ZECO TRAVEL TALK

This enigmatic land is often regarded as the seat of civilization and has contributed remarkable treasures to the world of art, poetry, architecture and, most notably, history. While a fascinating place to travel, Iran is a place where one can not travel without a guide and most people are apprehensive to even consider going in the first place—a perception fueled by Western political figureheads and negative media coverage.

Recently, travel guru and Seattle native, Rick Steves visited Iran. While known for his “Europe Through the Back Door” PBS television series and popular guidebooks, Read more

Zegrahm travelers recently had the privilege of traveling with French Captain Étienne Garcia aboard Le Diamant on our Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands itinerary. Below is an excerpt from his farewell speech that was so well received by passengers, staff, and crew that they hoped we would publish it for all to read:

Good evening dear passengers, this is your Captain speaking from the . . . the stage. I don’t have the eloquence of Peter [Harrison] but I will do my best! Tonight I wanted to come personally to give you a few words of farewell. These 20 days have linked us with memorable and warm souvenirs. Read more

Congratulations Valene Smith! On January 28, 2010, Valene, who has traveled with Zegrahm & Eco Expeditions an astounding 27 times since 1993, will be recognized at the grand opening of the Valene L. Smith Museum of Anthropology. Since its inception in 1970, Valene has made significant contributions to the museum on the California State University, Chico’s campus (where she is also a professor emerita in the field of anthropology); the museum has been renamed in her honor. Read more

We are delighted to welcome Simon Bellingham to the expedition leader team! Simon developed a passion for wildlife as a young child growing up in rural Zimbabwe where he fostered his love of the bush during holidays in remote regions such as Mana Pools National Park. Although he went on to obtain a Master’s Degree in Chiropractic, his passion for nature could not keep him away from the lure of the wilderness and he soon resigned from the comforts of life as a doctor for a career in wildlife. Read more

As our 2010 Antarctica, South Georgia, and Falkland Islands’ trip comes to a close, we thought it was the perfect time to learn more about the important climate work being conducted in this remote area of the world. Below is a post written by Spruce Schoenemann, a Glaciology graduate student in the University of Washington’s Department of Earth and Space Sciences.

It’s a pleasure to be sharing some of my Antarctic experiences with you! I’m sure some of you probably wonder why or how one ends up working in Antarctica anyway? Here is the why. The intricacy of climate science is what fascinates me, particularly the multiple interactions and feedback processes which interrelate between the hydrosphere, the atmosphere, the biosphere, and the cryosphere. I am drawn to those icy, snowy, remote, and dramatic places on this earth, and I feel a responsibility to protect the intrinsic value of these unique environments. How? After learning about a job posting by the UNH Science Coordination Office, I applied to work as a Science Tech on the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) Divide Ice Core Project during the 2008/2009 austral summer. The ice core project was in its second season of drilling, and our goal for the season was to drill 1,000 meters of ice. The WAIS Divide Ice Core would be 3,500 meters long once the drill reached the base of the ice sheet scheduled for 2011. The WAIS Ice Core is unique in the high resolution of annual layers preserved in the ~125,000 years of ice. Read more

Calling all shutterbugs: Do you have great photos from your travels to the Falkland Islands? If so, our friends at the Falkland Islands Tourist Board are sponsoring a ‘Falklands Exposed’ photography contest for professionals and amateurs alike. Enter you best photos in six different categories and you could win cameras, camera equipment, magazine subscriptions, and more. Photos must be submitted by March 31, 2010. Visit their contest website at www.falklandislands.com/exposed to read the rules and enter your photos. Good luck!