacled bear, during your trip to… Read Full Post

My first day in Antarctica

Cruising by the ice

Posted by on June 16th, 2018

Early in the morning I found myself at my locker in the mudroom. It was quiet. I was the first one to get ready and I was alone. As I began putting on my gear I could feel my heart beating with excitement, and to be honest, I was a bit nervous. After years of… Read Full Post

A Vaya Traveler’s Epic Poem

Sharon and Stan Dardis at Iguazu

Posted by on June 6th, 2018

We love hearing about our travelers’ experiences! Vaya traveler Sharon Dardis, along with her husband and six of their friends, took a trip to Argentina and Chile earlier this year. Sharon was kind enough to share with us an epic poem that she wrote to document the experience, and to give us permission to share… Read Full Post

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