Lisa G Saw • March 5, 2023

Alpine Stream

I couldn’t ask for a better day – a cloudless azure sky, only a slight cool breeze caressing my skin and the sun shining down on this beautiful white wintery scene high up in the French Alps. I can feel the warmth of the sun on my face. The fresh mountain air fills my lungs and I smile. It’s so good to be here again.

 

The lake behind me is frozen and hidden beneath the snow that covers the whole valley floor. In contrast, the green fir trees stand out on the slopes around me, uncovered by the white stuff. Evidently, it hasn’t snowed a great deal recently and the sun has melted much of it away.

 

I’m sitting on a rock beside a stream and I can see the sun glistening on the water like diamonds sparkling brilliantly. The sound of the water is so relaxing as it gently moves down stream. I feel the calm wash over me, that lovely familiar feeling as I let all thoughts drift away and I remain fully present in the moment. Small clusters of foam bubbles swirl and dance on the surface as they navigate past a rock that lies in their way. Just to the left, below the surface, reddish coloured roots of something growing in the stream protrude outwards, gently moving slightly as the flow of water glides by. Beside me, the snow has melted from the riverside slightly, exposing flattened brown grass, revealing a fragment of the world that lies beneath the snow.

On the other side of the stream the snow meets the water and I notice a thin shelf of ice seemingly hovering over the edge, not quite dipping into the water. Young bare trees poke out of their temporary white blanket. I spot animal footprints trailing across the snow. My eyes follow their path up the mountain until they disappear.

 

I’m sitting quietly, sipping hot chocolate, so content I don’t want to leave. I let the seconds and minutes pass by in stillness, feeling relaxed and happy. I barely notice any of the other people walking around, also taking in the tranquil scene. There aren’t many. There’s so much space here.


Reluctantly, I leave, grateful for the opportunity to appreciate the beauty around me and to relax for a short while, breathing it all in.

By Lisa G Saw April 24, 2025
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By Lisa G Saw April 21, 2025
PENGUIN ISLAND We woke up to find it snowing heavily for the first time on our journey so far and I was thrilled. I love the snow! It seemed so fitting to be seeing the penguins in these cold conditions. We managed to get ashore in one of the first few zodiacs and stayed virtually until the last one, so we made the most of our landing and really enjoyed ourselves observing the penguins on the island and other wildlife. Sadly, there weren't any Adélie Penguin colonies to be found, but we saw a few Gentoo Penguins walking around.
By Lisa G Saw April 18, 2025
ONCE MORE AT SEA Leaving South Georgia behind us, we ventured further south towards the frozen continent of Antarctica. It took us three days. Since we were the first voyage of the season, we had no idea what lay ahead. Would we see any Adélie Penguins? How much of the ice would have retreated? Would we actually be able to walk on the Antarctic Peninsula, which was where we were ultimately heading? Everything had been so good already, I didn't have high expectations. I was just open to whatever we would experience and enjoying it all. Over the course of the three days we were at sea, we weren't able to be out on deck that often as the conditions weren't great. I certainly didn't take many photos. On our first day, though, I was pleased to take a few nice ones of a Blue Petrel flying close to the ship.
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