Antarctica

Antarctica wasn’t part of my journey to every country because, technically, it’s a continent rather than a country. That said, it had always been one of the places I dreamed of visiting. For years, though, it felt financially out of reach. Even the most basic expeditions cost around $10,000.

The opportunity finally came about in an unexpected way. After finishing my journey to every country, I spent some time arranging brand partnerships for my close friend, travel YouTuber Harry Jaggard. I knew Harry wanted to visit Antarctica too, so I made him a deal: if I could arrange a collaboration with an expedition company for one of his videos, he’d let me come along as his guest. He happily agreed, and after securing a partnership with one of the region’s top expedition companies, we flew to Ushuaia, Argentina, known as the southernmost city in the world, before boarding our ship.

Getting to Antarctica was an adventure in itself. The Drake Passage is notorious for some of the roughest seas on Earth, and the conditions were so severe that our captain delayed the crossing, turning what normally takes two days into nearly three. Our first landing was Deception Island, the flooded crater of an active volcano. Walking across its black volcanic beaches, surrounded by glaciers and abandoned research stations, felt like stepping onto another planet.

Over the following days, Antarctica somehow became even more spectacular. We kayaked through icy waters surrounded by towering glaciers and floating icebergs, watched whales surface just meters from our kayak, and encountered massive penguin colonies, seals resting on drifting ice, and snow-covered mountains stretching endlessly into the distance. Growing up in San Diego and later living in Miami, I’d spent very little time around snow, so experiencing snowfall in Antarctica felt magical. Despite always joking that I hated the cold, I even challenged myself to complete the polar plunge, diving into the freezing Antarctic water before hurrying back onto the ship.

The most meaningful experience, however, came on our final night. Harry and I chose to camp on the Antarctic ice. Growing up with OCD, camping had always felt impossible. The lack of control over my surroundings and my fear of germs created far too much anxiety for me to even consider it. But now, after all the fears I’d overcome around the world, this felt like the perfect time to try it. As the sun dipped towards the horizon, everyone else gathered to watch the sunset. Instead, I turned the other way. Standing alone, I looked out at a snow-covered mountain glowing shades of pink, put on my headphones, and listened to classical music. It felt as though time had completely stopped.

That night, I slept on the Antarctic snow, surrounded by nothing but mountains, glaciers, and the sounds of nature. Antarctica has a way of making you feel incredibly small. Long before humans ever set foot there, this frozen wilderness existed. Long after we’re gone, it almost certainly still will. Being there, I was reminded that the more of the world we see, the more we realize how much bigger it is than ourselves.