Scott Centennial Events
This year sees the launch of a number of events to commemorate Scott’s tragic 1910-1913 Terra Nova expedition for the race for the South Pole, which culminated in the death of Scott and his 4 companions on their return from the Pole.
Following successful exhibitions at Brantwood House and the Queen’s Galleries earlier this year, the Scott Polar Research Institute Museum has just re-opened boasting a freshly rejuvenated space which tells the story of the polar regions through innovatively designed and lit displays, use of film and still photography and multilayered audio-guides. Here you can see the last letters of Captain R.F. Scott and his companions, the four expedition diaries of Sir Ernest Shackleton, the Antarctic photographs of Herbert Ponting and extensive records, artwork and artefacts from the British search for the Northwest Passage.
The HMS Scott is currently docked in Cardiff B
ay and will re-enact the sailing of the Terra Nova later today, 100 years after the original event. Exhibitions and events at The National Assembly for Wales, the National Museum of Cardiff and the Dundee Heritage Trust will continue to run throughout June. This series of nationwide events will lead up to a National Service of Commemoration at St. Paul’s Cathedral in March 2012 and an exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London. A complete list of international centenary events are posted and regularly updated at www.scott100.org
Posted on June 15, 2010 in Antarctica , events , Photography , Science , Ships , Travel | Permalink | Comments (0) | E-mail this
Spitsbergen & the Arctic Evening - 'An Insider's Guide to Voyaging'
We are pleased to announce that on Tuesday 29 June we are launching our new range of inspiring weekly travel seminars at our offices in Surrey. Come and meet the experts on an “Insider’s guide to Spitsbergen voyaging”…
Enjoy an inspiring talk on Spitsbergen from one of our very own in-house specialists, Lorraine Silvester. Following the talk Lorraine will be available along with other members of our expert team to answer any questions you might have on the night.
Discover the best way to visit, when to go and find out the answers to all your practical questions on trips to Spitsbergen.
Date: Tuesday 29 June 2010
Time: 7 – 9pm (Listen to Lorraine speak at 7.30pm)
Address: Arctic House, Banstead, Surrey
Holidays to the Arctic >>
See Arctic Special Offers >>
A schedule of all our weekly seminars will be coming soon!
Posted on June 14, 2010 in Arctic , events , Travel , Wildlife | Permalink | Comments (0) | E-mail this
Billy Connolly's Arctic - now available in paperback!
Following his fascinating ITV series, Journey to the Edge of the World, Billy Connolly’s chronicle of his epic adventure is now available in paperback. Featuring anecdotes, revelations and historical contexts, told in Billy’s own inimitable style, the book is the ideal way to dip in and out of the Canadian Arctic’s icy landscapes during our summer heatwaves…
Also available in paperback is Gavin Francis’s ‘True North’, this time featuring Arctic Europe, detailing the author’s journey from Scotland to the Faroes, Iceland, Greenland and Svalbard. With a keen interest in historical and cultural context this is a story of centuries of discovery and adventure, very different in style to Billy Connolly but providing a fascinating overview of the Arctic's enduring appeal.
Journey to the Edge of the World by Billy Connolly is published by Headline and on sale now for £8.99.
True North by Gavin Francis is published by Polygon and on sale now for £10.99
Posted on June 1, 2010 in Arctic , Books , Television , Travel | Permalink | Comments (1) | E-mail this
Hot Air at the North Pole!
Whilst most of Europe recently came to a standstill following the eruption of Eyjafjallajokull, one man was still able to take to the skies despite that pesky ash cloud... French scientist Jean Louis Etienne has just completed the first solo hot air balloon flight over the Arctic, a crossing of 1,945 miles. 62-year old Etienne was set to land in Alaska, but bad weather near the North Pole forced him to change course and land in the tundra of eastern Siberia five days after taking off in Spitsbergen.
During his flight Etienne measured the level of CO2 in the atmosphere and the Earth's magnetic field. In 1986 the explorer became the first person to reach the North Pole alone, pulling a dog sled for 63 days, and in 2002 drifted for four months on the sea ice in the Polar Observer.
Whilst we are yet to offer hot-air balloon trips over the North Pole, you can get there in comfort on an epic ice-breaker voyage - book now for our July departure, limited spaces available!
Posted on April 29, 2010 in Arctic , Environment , Science , Ships , Travel | Permalink | Comments (0) | E-mail this
New Volcano Charter - Your Holiday is Protected
Here at Discover the World we are committed to providing you with the best possible service and understand that the recent air travel disruption may have highlighted some travel concerns. To offer you reassurance in your future travel plans we would like to advise you of our new clear and transparent travel policy.
New Volcano Customer Charter – Applicable to all our Destinations
This comes into effect in the event of any further ash cloud disruption where an airline does not provide this equivalent level of care and assistance.
Flight Cancellations
In the event that it is not possible for your outward flight(s) to operate within 24 hours of the scheduled departure time we will do our best to rearrange your holiday for a later date or if you prefer, receive a full refund of the holiday costs that you have paid to us (excluding any travel insurance premium).
If your scheduled return flight(s) are cancelled and it is necessary for you to remain in your destination and if the airline does not make these arrangements for you, then we will provide you with accommodation and meals until such time that we or the airline can make alternative travel arrangements. This may include returning you to an alternative UK airport via an alternative route, in order to repatriate you to your original UK departure airport.
Holiday Alterations / Rerouting
If you are on holiday and it becomes necessary to alter or reroute any of our holiday itineraries then we will make these arrangements for you at no additional cost.
To read our complete new Volcano Customer Charter and conditions please click here.
Please contact our specialist team if you require any further advice.
Posted on April 22, 2010 in Antarctica , Arctic , Travel | Permalink | Comments (0) | E-mail this
Icy Artworks!
If taking photos isn’t your thing, an original artwork is a great way to bring a bit of the ice home as a constant reminder of your trip of a lifetime – and makes a great talking point in your living room! There are a number of excellent artists out there who are experts in capturing the unique light of the ice and the quirks of the creatures that inhabit the harsh polar landscapes.
David McEown, for example, is a graduate of the Ontario College of Art and Design and is a director of the prestigious Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour. David has travelled to both the Arctic and Antarctica, teaching the basic techniques of watercolour painting and creating his own inspiring pictures – his blog is a great record of his adventures.
Talented American Linda Besse travels the globe painting wildlife as she goes, and I was lucky enough to travel with her to the Antarctic Peninsula and gain an insight into how she works. You can choose from the oil paintings of penguins that resulted from our voyage, or a range of Arctic paintings featuring life-like polar bears, caribou and moose. Another favourite of mine is Kiwi Grahame Sydney, who has created a vast collection of paintings of New Zealand’s South Island. In addition to this he has twice been a guest of Antarctica New Zealand, spending time at Scott Base where he found the freezing temperatures forced him to abandon his preferred mediums of pencil and watercolours in favour of photography. His aim was to retain his own unique style in a medium that is easily accessible by all, capturing a minimalist view of the frozen landscapes here.The resulting images are gathered in Sydney's book, 'White Silence'
“Art is experience distilled through the personality, and in the remarkable, sterile and subtle world of the Ice I found mirrored a great deal of myself." - Grahame Sydney
And if your budget won’t allow an original artwork then maybe these guys will inspire you to create a masterpiece of your own...?!
Posted on April 16, 2010 in Antarctica , Arctic , Photography , Travel , Wildlife | Permalink | Comments (0) | E-mail this
Capturing the Memory...
I have since invested in my own digital cameras and love the ability to be able to take endless experimental shots, most of which can be deleted at no expense and occasionally some of which are surprisingly successful! But the downside is – how to display these great images? Storing them online is all well and good, but you can’t beat flicking through an album. But it can get pricey to process so many images as prints...
So the answer? – well, the latest craze sweeping the DTW offices is the wonderful world of Photobox . This excellent website allows you to select your favourite photos and create your very own coffee-table style book. The end result looks incredibly professional, is a great alternative to more traditional albums and is just as cost-effective. You can choose from a variety of sizes and styles for your book, can add captions, select your page lay-outs and create your very own masterpiece. Photobooks make great gifts and great souvenirs, the ideal way to record your memories so that you can re-live your adventures time and again…
Posted on April 13, 2010 in Antarctica , Arctic , Books , Photography , Travel | Permalink | Comments (0) | E-mail this
