Venturing to Antarctica was a big deal for me. Here’s why ...
I grew up in Portland, Oregon. My mom and dad were always packing us up in the Dodge van for road trips. I can't count how many miles my family and I drove, chasing new horizons and concluding each night in a cheap hotel with a pool. How many hours did we spend in pools or lakes as kids?!
Since childhood, getting out there and exploring has been a part of my natural everyday life. I did the states when I was a kid and took to the skies when I hit my 20s. I lived abroad multiple times. I sought the education of different cultures, religions, politics, and recipes. Exploring has been my thing.
Several years ago, a friend and I spoke of the last continent. We had to get there. We had to give it our all and do whatever it took to get to that icy, isolated continent at the bottom of the earth.
Did you know Antarctica wasn't even discovered until 1820? That's less than 200 years ago. The renowned Captain James Cook went searching in the 1770s and couldn't find it. Twice he looked, twice he failed!
So this same girl and I, as well as a few other brave souls, did it. We crossed the tempestuous Drake Passage and on the morning of March 21, 2018, I woke up to maybe the most memorable sunrise I've ever had. The Antarctic landscape was vast, the skies were clear, the sun was rising over glacial valleys and jagged peaks in the eastern sky. The temperature was cool, but not unbearable. I was there! We saw 200 humpback whales that day.
Later on during the trip, we took a small zodiac to a glacial bay and came within reaching distance of turquoise blue icebergs. I am not going to lie ... those 4-Season Give'r Gloves were the best for that trip. It was cold, it was icy and it was wet on the zodiac, but my fingers were nice and toasty and, most importantly, dry!
So here's the thing about Give'r – I've thought about this awhile because I take some Give’r on every one of my trips – it has this rad philosophy, in addition to fun, practical things to wear. Give it your all, go for it.
I could not pick a better pair of gloves, some very necessary polarized sunglasses and a super soft, warm Silkweight All Sport shirt to accompany me on this momentous trip. Seriously! It took years of major planning, a lot of hard earned wages and perpetual daydreaming to make Antarctica a reality.
I am stoked I went there with the right gear because I did not want to stress about what I was wearing. I wanted to take in the sights, the sounds, the actual feeling of the bottom of the earth, and all I wanted was to be present.
It was a remarkable journey and one that I'll never forget. Thanks so much to Give'r for making getting dressed effortless, and not to mention, wicked stylish, so I could get out there and just BE on the last continent.
This article was written by Anjelica Singer, Give’r Ambassador and Photographer.
