Keen observer visits Antarctica Terry Peters Contributing Writer @ Travels in a Thin Country by Sara Wheeler, Random House, 302 pages, $17.95. Chile is 2,600 miles long and at it’s widest, 110 miles across. A long, thin country. A county with the Pacific Ocean forming one boundary and the Andes mountains enclosing. it from the other side. A fand destined by it’s geography to isolation. Into this place of extremes went an Englishwoman travel- ing alone. Sara Wheeler's account of her journey from Chile’s mountainous north to it’s southernmost territory, 2 portion of Antarctica, is a fasci- nating story that goes far beyond being a travelogue. Wheeler writes with the warm familiarity of a friend who is describing her adven- tures. She provides the day to day details of her tip without ever getting dull and accompa- nies her insights with relevant historical data. Her extensive research into the country’s past help to support her observa- tions of it’s present. Through Wheeler's eyes we experience the incredible beau- ty of the countryside and the warmth of it’s people. An ongoing parade of characters stroll in and out of her journcy as she meets and befriends the locals at each portion of her trip. These encounters offer a dramatic look at the Chilean peoplé, from Umberto, the forestry service employee who manned the tiny refuge station on the shore of Lake Chungaro, to Josc, the head carabinere (peliceman) who showed her the beauty of Tierra det Fuego. When it was time for her to leave, Wheeler was “sick with misery”. Sitting 19 the airport she called up memories, “of the purple mists of Patagonia, the shadows of a flock af black-necked swans onan Andean mountain” and she knew that those memories — would comfort her “many times over the months and years which would be known as ‘after Chile’, so T wasn’t really leaving after all” @ Terra Incognita by Sara Wheeler, Random House, 341 pages, $17.95. Sara Wheeler first visited Antarctica as the southernmost portion of her travels in Chile. That visit was to have a pro- found effect. upon — her. “Standing on the edge of the ice field in a wind strong enough to lean on, squinting in the buttery light, it was as if I were secing the earth for the first ime. I felt less homeless than I have ever felt anywhere, and I knew immediately that I had to return.” It took two years to orga- nize her return and she was finally accepted as the first for- eigner on the American National Science Foundation’s Antarctic Artists’ and Writers’ Pro . Those two years were well spent with research on the history of the southernmost continent. Throughout her story are rich cletails of the early explorers, and their successes and failures. It is a place unlike anywhere else in the world and Wheeler does an excellent job at conveying the uniqueness of it’s frozen vastness. Upon arrival at Amundsen- Scott Station, at the South Pole, “I walked to the dome, north shore news and my heartbeat immediately quickened. My breathing, was shallow. The altitude at the South Pole, 2,850 metres or 9,300 feer, meant I was stand- ing on a layer of ice almost one third the height of Mount Everest.” For anyone who has won- dered about the Antarctic, Sara Wheeler provides a detailed and marvelously descriptive - journal of her wip. “Antarctica was my love affair, and in the south [ learned another way of looking at che world. What I want to do now is take you there.” TARVAREY Sunday, June 6, 1999 — North Shore News - 41 Plenty of time to explore From pane invaded. Almost all of the steamers were scuttled to prevent then from falling into enemy hands, and after the war the new regime took over fiver trans- port. It kept the black and red funnel of the [FC steamers but today there is nothing like the pre-war trafic and the Irrawaddy is as sleepy as the Nile. One vessel with the style of the IFC remains, Orient- Express’ Road to Mandalay, in fact a very fuxurious ex- Rhine riverboat which ties up 2 stone's throw from the ruins of the royal moat at Bayan. The Bagan to Mandalay cruise is a moving platform that allows the dreamer to stand on deck and watch river life, children playing at the water's edge, women carrying buckets of water on yokes and men transferring produce from bamboo rafts to ox carts. Up the hill horsecart drivers wave to tourists, and beyond the temples beckon. Being Orient-Express, the comfort, food and guiding is superb. Travellers are pampered from the airport at Bangkok, given rooms at a comfortable hotel at Yangon, and also visit around Mandalay. But there was plenty of time for exploring on one’s own, for going to a market for a longyi, the skirt-like garment worn by most men and good for visits to temples, one of which had a sign “no shorts or shameless dresses.” Outside the temple a cheerot-smoking woman soid me a pirated Penguin copy of George Orwell’s Burmese Days for $3, then I chatted to a 67- 118@. The Bay Travel jointly with the Hong Kong Tourist Association, year-old monk who had cho- sem a monastic life seven years avo. What did you do betore that? “I had a wife and four daughters,” And why become a monk: “For the peace.” For travellers, Road to Mandalay is the closest thing to nirvana, It is the highlight of a package that opens the door on Myanmar and is a place to Bali + Singapore... unpack for the few days, then ventare Out daily to return to aceol swimming pool and George Orwell's book. Canadian Airlines flies daily trom Vancouver to Heng Kong with same-plane service to Bangkok, where Orient Express packages orig: inate. For Orient-Express intor- mation call 800-524-2420. trom $1779 Package includes air, §3 nts hotel, tours & more! Australia Backpackers Special ...$999 Restrictions apply — call for details. Ambleside Office Phone: (604) 926-851! Edgemont Office Phone: (604) 986-2262 “LUXURY:CRUISING. ADVENTURE. RAVER PEANNING » SPEC Hse eA be feat family Vacation! Departing From Vancouver 2 Adults & 2 Children (Ages 2-11) 4 Night Package - June | to Aug. 28 z VACATIONS © Meridian Holidays and Princess Cruises would like to invite you to join us for an informative evening of fun and adventure...a taste of where Last meets West! 4 Night Package Includes: : » Return Airfare Vancouver/Los Angeles with Alaska Airlines 4 Nights at the Fairfield Inn by Marriott ©. " © Roundtrip airport transfers in Anaheim ~ : 63 Day Disneyland® Flex Pass... «Disneyland? Chardcter Breakfast SEARS = WE GIVE YOU THE WORLD” Capilano Mail 985-6194 Travel must be completed bewveen June 1-Aug, 28/99- inclusive. Children 12-18 years, additional charge. Surcharges apply for Saturday and Sunday departures. Prices and dates are available at printing deadlines. Price is based on iwo adults and two children 2-11 yrs. with children utilizing existing bedding. Prices are subject to availability and do nos include any surcharges or insurance unless otherwise stated. For specific inclusions, terms and conditions, please refer to Fun Sun's 1998/99 brochure available at Sears Travel Service. ©1999 Sears Canada Inc. d.b.a, Sears Travel Service. B.C. Reg. No.216-6 Join us for an open house and neighbourhood meeting regarding BC Ferries’ plans for the future, and the impact in the Horseshoe Bay area of the following proposals: Tuesday, June 15 6:30-8:30 pm The Bay - Downtown Vancouver 674 Granville St. Seymour Restaurant - 6th floor 1) Maintenance Facility Tickets: $8 per person 2) Administration Building and Parking 3) Traffic Study Thursday, June 10, 1999 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. (Presentations will be made at 7:00 p.m.) Highlights of the evening: Authentic Chinese Dinner - Exclusive Vacation departures including Hang Kong. Bali, Singapore and Maiaysia - “Escorted Tours, Cruises and Golf Holidays’ + Exclusive Vacation prices available for this evening only! When: ~ Where: Gleneagles Golf Course, . a" + Special evening events 6190 Marine Grive, West Vancouver pecta B event - Experts from the Hong Kong Tourist Association, Meridian Holidays. brincess Cruises and the Buy: evel For more information, concact: Deborah Dykes, BC Ferries 921-4283 or Corporation of the District of West Vancouver Planning Department 925-7055 + Prizes - Prizes - Prizes To Reserve Your Ticket Call the Bay Travel at 922-9683 or coll toll-free Le BC FERRIES 1-800-991-1919 TRAVEL