Ice vistas galore – booked through the absolutely brilliant Ambercrombie + Kent and operated by Polar Latitudes

Antarctica. The only place left on the planet reserved, under an international treaty, for science and exploration only. A utopia of sorts.

And, after 28 years of travel, hands down the location of my all-time favourite trip ever.

I went expecting to be the only person under 40 – a situation my travel agency had prepared me for – and so I packed plenty of books, a stockpile of patience, and boarded the ship eagerly anticipating some solo time with the icebergs.

Utopia

Little did I know that by some strange stroke of luck, I would share my 10-day voyage almost surgically attached to a gaggle of four fellow lone travellers, all American males, all in their 20s, for almost every waking hour.

The combination of these humans, plus the hugely entertaining expedition crew…