Why Greenland? This is a big question, suitable for contemplation by the thoughtful traveler. In 2022, we were asked the same question when we decided to go to Antarctica. At that time, my friend, Susan, invited us to join her on their Viking cruise down the South American coast and finally for a few days in Antarctica. She called several times to tell us of the latest deal, finally to say, “If you book by Sunday, you’ll get free airfare.” So, I showed John the website and he said,”Yes!” But the cruise he was looking at was different from Susan’s. The one John was looking at was the first Viking cruise on the brand new Octantis that went directly to Antarctica and spent the entire cruise moving from location to location (never really anchoring or docking for the entire trip.) We loved that trip so much, (see Patti-World.com for the pictures) that we tracked the Octantis for about a year, reviewed our trip many times, always with awe.
That brings us to the summer of 2024, when Viking announced their 2025 destination aboard the Octantis to Greenland, Baffin Bay, and the Northwest Passage, we called Susan. “Let’s do it!” So the four of us signed up. We were finally going to travel together! But as the months passed, Susan hesitated. It was going to be very hard for them to get to New York, so they canceled. So here we are, many months later in New York today, Greenland tomorrow, where we don’t expect to find convenience stores for forgotten items. How many pairs of gloves? Five. How many jackets? Three (Viking will also give us heavy jackets and puffy liners.) How many thick pairs of socks? Five. How many pairs of sturdy boots? One. (Viking will provide additional boots for wet landings.) And a swimsuit for enjoying the gorgeous pool, spa, snow grotto, and ice bucket shower—oh yeah!
What am I looking forward to? Surprises! Maybe to eat traditional foods that have kept people alive in Arctic climates for millennia—seal meat and whale blubber (with a sprinkle of salt, perhaps?) I’m also looking forward to seeing reindeer, icebergs, and incredible scenery. Our proposed itinerary is to make three stops up the west coast of Greenland, well above the Arctic Circle, then head out into the Arctic Ocean over to Baffin Bay and Northern Canada. The navigation is quite tricky as the land-to-ice ratio is always changing. Just like the Mississippi and the Nile, an experienced pilot has memorized the waters.
We’re really looking forward to the best part of travel, learning geography. And the people. I’ve already made friends with a fellow named Klaus and his buddy Leith, whom we’ll meet more about tomorrow. As of today, it’s New York, New York, and the airport Hilton for a few hours of rest before we take off again in the wee hours for Nuuk, Greenland. Fasten your seatbelts, and thanks for reading