Airlines announce that starting Jan. 1, 2012 - all internal Ecuadorian flights - including those to the Galapagos - will have a fuel surcharge

UPDATE Jan 9, 2012 – For both Aerogal and TAME flights, fuel surcharges can now be paid in advance to our offices. There will no longer be any payments made locally at the airport. Please see additional details in comments section below.

All flights starting on January 1, 2012 to the Galapagos, will be subject to a fuel surcharge. It does not matter when the flights were booked, and applies to flights departing/arriving from both Quito and Guayaquil to/from the Galapagos. Travelers should expect the fuel surcharge to be roughly $70 for each leg; a round-trip ticket will see an increase of $140.

Depending on the airline and departure city, here is the costs for fuel surcharges for flights to/from the Galapagos for flights on or after Jan. 1, 2012:

Aerogal
$50 USD per way in flights to/from Quito – Galapagos
$50 USD per way in flights to/from Guayaquil – Galapagos

TAME
$70 USD per way in flights to/from Quito – Galpaagos
$60 per way in flights to/from Guayaquil – Galapagos

Why the increase?
In the past, the Ecuadorian government supplied a 40% fuel subsidy for internal flights. Officially announced earlier this week, the government is no longer offering this subsidy to the airlines, which means, in order to cover costs, there will be an increase in costs for all domestic Ecuadorian flights, this, of course, includes those to the Galapagos Islands.

There is still some mystery to exactly what travelers can expect to pay for which airline and whether or not this surcharge needs to be paid locally or in advance. We’re on top of things, and are eagerly waiting details from the airlines.

I understand that this is surprising and frustrating – believe me, we, and operators throughout the industry, share your sentiments. I will share updates as soon as they are available. In the meantime, please contact us if you have any questions on how this will affect your Ecuador or Galapagos travels.

Good travels and good cheer, from Adventure Life travelers, the Costas

We had the good fortune to dance quite a lot
Waltzes and cha chas, and of course, the foxtrot
The chamarita in Gridley’s Portuguese hall
When we danced in Peru, twas the most fun of all

For the Art Deco Ball, Joe donned white tie and tails
At the Gatsby picnic, his seersucker prevailed
Sandra dressed as a wench for the Renaissance Faire
To Dickens a silk gown and a bonnet she’ll wear

We traveled a bit, as we both love to do
A quick trip to Boston where they serve lobster stew
On his fly fishing trip Joey stayed in Dunsmuir
He caught lots of fish with a new partner this year

Our bestest trip ever, our trip to Peru
An amazing adventure to Machu Picchu
A few days in Lima, bumped into Mick Jagger
We hiked in the Andes which made our legs stagger

We ate the ceviche, and guinea pig too
A few pisco sours, goodnight and whoo hoo
Arequipa, a city of charm so delightful
The poverty there, overwhelmingly frightful

Saw condors, guanaco, alpaca and llama
Were guests of a family on Lake Titicaca
An Andean train ride which began in Puno
We gawked at the scenery all the way to Cusco

For four days we trekked on the high Inca Trail
A 14,000 foot pass our poor lungs did assail
With porters to carry all of our belongings
And Vidal there to guide us, we thought we were kings

Climbed on stone stairways which made our knees ache
Inca temples of stonework, their meanings opaque
Butterflies, lichen, and orchids in blossom
Our escapades there were amazingly awesome

Finally, this year, to hold Joe’s book collection
We built a library with shelves of perfection
The other thing perfect, is dear Joey’s health
Ten years without cancer, now how’s that for wealth?!

May your stockings be filled with good health and good cheer
And may happiness find you throughout the whole year

The Kapitan Klebnikov in Antarctica - photo by Laurie Allread

Our plans for visiting McMurdo and Ross Stations, Scott’s Discovery hut at Cape Evans and hiking Observation Hill were delayed by the weather. Here in Antarctica, “weather is our master”, our expedition leader, Shane Envoy, has reminded us many times. Whiteout conditions and 40 knot winds lasted throughout the day with temperature of 30 degrees below zero when considering the wind chill factor. During the afternoon, the whiteout lifted but the winds continued to blow. Nevertheless some of the passengers ventured out to view the partial solar eclipse. The solar eclipse was only visible from Antarctica and Southern New Zealand. What a surprise. This rare event was not even on the itinerary!

(This is Laurie’s fourth visit to Antarctica. She is blogging her way through this epic month-long Antarctica cruise; the Kapitan Khlebnikov’s Ross Sea Centennial Voyage. Tune in for daily updates from the field. Pictures from Laurie’s past Antarctica travels are found on her website.)

Antarctica - Photo by Laurie Allread

During the early morning the captain moved the ship south toward Cape Evans on Ross Island. The ship was at its furthest point south on this expedition. Temperature was minus 4 degree C, with wind making it a bit chilly, but the sky was mostly blue. It was a perfect day for our flight to Cape Evans to visit Robert Falcon Scott’s hut until whiteout conditions appeared during the afternoon. The flights were started and stopped numerous times, but eventually all passengers were able to visit the Terra Nova hut on Ross Island.

Robert Falcon Scott’s Discovery expedition stayed in the Terra Nova hut on Ross Island during 1911-1912. From this hut Scott and four members of his expedition team began their journey to the South Pole on November 1, 1911. They reached the South Pole on January 17, 1912 just one month after Roald Amundsen had already claimed the South Pole. None of the members of Scott’s Polar party survived the expedition.

Yet, the hut and its artifacts have been so well maintained by the New Zealand Heritage Trust, it is as if Scott’s expedition team is still living there. At any moment Scott and his men could have walked through the door with snow covered boots. As I entered the stable I imagined explorers Cherry Garrard, Bowers and Wilson talking about their journey to Cape Crozier. To think that I stood in the very spot with likely the same weather conditions where Scott’s team embarked on their incredible journey 100 years ago.

(This is Laurie’s fourth visit to Antarctica. She is blogging her way through this epic month-long Antarctica cruise; the Kapitan Khlebnikov’s Ross Sea Centennial Voyage. Tune in for daily updates from the field. Pictures from Laurie’s past Antarctica travels are found on her website.)

Emperor Penguin - Photo by Laurie Allread

Last evening, we headed toward an area further close to Taylor Valley in the McMurdo Dry Valleys in hope to make a helicopter operation. About 2am the Kapitan Khlebnikov’s engines were shut down as the captain could not get the ship closer to the valley due to the thick ice. The goal was to park as close to Taylor Valley as possible to make the helicopter ride shorter to the valley.

Visibility was poor so the departure time of 8 am was delayed until the skies cleared until about 3 pm. It is quite an operation to get 100 people off the ship for a 60 minute excursion. The McMurdo Dry Valleys are the largest ice-free region in Antarctica. Parts of the Dry Valleys have not seen rain for over 2 million years. It one of the world’s largest desert with a approximate mean annual temperature of -19C. During our excursion we will land to walk around on a designated area and view the mummified seals that are over 1,500 years old.

During our waiting time, we’ve been off the ship walking around on the pack ice and watching penguins jump and in out of the water near the ship. The Emperors walk among us and gaze up at the ship with curiosity. They seem to be quite entertained by our presence.

Anyway my group is scheduled to fly to the Dry Valley about 11 pm tonight so it will be another late night in the midnight sun!

(This is Laurie’s fourth visit to Antarctica. She is blogging her way through this epic month-long Antarctica cruise; the Kapitan Khlebnikov’s Ross Sea Centennial Voyage. Tune in for daily updates from the field. Pictures from Laurie’s past Antarctica travels are found on her website.)

Emperor Penguin - photo by Laurie Allread

Again we were reminded of the old Russian saying “the best way though ice is around ice.” The day was spent weaving in and out of ice through the patches of sea ice. Cape Washington was no longer in reach due to the ice conditions but we did make it to a wonderful emperor penguin rookery on Franklin Island. The lighting was beautiful on the huge tabular iceberg that made the perfect backdrop for any Antarctica postcard with the stars being the Emperor Penguins.

(This is Laurie’s fourth visit to Antarctica. She is blogging her way through this epic month-long Antarctica cruise; the Kapitan Khlebnikov’s Ross Sea Centennial Voyage. Tune in for daily updates from the field. Pictures from Laurie’s past Antarctica travels are found on her website.)

115 miles from the Antarctic Peninsula - photo by Laurie Allread

We spent the day heading toward Cape Washington or Coulman Island to visit emperor Penguins. The currents and wind changes throughout the day causing the ice to change directions. The sky is overcast and colder than the previous day. We spent the day watching the penguins scurry from the ship as it powered through the ice.

After lunch we took helicopter rides for landscape viewing and to view the ship crushing through the ice. It is not possible appreciate the power of the ice breaker until watching it’s power from the co-pilots’s seat where I was luck enough to sit!

Later, the sun appeared brighter than ever. The lectures were postponed and everyone gathered outside to view the Antarctica Peninsula from 115 miles away!

At 11 pm, sunglasses were still required due to the sun’s intensity. 360 degrees of ice, blue sky and patches of blue sea were all I can see. This is the bottom of the earth, is all I could think. I stopped taking pictures to look, to take it all in and to be in the moment. I hope that the camera in my mind never loses this image as no wide angle lens could possibly capture the vastness and awe of this place.

(This is Laurie’s fourth visit to Antarctica. She is blogging her way through this epic month-long Antarctica trip; the Kapitan Khlebnikov’s Ross Sea Centennial Voyage. Tune in for daily updates from the field. Pictures from Laurie’s past Antarctica travels are found on her website.)

The Kapitan Klebnikov breaks through the ice pack...

Yesterday we entered the pack ice about 8pm. The light was incredible as we photographed the snow petrels and Antarctic Terns fly among the pancake ice. The view from the fly bridge was surreal. Several times I had to stop taking photographs just to admire ice and the sunset. No image, no matter the number of pixels can do this place justice.

We just crossed the Antarctic Circle. Few people ever get this far south and we are heading even further south. The sun is shining with temperature about 30F. We are sailing through open sea surrounded by ice floes and tabular icebergs. We run from port to the starboard side and back again trying to get capture that perfect image of every unique iceberg.

Nov 17 – afternoon
A lot is going on today. The Captain is trying to get us through the ice. The staff moved the zodiacs inside so that the helicopters can be moved out of storage. The Russian crew is now putting together the two helicopters on the deck where they will remain while we are in the ice. The helicopters may be ready for landscape and wildlife viewing tomorrow.

This afternoon we will have a mandatory helicopter operations briefing regarding our conduct around, entering and exiting the helicopters. Viewing the landscape and wildlife by helicopter makes this ship, the Kaptain Klebnikov, so special. This is one of the few ships that carry helicopters. If not for the helicopters it would not be possible to get into the Emperor Penguin rookeries. My dream is to fly to the top and land on the Ross Sea Shelf and to fly over the Dry Valley. Both excursions are on the itinerary, of course, weather permitting.

Today, we are again required to vacuum our outer gear so that we do not carry any pathogens from previously visited islands to Antarctica. The staff also requires attendance to a lecture regarding visitor guidelines by IAATO ( International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators). IAATO is a component of the Antarctica Treaty. Our expeditions leaders always make great effort to ensure our personal safety and to protect the environment.

The rest of the day will be spent looking for wildlife from the bridge and watching the ever changing reflections on the ice while the Kaptain Klebnikov moves further south toward the continent.

(This is Laurie’s fourth visit to Antarctica. She is blogging her way through this epic month-long Antarctica trip; the Kapitan Khlebnikov’s Ross Sea Centennial Voyage. Tune in for daily updates from the field. Pictures from Laurie’s past Antarctica travels are found on her website.)

Antarctica travel photo by Laurie Allread

November 15th 7pm
Lectures about albatrosses and geology kept most of the travelers busy all day. While others conversed with the staff, edited images and wrote in their journals. By dinner we were in the shrieking sixties, an area that known for having some of the roughest waves and highest winds in the world. Instead, the water continued to calms us with its gentle rolls. The best announcement of the day is that the icepack is a mere 417 miles away!!

(This is Laurie’s fourth visit to Antarctica. She is blogging her way through this epic month-long Antarctica trip; the Kapitan Khlebnikov’s Ross Sea Centennial Voyage. Tune in for daily updates from the field. Pictures from Laurie’s past Antarctica travels are found on her website.)

Adventure Life Rock Stars soccer team photo

We checked in with two of our fearless leaders, Jonathan Brunger and Julia Kocubinski. At times, they had to put aside their Adventure Lifer camaraderie and battle it out on the field as their teams fought for standing in the Missoula Park and Rec Summer Soccer League.

Julia's Adventure Life soccer team

The Adventure Life Rock Stars, Jonathan’s team, have been around too long to remember, at least ten years. Many Adventure Life staff members (past and present), their partners, and friends have worn the Rock Stars jerseys over the years. Twice in the last six years their team has won the co-rec city championship and several times they have been runners-up as well. (Although there were claims that it may have been the referees’ fault they didn’t win those years.)

This year was a fun season for the Rock Stars despite not being as successful as past years. Even though the average age of players has increased by a decade since the team was formed and they are still pulling out plays and making goals. The number of spouses and kids cheering them on from the sidelines has increased as well. They’ve discovered that their kids (the next generation of “Rock Stars”) happen to be their team’s biggest critics as well. “Why didn’t you score?” “Why is your knee hurting?” Just trying to keep Mom and Dad in line and striving for perfection!

Julia and Jonathan battle it out for the championship trophy

Congratulations to both teams on a successful season. Adventure Life has been proud to sponsor you!