The Ship

We finally managed to join our big ugly ship in Ushuaia at the bottom of Argentina. It is called the Akademik Ioffe and is a working Russian research vessel. She takes tourists to the Antarctic in the southern summer and the Arctic in the northern summer. Yes, I have added an Arctic trip to my ‘must do one day’ list. We have a twin cabin that is about 2m x 3m.

There are bunks beds, a sofa thing, loads of cupboard space, a desk and chair and a hand basin. The toilets and showers are shared with others on level 3, which seems to be mostly the western crew and staff. There is a cabin stewardess who comes and makes our bed every morning and leaves us chocolates on our pillows at night! This is much better than I was expecting.

Facilities on the ship include a bar, laundry, gift shop, gym and a dining room that can rival any 4 star restaurant. They are making a concerted effort to ensure that each and everyone of us leaves the ship at least 5kg heavier than when we boarded. Jo has just arrived in the cabin with afternoon tea, which is a freshly baked oat and sultana cookie, almost as good as the choc chip ones we have been getting on the other days. When I say freshly baked, I mean that it is still warm and a little gooey, it would do well to sit and set for 30 mins before they bring them to the lounge for general vacuuming by the pax, who cannot possibly be hungry.

Meals are an eating competition that unfortunately, I am participating in with more gusto than is required for someone who already has a bit of a spare tyre around my middle. Breakfast is a buffet, always a bad thing when I am around and then lunch and dinner are both 3 course affairs, and that is not counting the salad table that is self serve. Lunch is usually a lighter affair than dinner. Last night I had an awesome rack of lamb (apologies to my friends in Asia for whom lamb is a luxury), but in moments of self control I have generally been avoiding the dessert (it has nothing to do with the fact that my fav desserts are choc mousse and ice cream and these have not been on offer yet).