I'm going with Quark Expeditions on their Dec 10 - Dec 20, 2013 Antarctica expedition aboard the luxury Ocean Diamond and I am hopeful that a few adventurous travelers will want to join me!
Here is a very short video that gives you a glimpse of what we will do:
Link to Explore Our Frozen Planet with Quark Expeditions on YouTube.
Why Antarctica?
Ever since I was a child, I've always dreamed of visiting Antarctica. The idea of the white continent with no indigenous population at the bottom of the world makes me want to experience it for myself.
The scenery seems dazzling, with icebergs, mountains, and amazing animals like penguins and seals that don't fear humans. The 7th continent is a special place that fewer than 50,000 people per year will visit. I have always wanted to be one of them!
Antarctica is threatened due to climate change and there is a role for marketing and social media to communicate what's happening in one of the most stunning places on earth. I want to experience the continent firsthand so I can share my experiences and in a tiny way help keep the continent pristine for future generations.
I would like to experience Antarctica with like-minded people. If you're reading this, that means you! This is a trip to be shared. There are a few cabins available on the journey and I hope you will consider going.
What will we do on our journey to the bottom of the earth?
We depart from the southernmost city in the world, Ushuaia, Argentina (which is interesting in itself), cross the Drake Passage, and then explore the Antarctic Peninsula for a week.
During our expedition, we will live aboard the luxurious Ocean Diamond - with its comfortable cabins, great food, Internet connections(!) and a well-stocked bar(!!) - we will certainly not be roughing it.
There are daily adventures, usually by Zodiac to see penguins, icebergs, and other interesting things. We may have a chance to visit one of the research stations.
For the adventurous there will be opportunities to Sea-kayak and hike and if you're a little "out there", join me camping for one night and in the famous Quark Polar Plunge.
The ship includes experts on Antarctica and its wildlife and there will be guided trips from the ship as will as lectures in the evenings.
What about marketing and PR?
I am hopeful that a handful of explorers interested in the intersection of Antarctica and marketing will want to come along on the journey.
A maximum of 189 passengers will be aboard the ship and since the ship is filling fast, most of the passengers will not be part of our intrepid little group. We'll have plenty of time to get to know one another and dig into ideas about marketing and social media over meals and at the bar. Things are very, very informal onboard the ship and we will be free to do what we want.
I'll be joined on the trip by my wife Yukari Watanabe Scott @YukariWatanabe who is an author and social media maven in the Japanese language. She's written several books about Twitter (among other subjects.). She’s very knowledgeable about how to use social media to get noticed in the Japanese marketplace.
At one point I'm going to be giving a talk for anyone on the ship who wants to come. It is titled When You Return North: Sharing your experiences and becoming an Antarctic Ambassador and is about how each passenger can use social media to share what they experienced and help the continent to remain unspoiled. The talk will be geared towards beginners and I'll discuss how social networks are a great way to showcase interactions with penguins, seals and whales and how we experience the natural beauty of the water, ice, and land.
While we'll "talk shop" a little, mostly we're there to have fun and learn about Antarctica.
How to book a cabin
Quark is offering us a discount which is valid for the December 10, 2013 Antarctic Explorer voyage. The discount provides 20% off suites (quote code MK52) and 15% off regular cabins (quote code MK53). They do have single cabins available but those are not discounted. With a ship this small, cabins are in limited supply. The discount expires June 30, 2013.
To book a cabin or for more information on this trip (or Antarctic travel in general), visit Quark Expeditions or call Quark’s Polar Travel Advisers at 1-888-892-0073.
If you've read this far, you must be interested. You know you want to do it, right?! Perhaps Antarctica is on your bucket list. Or perhaps as our daughter said to us “Antarctica! YOLO!”
