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Camino from the Antarctica

carlostorresdarder

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Francés
Aragonés
Primitivo
Vía Tolosana
Sanabrés
Norte
Le Puy
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
But I fear hubby would go ballistic if I try that one.

It's really quite straight forward:
1) Trek from South Pole to the spit of land close to Tierra del Fuego
2) Open boat (emulating Shackleton's journey) to Argentina.
3) Walk up the eastern side
4) Island hop from Venezuela to Trinidad & Tobago and The Bahamas.
5) Walk to Los Angeles and up the Pacific Coastal Trail
6) Walk Vancouver to Nome or Wales in Alaska and enter Russia
7) Walk to Poland via Belarus or the Baltic States.
8) You are now in home territory so I'll leave the rest up to you.
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
It's really quite straight forward:
Alwyn, I very much appreciate your gift of diplomatic understatement.
This made me laugh on a day when a bit of lightness was sorely needed. Thank you!
I have an old friend in Katikati who would probably love to try this, at least the 1st part--having sledged in the Antarctic in the 60s as part of a surveying team. Anyone for a very long 'relay camino?':D
 
Hahaha, that's just great. And peregrinos on this route are "pinguirinos":
"De hecho, en la base hay un sello jacobeo y las correspondientes compostelanas que los peregrinos antárticos (o "pingüirinos"), deseen sellar al iniciar su camino."
:D
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
Anyone for a very long 'relay camino?

Regrettably my route is most probably a little longer than the 14,075 km shown on the southern polar sign post.

And, just like on camino in Spain, the local "pingüirinos" (see Carlos' link in his originating post) on the early stages of my route will most likely understand Spanish. And if you are lucky you might encounter some that understand Basque, Galician or other northern modes of speech.

And if the conversational custom when bathing in the dry valley of Antarctica is in force, those of a delicate constitution may wish to hold their hands to their ears when showering in those lower latitudes.
 
the dry valley of Antarctica
Alwyn, have you been here!? I have only ever seen friends' photos but it looks magnificent. And not to derail the thread but you've dropped a tantalizing nugget. So pretty please, enlighten us. :) Just what does one dow when bathing in the dry valley?
 
... I have an old friend in Katikati who would probably love to try this, at least the 1st part--having sledged in the Antarctic in the 60s as part of a surveying team. Anyone for a very long 'relay camino?':D

Please don't tempt me! SY
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
Just what does one do when bathing in the dry valley?

Viranani, no, I personally have not been to Antarctica.

You will have heard of the six degrees of separation: between you and, say, the President of the Central African Republic there is a link of six people (you know one, that one knows another and so on to the CAR President). In Aotearoa-New Zealand it said there are two degrees, regularly only one and quite often direct personal encounters with shakers and movers. So it is about this story, and others, from the "ice".

So, it comes as no great surprise that I have worked with three scientists (even though science is not my vocation) who have done research on the "ice", or, in this case in an ice free area of Antarctica. In particular Lake Vanda. This Wikipedia article mentions photography.

And, seeing this is not audio but video, you may wish to hold your hands to your eyes as you read further.

The original custom, according to my informants, was two fold:
1) all present had to bathe wearing Garden of Eden attire (if any could be found)
2) those not in the water could freely discuss the attributes of anything before them.
To start with all "ice" researchers were male. When female researchers went south there was initial consternation from the males: they were not intending to forgo their dip or change their other customs. I was told, much to the relief of all, the mixed crowd continued the original customs with vigour.

Viranani, it is safe to take your hands away from your eyes now.
 
It's really quite straight forward:
1) Trek from South Pole to the spit of land close to Tierra del Fuego
2) Open boat (emulating Shackleton's journey) to Argentina.
3) Walk up the eastern side
4) Island hop from Venezuela to Trinidad & Tobago and The Bahamas.
5) Walk to Los Angeles and up the Pacific Coastal Trail
6) Walk Vancouver to Nome or Wales in Alaska and enter Russia
7) Walk to Poland via Belarus or the Baltic States.
8) You are now in home territory so I'll leave the rest up to you.

Your route arise some problems like for example:

  • No official overland crossing from Guyana to Venezuela. An alternative would be to go up the Amazon in Brazil till Manaus and continue overland from Manaus.
  • Island hopping the Caribbean from T&T to the Bahamas would mean having your own boat.
  • Entering Russia from Alaska by boat... Chukotka state in Russia, if nothing has changed, requires a difficult to get special permit for the state. Plus you would need to find a boat to make the route and some more paperwork (visa for Russia...)...
I'm sorry to bring these bad news but the dream of a camino from Antarctica won't never be a reality without taking into account practicalities. I'm pretty sure the dream can become a reality for someone with the money and time to make it but maybe another route should be looked for. For example, if someone was able to find a ship from Antarctica to South Africa, the overland route from South Africa till Tangier (or Ceuta) might be feasible (just might because visa requirements as well as safety along the route can change in the blink of an eye either for good or for bad; i.e.: there's no guarantee what it's not possible at the start of your route won't become possible once you are on the road as well as there's no guarantee what it's currently possible won't become imposible once you are on the road) and, once in Tangier or Ceuta you could take a ferry to Spain, walk to Cádiz and continue to Santiago walking the Vía Agusta, the Vía de la Plata (till Granja de Moreruela) and the Camino Sanabrés.
 
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Viranani, no, I personally have not been to Antarctica.

You will have heard of the six degrees of separation: between you and, say, the President of the Central African Republic there is a link of six people (you know one, that one knows another and so on to the CAR President). In Aotearoa-New Zealand it said there are two degrees, regularly only one and quite often direct personal encounters with shakers and movers. So it is about this story, and others, from the "ice".

So, it comes as no great surprise that I have worked with three scientists (even though science is not my vocation) who have done research on the "ice", or, in this case in an ice free area of Antarctica. In particular Lake Vanda. This Wikipedia article mentions photography.

And, seeing this is not audio but video, you may wish to hold your hands to your eyes as you read further.

The original custom, according to my informants, was two fold:
1) all present had to bathe wearing Garden of Eden attire (if any could be found)
2) those not in the water could freely discuss the attributes of anything before them.
To start with all "ice" researchers were male. When female researchers went south there was initial consternation from the males: they were not intending to forgo their dip or change their other customs. I was told, much to the relief of all, the mixed crowd continued the original customs with vigour.

Viranani, it is safe to take your hands away from your eyes now.
Sure? I shouldn't have asked. Serves me right. :eek::oops:
(Still chucking...Alwyn, I like your sense of humor very much. Thanks...for the second time this morning!)
And yes...those two degrees in Aotearoa. It's my experience too, very much so. For all I know you and I might be talking about the same people right now. Those who've been on the "ice" is an even smaller community.
 
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For all I know you and I might be talking about the same people right now.

Thank you.

Possibly we do one of this small band of brothers (and even fewer sisters) in common. My acquaintances, first name only and in the order in which I met them, are Mike, Bill and Peter. I forget the first name of the fourth, but I take a gamble that you might know him, or his wife.

Now, who are the two or three people (surely not the whole six), if not one of the above, that separate you and me???!!! (just joking)
 
The first edition came out in 2003 and has become the go-to-guide for many pilgrims over the years. It is shipping with a Pilgrim Passport (Credential) from the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.
Peter could fit. 'Old school', was there in the 60s.
As for the rest...well, Wellington isn't a huge place. We may have unknowingly passed each other on the street. If you know any architects, a good friend is one also and is likely to know them. And a few pals are still working at IGNS in Upper Hutt. To say nothing of so and so's sister who went to school with your cozzie twice removed....or something like that. Many possibilities!;)
 
Peter could fit. 'Old school', was there in the 60s.

The Peter I first met in 1990 is now retired as a Professor Emeritus and still has Antarctic Research connections.

While I had no connections with IGNS itself I gamble that my fourth name, John, does.

And, Viranani, as you say, many other possibilities. Your kiwi patois is very good. You obviously spent some time amongst Kiwis and, more, likely lived here.

PS: Your own understandings of how things are is very integrated and you yourself seem well grounded. I am sure you and some of the religious sister friends of my wife would get on very well at a personal level, despite the difference in detail of your and their lives and beliefs.

And to do a Camino, whether starting from the Antarctic, or a little closer, these attributes are necessary so one does not get overwhelmed by the enormity of the undertaking. Buen Camino.
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
Ah, no...different Peter.
Your kiwi patois is very good. You obviously spent some time amongst Kiwis and, more, likely lived here.
Yes, indeed. For over a decade and I still would if life hadn't taken a strange left turn. I still have legal residency but only manage to get back once a year these days...I grew up in the top of Polynesia, so the bush and the culture felt like home immediately--and there was a deep sense of familiarity and connection to the land and people that mystified me then. Now it makes a bit more sense.
Your own understandings of how things are is very integrated and you yourself seem well grounded. I am sure you and some of the religious sister friends of my wife would get on very well at a personal level, despite the difference in detail of your and their lives and beliefs.
Thank you--but I can't say I've gotten there yet, but that's the direction I hope I'm going! Work very much in progress.
And yes...I'm certain I'd very much enjoy a natter with your wife's religious sister friends! My dream someday if conditions ever fall into place is to walk the Camino with sisters of different faiths and orders. We have much more in common than different--beliefs aside. I've had beautiful connections with Catholic brothers and sisters on the road--and always feel humbled and blessed by their open-hearted welcome of a Buddhist nun on 'their' camino.
 
This guy is actually going to do it !! :cool:


By boat from Antarctica to Ushuaia ; 3600K by bike along the Argentine coast through Buenos Aires to Montevideo in Uruguay ; cargo ship to Lisbon, 22 days crossing ; Caminho Portuguès to Santiago by bike.

He thinks it will take him about 4 months.
 
There is a section of the Camino de Santiago street art wall in Guadix (in the province of Granada) dedicated to pingüirinos. The wall was painted in 2018 or 19 and I think this scene was included to celebrate a 2016 pilgrimage that started at the Spanish antarctic base. (But I think those pilgrims made the voyage by boat with visits to significant churches along the voyage, and on foot once they reached Spain).


Pedantic zoölogists will, no doubt, ask what a polar bear is doing in the picture. The answer, of course, is "It's providing mochilla transportation."
 

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St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
It's really quite straight forward:
1) Trek from South Pole to the spit of land close to Tierra del Fuego
2) Open boat (emulating Shackleton's journey) to Argentina.
3) Walk up the eastern side
4) Island hop from Venezuela to Trinidad & Tobago and The Bahamas.
5) Walk to Los Angeles and up the Pacific Coastal Trail
6) Walk Vancouver to Nome or Wales in Alaska and enter Russia
7) Walk to Poland via Belarus or the Baltic States.
8) You are now in home territory so I'll leave the rest up to you.
So glad you spelled it out! Piece of cake.
 
So glad you spelled it out! Piece of cake.
I hope you noticed the walk from Florida (after the Bahamas) to Los Angeles would traverse New Mexico. Should I get close, I hope you might have a cup of tea and a camp bed for a lie down.


When walking in France and Spain in 2016-17, a usual opening to a conversation was where do you come from.

Given that the antipodes to Compostela is just a few hundred kilometres from my home, my response was either "about as far away from here as you can get and still be on dry land" or simply "New Zealand".

I would then wait for any recognition. When it came I would sometimes add how I got to my starting point, saying something along these lines:

As I live within about an hours walk from the open sea, I swam (with a waterproof buoyancy capsule filled up with my gear) across the south west Pacific and Indian Oceans, around the Cape of Good Hope, up the Atlantic and into the Mediterranean. From there I walked overland to my official start point.​

Then I would wait for the smile, and we would laugh together.

But, often as not I knew I had lost my enquirer as soon as I said "south west Pacific".

Kia kaha (take care, be strong, get going when you can)
 

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