Today, a Morgan Hill couple is sharing their icy adventures in Antarctica, polar plunge and all.

WISH YOU WERE HERE

ANTARCTICA: Morgan Hill residents Edward and Linda Gurtler took a two-week expedition to Antarctica last month, flying to Buenos Aires first and then Ushuaia, Argentina, where they boarded a cruise ship for the final crossing.

“Since it is now their summer months, this is the best — and really the only time — for tourists to go there,” Linda says. “We crossed the infamous Drake Passage for two days before arriving at the Great White Continent. The scenery was breathtaking and the mammals and birds amazing, especially when seen so close up while kayaking. I even braved the frigid waters of Antarctica and took a Polar Plunge!”

The water temperature, in case you wondered, was 2 degrees above freezing.

TRAVEL TIPS: “Our advice to anyone considering exploring this land is to make sure you bring some anti-nausea medication for the two days there and back across the Drake Passage, which is considered one of the most treacherous oceans in the world, with 20 to 30 foot waves not uncommon. We wore a Scopolamine patch (available by prescription) to help prevent any motion sickness. Wear sunscreen, since the sun and reflection of the snow and water is quite strong!”

Join in the fun! Send a photo of yourself on your latest adventures — local, domestic or international — to jburrell@bayareanewsgroup.com. Tell us where you are, who everyone is and where they’re from, and share a travel tip or two to help fellow readers go there, too.

Today, a Campbell couple is regaling us with stories from their recent trip to Spain and Portugal.

SPAIN & PORTUGAL: Campbell residents Brent and Paulette Wilkinson travels last month to Europe’s Iberian Peninsula included a stop in Seville, Spain to see the Plaza de Espana (pictured). “It was built in 1928 for the Ibero-American Exposition,” Paulette says. “It was also used in a scene in ‘Star Wars: The Attack of the Clones.’” Another trip highlight was Sagres in Portugal, which has “a similar vibe to Santa Cruz, with surfers and vegetarian-friendly restaurants.” It’s also home to the famous Sagres Fortress, “built in the 15th century when the Portuguese coast was often the target of raids from the Barbary pirates who came from the nearby North African shores.”

TRAVEL TIPS: “While in Seville, be sure to try churros con chocolate. They are typically eaten at breakfast time, so you have to get them early in the day.”

Join in the fun! Send a photo of yourself on your latest adventures — local, domestic or international — to jburrell@bayareanewsgroup.com. Tell us where you are, who everyone is and where they’re from, and share a travel tip or two to help fellow readers go there, too.

Today, we’re headed to the City of Light, where one Novato reader discovered the delights of the 12th arrondissement — for free. Well, for the cost of an eclair, anyway.

Wish You Were Here

TRAVEL TIP: “I had found out about the Paris Greeters, part of the International Greeter Association, a volunteer organization available in many major cities, where a local shows you around their neighborhood … for free!” James says. “The lady who showed me around the 12th arrondissement, where she lives, directed me to her favorite patisserie — see me pictured with a chocolate eclair! She also showed me how many boulangeries have a sign painted on their window boasting they won a ‘best baguette’ distinction in a distinguished competition. I hope to check out the ‘Greeters’ in other cities I travel to!”

Join the fun! Send a photo of yourself on your latest adventures — local, domestic or international — to jburrell@bayareanewsgroup.com. Tell us where you are, who everyone is and where they’re from, and share a travel tip or two to help fellow readers do that awesome thing, too.

Today, we’re headed to Baja to explore a protected lagoon.

BAJA CALIFORNIA: Walnut Creek residents Mark and Faith Martinez and a group of friends — George Conlan, Rossana Riggs and Sue Zepeda, pictured — recently went whale watching in Scammon’s Lagoon near Guerrero Negro. “One of the most unforgettable and beautiful experiences that we have ever had in our life,” says Faith, who was snapping photos all the while. “These gentle creatures seem to get just as much enjoyment seeing us as we do seeing them. They all seem to have a personality. We camped out at the lagoon, (where) you can see them spouting and spy hopping most of the day. They birth and mate in the lagoon and return with their calves.”

TRAVEL TIPS: “You can only go out in a government-authorized small panga — a 22-foot open boat — as it is a protected lagoon to protect these beautiful creatures. Best time is late January through mid-March.  Wear warm clothes, as it can get a bit windy, and the whales do sometimes blow near you. We discovered this experience through a local nonprofit travel club, Vagabundos del Mar in Rio Vista. You can check them out at www.vagabundosdelmar.com.”

Join the fun! Send a photo of yourself on your latest adventures — local, domestic or international — to jburrell@bayareanewsgroup.com. Tell us where you are, who everyone is and where they’re from, and share a travel tip or two to help fellow readers do that awesome thing, too.

Today, we’re headed to Mexico’s sunny coastline with a family of five beach lovers.

MEXICO: San Benito County residents Sandy and Salvador Medina have taken their family, including kids Ethan, Amaya and Alyanna, to beachy Huatulco for their last three vacations. “We enjoy going in February, while our children are on their school break,” Sandy says. “We travel with several other families who have children around the same age as ours. Huatulco is a great place because it is safe and beautiful. We spend hours enjoying the warm sun and clear blue waters. Snorkeling is one of my favorite activities, and I do not have to go in very deep to see beautiful sea life.”

Travel tips: “Take plenty of sun screen. The days are so warm and nice, which allow a person to spend hours at the beach. In the evenings, the mosquitos come out so you need to remember to bring plenty of mosquito repellent.It is humid, so drink plenty of water. There are plenty of shady areas and restaurants on the sides of the beach.”

Join the fun! Send a photo of yourself on your latest adventures — local, domestic or international — to jburrell@bayareanewsgroup.com. Tell us where you are, who everyone is and where they’re from, and share a travel tip or two to help fellow readers do that awesome thing, too.

Today, we’re headed to the Big Apple with a Pleasanton couple who found travel advice in an unexpected place.

NEW YORK: Pleasanton residents Kathy and Allan Redmond took a tour of New York City in early October, when the weather was a balmy 75 to 80 degrees. “One of the highlights was seeing the Statue of Liberty up close!” Allan says. “Other highlights: seeing two Broadway plays, 9-11 Memorial and Museum, Ellis Island Immigration Museum and beautiful Central Park.”

Travel tips: “The tour was organized through the Pleasanton Senior Center VIP travel desk,” Allan says.

Join the fun! Send a photo of yourself on your latest adventures — local, domestic or international — to jburrell@bayareanewsgroup.com. Tell us where you are, who everyone is and where they’re from, and share a travel tip or two to help fellow readers do that awesome thing, too.

Today, we’re headed to the Amazon and the Ecuadorian rainforest with an intrepid San Jose reader.

ECUADOR: Last year, San Jose resident Polly Ferguson was part of the first all-female group to visit Sharamentsa, venturing deep into the Ecuadorian rainforest, she says, “to meet with women of the Achaur nation who had started a midwifery, birth control and child and maternal health program for women of their community … I took two commercial flights, followed by a 2-hour taxi ride, an 8-hour bus ride, a 2-hour small aircraft flight and a 3-hour motorized canoe ride to arrive at the headwaters of the Amazon.

“We hiked, canoed, rafted, toured the rainforest and the Amazon, even swam with pink dolphins and immersed ourselves in some of the Achuar culture. We had our dreams interpreted in an early morning wayusa ceremony. We toured the women’s Chakras (gardens), learning about their crops and how they make chicha, the fermented drink, out of yucca. We showered under waterfalls, ate fish freshly caught from the Amazon every night and slept on thin, mosquito-netted mattresses in wall-less rooms. It wasn’t an easy trip, but I loved every minute of it. I don’t want to see any more cathedrals. I want to meet people who live different lives than I do.”

TRAVEL TIPS: A trip like this is “life changing,” she says. “But before you go, be sure this is the right thing for you and for those you’ll visit. Have an open mind: Be accepting of, curious about and nonjudgmental of other cultures. Be prepared for everything to go wrong. Understand there might be some discomfort at every turn and probably nothing much to be done about it. If the organizer says to pack a ‘light weight, full length, hooded, waterproof rain poncho,’ don’t for one minute think a fold-up umbrella will suffice.”

Join the fun! Send a photo of yourself on your latest adventures — local, domestic or international — to jburrell@bayareanewsgroup.com. Tell us where you are, who everyone is and where they’re from, and share a travel tip or two to help fellow readers do that awesome thing, too.

Today, we’re headed to Old Montreal with a San Jose couple for a tour of the city’s landmarks.

CANADA: San Jose residents Ken Kelly and Linda LeZotte visited Quebec City and Montreal in September, visiting Le Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City and Old Montreal, the Notre Dame Basilica and the Pointe-a-Calliere, the Montreal Archeology and History Complex in Montreal.

“Old Montreal was vibrant,” LeZotte says. “At night, enjoy Cite Memoire, a visual history projected on buildings, trees and streets. A local recommended Jardin Nelson (pictured) for lunch on Place Jacques-Cartier near the Port. A great street to meander; the atmosphere and food were memorable. Don’t miss a ride on the gigantic Ferris wheel at the old Port.”

Join the fun! Send a photo of yourself on your latest adventures — local, domestic or international — to jburrell@bayareanewsgroup.com. Tell us where you are, who everyone is and where they’re from, and share a travel tip or two to help fellow readers do that awesome thing, too.

Today, we’re headed to Vienna for a tour of the city’s cultural treasures.

AUSTRIA: Concord’s Young family — Jimmy, Jim and Jane, behind the camera — are recently back from Vienna, where they enjoyed the historical and cultural sites along the Ringstrasse. “One of the grandest and most beautiful sites was the Kunsthistoriches Museum (pictured), a palatial fine arts museum crowned by an octagonal dome,” Jane says. “In addition to the paintings, sculptures and artifacts, there was an exhibit of Around the World in 80 Coins. The museum provides a pictorial brochure with a self-guided walking tour of highlights that makes viewing an easy, satisfying and rewarding pleasure.”

Join the fun! Send a photo of yourself on your latest adventures — local, domestic or international — to jburrell@bayareanewsgroup.com. Tell us where you are, who everyone is and where they’re from, and share a travel tip or two to help fellow readers do that awesome thing, too.

Today, we’re headed out to sea for a cruising adventure.

NORTHERN IRELAND: A recent cruise took San Jose residents Janis and Gary Gerlinger to England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales and ended with a four-night stay in Iceland. Among the trip highlights: Iceland’s Blue Lagoon and Northern Ireland’s dramatic Giant’s Causeway, pictured. “It was a fabulous trip,” Janis says. “We booked with Viking Ocean Cruises, and I would highly recommend them: only 935 passengers, all rooms have balconies, no casino, no sales pitches, very organized. You pay more, but you get more for your money. Very relaxing!”

Travel tip: “Upgrading  your room allows you to sign up for specialty restaurants and shore excursions sooner.”

Join the fun! Send a photo of yourself on your latest adventures — local, domestic or international — to jburrell@bayareanewsgroup.com. Tell us where you are, who everyone is and where they’re from, and share a travel tip or two to help fellow readers do that awesome thing, too.