Nipoti

Hello Nico and Maia!

Welcome to my travel blog specially made for the two of you! Read through (with mom and dad) and ask questions! I’m sure you’ll have plenty.

Hope you enjoy!

Love, Zio Sandro

(Dated: 12/27/2018)

Zio is back home, but what did he see on his trip?

Zio saw a bunch of really cool animals! He got to see whales, penguins, and seals all in their natural habitat. It’s pretty amazing to see them just sitting out there in the cold. No need to worry though – each one of them has their own way of staying warm.

There’s a lot of wildlife in Antarctica. More than you would expect for a place so cold. Here are some pictures of the more popular animals that you’ve probably seen on TV or read about in your books at school. Click on the pictures to get a close-up.

Humpback Whales

How do you tell them apart?
The undersides of the humpback whale’s large flukes (tail fins) have distinctive white markings. Individual whales can be identified by these markings.

Penguins

While there are 17 species of penguin overall, the Antarctic continent is home to only four breeding species. The chinstrap, Adélie, emperor and gentoo. Zio only got to see three of the four on his trip. Here are some photos of penguins in action!

Chinstrap

Chinstrap penguins are named from the thin line of black feathers underneath the chin. The chicks (or baby penguins) stay in the nest until they are about a month old and are fed by both their mom and dad.

Gentoo

The gentoo penguin is easily recognized by the wide white stripe extending like a bonnet across the top of its head and its bright orange-red bill.

Adélie

The Adélie penguin is a species of penguin common along the entire coast of the Antarctic continent, which is their only residence. They feast mainly on krill, tiny shrimplike animals, but also eat fish and squid. They have an all-black head.

Alright – now that you’re Penguin experts – can you tell me what kind of penguin this is? (Hint: Look at its chin…)

If you guessed a chinstrap penguin, you’re correct! Nice job! If you’re interested in checking out more penguin photos, let me know.

Seals

Seals are one of the few groups of marine mammals that live in the Antarctic. Because of their thick layer of blubber and fur, Antarctica seals are extremely well-adapted to the freezing conditions and actually often find the conditions too hot! They sometimes have to take plunges into the water just to cool down!

Here are some pictures of elephant and crab-eater seals just chilling on an iceberg or on the beach. Click on each photo to get a close-up.

I hope you enjoyed the photos from my trip. Before I sign-off I though, I thought I would let you see some cool photos of what Antarctica really looks like when you’re not checking out all the wildlife. It’s a pretty magical place – wouldn’t you agree?

P.S. – Zio even had some time to goof off and jumped into the VERY cold waters of the Southern Ocean. Would you jump into water that cold?

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(Dated: 12/10/2018)

So where is Zio going?

Zio is going to Antarctica. Antarctica is the southern most continent in the world! It’s very far south. It’s cold there most of the time and is covered in ice and snow. Brrrrrrrrr!! In case you’re wondering what lives in a place that’s so cold – penguins and seals do! More on that later.

Here’s a map of the world to show you where you’re located and where Antarctica is.

Pretty far, huh!?! Yup – it’ll take Zio around 4-5 days of travel by plane and ship just to get down there.

Speaking of planes – what do you think of some of these planes I saw at the airport? They’re pretty big, aren’t they?!?

Here’s a picture I took of an Argentinean monument. Do you see any letters in the picture? What do you think they mean (it’s OK to ask mom and dad for help)? Hint: it’s the capital of Argentina.

Here’s another photo of some delicious pizza I enjoyed in Buenos Aires. It had onions, tomatoes, olives, and ham on it. What toppings would you get on your pizza?

Buenos Aires was a lot of fun. Before I left Buenos Aires, I had to take one more picture. Good-bye Buenos Aires! See you in a few weeks! I’m off to my next stop, Ushuaia.

I finally made it to Ushuaia yesterday. It’s known as the End of the World, because it’s the southern most city on the planet. Here’s a picture from the plane. Aren’t those mountains beautiful? What are they called (have mom and dad do a quick internet search)?

Those are all the photos I have for now. I hope to have some photos of penguins and seals for you when I come back from Antarctica. Talk soon (and behave)!