Getting to Ushuaia

My flight departs NYC on Friday, March 14th and arrives in Buenos Aires approximately 11 hours later.  After passing through customs I will hopefully be on my way to Ushuaia where I will spend the night before the ship departs on March 16th.

Arriving in Buenos Aires

The Airport(s)
There are actually 2 primary airports in Buenos Aires: Aeroparque Jorge Newbury (domestic) and Ministro Pistarini (international).  Thanks to my colleague, I knew ahead of time to be careful when booking my flights.  Flights from New York land at EZE, the international airport, and most of the connecting flights leave from AEP requiring the traveler to get from one airport to another.  While the travel time is listed as approximately 40 minutes, this time can double or even triple due to poor traffic and road conditions.  Additionally, customs can often take an hour or more depending on the line.  Suddenly a 3-4 hour layover is not enough time to make a connecting flight.  Fortunately both of my flights connect at the international airport so as long as the airline does not make changes (which is actually quite common) I should have no problem making my flight to Ushuaia.  Should the flight get delayed I still have over 24 hours to get myself to Ushuaia.


Seemingly short distance between the domestic and international airports; traffic can double or triple the travel time and put you at risk of missing your connecting flights.  I selected one of the few flights that connects at the same airport (EZE) but all I can do is hope there are no changes!

Customs and Bag Transfers
There is no visa requirement.  Instead you must register and prepay a tax, currently $160, and present the receipt in customs.  I've read that in addition to the dual airport problem, travelers also run into issues with their luggage not transferring between flights.  I think in many cases, the traveler is responsible for retrieving his/her own bags and insuring that they get on the connecting flight - add that time to what I listed above and you're probably pushing it with even a 4-5 hour layover.  For this reason I forced myself to pack efficiently so as to only have carry on items. 

I might have been a little less stressed about these potential issues if this were a normal trip, but the ship will depart March 16th regardless of my presence! Lastly I was also a bit more stressed given the recent stresses on the Argentinian financial system and stresses on the state-owned airline that has experienced strikes in the past.  I chose my flight because the price was over $1,000 less than the private carriers but if I end up having to book a last minute flight to Ushuaia because of any issues I'll probably wish I just paid the price upfront.  Hopefully everything goes as smoothly as possible!

Getting to Ushuaia
My connecting flight to Ushuaia is approximately 3.5 hours.  I think my total travel time including layover will be about 20 hours which sounds grueling, but I'll have plenty of time to rest and sleep on the ship as we make our way to the peninsula. 

 



Ushuaia is located at the souther tip of Argentina and is a common departure point for voyages to the Polar Circle.

Packing for Antarctica: Part 2 (a little fun)

More on those glacier glasses, help me pick which boots, and my obsession with the polar plunge:

I love fashion so I couldn't help but have a little fun while packing.  Yesterday I also kicked off packing with some Argentinian wine since I'll be staying there for a few days during my journey.

Argentinian wine to kick off my weekend of packing!

Polarized sunglasses are a must when traveling to Antarctica.  I've read about some people who opted to bring ski goggles for harsher weather, but they seem too bulky to bring for daily use when kayaking. The snow and ice in Antarctica cause a tremendous amount of reflection, which is why snow blindness is listed as one of the primary dangers when traveling there.  I wanted a polarized lens with as much side coverage as possible so my eyes would be protected from all angles.  Julbo is apparently the brand for "glacier glasses" and after reviewing their selection I chose their "Explorer" with Camel lenses.  I was going to go with black as usual but ended up picking the white since they seem more fun.

Julbo Explorer Glacier Glasses in white

And why not have a little fund while packing- I couldn't resist taking some selfies in my hat and glasses!

Selfies with glacier glasses! I feel like a praying mantis of sorts.

I've had navy Pajar Greenland boots for several years and they've definitely started to show some wear.  Recently I found another pair in white on sale for $53 (regularly around $200), but I can't decide if I like them or if I want to stick with my original navy ones. What do you think?  Side note: they're 100% waterproof and I'm bringing these to wear around Ushuaia and while on board.

White & Navy Pajar Greenland Boots - which should I bring?

I am also bringing my bikini and flip flops along - why?  This is why:

Polar plunge in Antarctica.  I'm hoping my tour operator let's us do this!

And some of the serious stuff: medicine & toiletries:

I'm not packing very differently than I usually do, but I'm going to make sure I double check my list to insure that every single item makes its way into my bag.  While I'm sure some items will be available on board, I don't want to risk anything.

I suffer from allergies to a long list of foods, pollens, soaps, and ingredients in cosmetics.  Something as small as the fabric softener used for the ship's laundry could trigger a reaction.  Fortunately, I've never gone into full anaphylactic shock, so I'm bringing my usual arsenal of allergy remedies.  There is also a doctor on board in case of emergencies.

• Benadryl
• Cortizone Roll-On
• Sudafed

And the usual travel-sized items:

• Shampoo & conditioner
• Facewace
• Toothbrush & toothpaste
• Mini woolite packs for hand washing any items (although there is full laundry service available on board)

Part 3 of packing will cover my electronics including my new GoPro camera!