Who’s for an Antarctic trip?
 

Tony Thomas and a Bearbrass Probus pal Mike Sparkes are taking the New Year’s Eve 14-hour sight-seeing flight from Tulla to Antarctica. We’d like RCM company so are any members interested?
The flights (there are seven from Nov-Feb) are OK lockdown-wise and you don’t even need a passport. They’re on B787 Dreamliners which have the big windows, and you’re shifted around seats to share the views (220 passenger-capacity). You can also wander around and peer through unused windows.
The plane flies much lower than normal to get the views (but not too low…) and keeps its flight plan  flexible to stay in clear weather on the continent (which is bigger than Australia).
 
The flight leaves at 5pm, flies through the night to Antarctica, stooges around mid-summer there, and gets back to Tulla at 7am.
Mike is in a $6500 business class seat but can wander down to Economy at will, if that’s where I am. Economy seats start at $1200 (don’t bother, try $2200) and go up to $4000.
Mike says, “I’ve always wanted to see the real Great Southern Land. I tried to join a summer expedition immediately after finishing uni but they only wanted experienced scientists or builders, drivers and tradies. No room for freshman engineers.
“Twenty years later, a friend joined a small group on a chartered sailing boat from Tierra del Fuego but I was too late to get a bed.This flight will shorten my bucket list by one.”
There’s a bit about the flights on P2 of the Weekend Australian travel supplement on Saturday 21/8/20. The tour’s website is antarcticaflights.com.au. It looks like there’s plenty of seats left if you’re quick.
 is from last year involving a Jumbo 747 rather than a Dreamliner.
We are making no assertions about the coming trips, do your own checking, investigate insurance cover, and don’t blame us if it all goes pear-shaped.  #