Beyond the Compass Part II

The Journey Begins

If Blog One was about preparation, Blog Two is about momentum.

Packing always sounds simple—until you’re packing for multiple climates, multiple continents, and a destination that sits at the very edge of the map. One day, I was reading about Buenos Aires temperatures in the 70s. The next, they were pushing past 100. At the same time, Antarctica loomed ahead—cold, wind-swept, and utterly unforgiving if you packed poorly.

Every choice mattered.

In the end, the solution wasn’t excess—it was strategy. A couple of pairs of hiking pants that could handle long days on deck or trails. Long-sleeved t-shirts for sun, wind, and layering. A few short-sleeved shirts for warmer days. Two base layers for Antarctica itself. The essentials—socks and undergarments—chosen carefully for comfort and quick drying.

I added two polos, one custom-made to commemorate the trip, and two more formal outfits for dinners and special events onboard. A couple of lightweight vests rounded out the layers, perfect for adapting on the fly. And because every great adventure deserves a little balance—yes, a swimsuit and swim shirt made the cut.

Shoes were their own puzzle. Hiking shoes for excursions. Dress shoes for evenings. And a special pair of “plane shoes”—the kind that feel like air and make long flights disappear just a little faster.

Somehow, it all fit.

Two carry-on-sized suitcases: one checked, one kept close. Everything I needed, nothing I didn’t. With that small victory secured, we headed to the airport on December 31, 2025.

There was something poetic about that departure date.

An 11-hour flight from Houston to Buenos Aires isn’t just a flight—it’s a threshold. Somewhere over the darkness, time itself shifted. We crossed the equator around midnight Houston time, quietly slipping from one hemisphere into another. And somewhere between takeoff and landing, the calendar flipped.

We left in 2025. We arrived in 2026.

It felt like more than a change of year—it felt like stepping into a new chapter. A journey measured not just in miles, but in moments that would soon become memories.

When we landed in Buenos Aires, the adventure officially moved from planning to presence. The research was done. The packing was complete. The compass had done its job.

Now it was time to explore.

Next up: Two Days in Buenos Aires—New Friends, Unexpected Connections, and the First Stories of the Journey.