To visit the South Pole, head to the 'End Of The World' first

An adult penguin looking after its chicks at Jougla Point in Antarctica. — Polar Latitudes

Just the thought of eventually seeing it sent a tingle down my spine. The point was not lost on me that I was about to see one of the most pristine parts of our planet, a view most absorb only through National Geographic and Animal Planet documentaries, and their ilk.

It took almost two years to plan my trip to Antarctica as unlike other places, it’s not quite a hop, skip and a jump away. And neither is it about getting on a plane and flying straight to the White Continent.