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8 Free Events & Activities To Try In Oslo

Norway’s sophisticated capital of Oslo conjures images of stunning architecture, a vibrant culinary scene and Viking museums, but it’s often …

2 Interesting Myths From Alaska’s Inuit People

Modern Alaska is an official state of the US, despite being separated from the rest of the nation. It is …

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Did you know that from Argentina, it's only a coup

Did you know that from Argentina, it's only a couple days at sea and you can see some of the biggest king penguin colonies on earth? In South Georgia, the sound and sight of hundreds of thousands of these majestic birds stops you in your tracks. We try to take our time on land, to give everyone a chance to settle in. After a while things come into focus and you can witness beautiful moments of connection and tenderness, just like this gorgeous capture from @Chriswdc.

📍South Georgia
📸 photo credit @Chriswdc

Do you have a favourite seabird colony? Seabirds a

Do you have a favourite seabird colony? Seabirds are the ultimate wanderers, soaring across the skies and finding refuge on rugged coastlines or craggy sea stacks scattered across the ocean.

From South Georgia to Scotland, Ireland to Antarctica, we love watching as seabirds come and go from their colonies. Here are a few of our favourite seabird hotspots a little closer to our home in Sydney, Australia:

1. Investigator Islands, an archipelago off the western coast of South Australia's Eyre Peninsula is a recognised 'Important Bird Area' with populations of the vulnerable fairy tern, as well as Cape Barren geese and the rock parrot.

2. Albatross Island (Tangatema) off the north-west coast of Tasmania is home to an incredible 5000 pairs of shy albatross, some 40% of the world's population!

3. Black Pyramid, not far from Albatross Island, supports a colony of Australasian gannets 12,000 pairs strong - the largest in Tasmania.

4. Pedra Branca, off the south-eastern tip of Tasmania, is part of an 'Important Bird Area' that supports over 1% of the world populations of shy albatrosses and Australasian gannets.

We are so fortunate to live in a country of wild, remote landscapes and remarkable seabird colonies!

What are your favourites? Let us know in the comments below!

What do you do to cheer up your mates? Whe

What do you do to cheer up your mates?

When Shackleton and his men found themselves stranded on sea ice after their ship, the Endurance, was crushed, their comfortable life on board the ship was thrown into chaos. With an journey into the unknown ahead of them, Shackleton ordered his men to pack only the most essential items.

He limited each man to two pounds in weight. Any more would slow them down and jeopardize their safety. But he made one exception: a 12lb Windsor zither-banjo that belonged to the expedition's jovial meteorologist, Leonard Hussey.

Hussey was no virtuoso and could only play a few songs, but his lively tunes kept the team’s spirits high. When the ice was melting beneath them and they were stranded in damp camps for months at a time, jolly Irish jigs like ‘It’s a long way to Tipperary’ helped them keep on keeping on. Shackleton knew the importance of boosting morale when times got tough, and the banjo became a symbol of hope amidst the challenges they faced. In 1959 Hussey donated the banjo (pictured her), with the signatures of every man on the expedition, to the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London.

Do you play an instrument? Knit? Do origami? Share your favourite isolation pastimes with us in the comments below!

Who's suffering from penguin withdrawal syndrome?

Who's suffering from penguin withdrawal syndrome? We are missing our feathered friends, but for those of us living in the southern hemisphere, relief may not be too far away!

Of the 18 penguin species on Earth, all except one live south of the equator (the Galapagos penguin lives just north), and only four of them live in Antarctica. The others can be found in scattered colonies from Africa to South America, New Zealand and Australia!

The Little penguin (formerly fairy penguin) is the smallest penguin in the world, just a little taller than a school ruler (33cm). Despite their small stature, they can swim up to 50km in one day! These remarkable seabirds are found only in New Zealand and southern Australia, with colonies along the coastline from Western Australia to South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and New South Wales - some of them on the beaches of our biggest cities!

So if you live in southern Australia, a little penguin fix may not be far away! Does anyone have any penguin-watching plans coming up?

📸 credit: Phillip Island Wildlife Parks. Phillip Island off the south coast of Australia is home to approx 32,000 breeding adults.

Throwback to last summer in the Scottish Isles - "

Throwback to last summer in the Scottish Isles - "This was my first season exploring the outer isles of Scotland with Aurora Expeditions. We were lucky enough to have plenty of days of calm seas to explore outside the sheltered bays where we found basalt sea cliffs riddled with sea caves and arches like this one. Not only are they spectacular to look at and paddle through, they can be a handy shortcut through the headlands!"

Photo and words by Toby Story, our amazing kayaking guide! 📸 @storyimages.au

My oh my, what big teeth you have! These

My oh my, what big teeth you have!

These utilitarian teeth (or tusks) can grow up to 1 metre (3 feet) long, and they aren't just for show. Walruses use them to scrape clams and shellfish for food. With these handy utensils they can eat up to 4000 clams in one sitting! 🍴

They also use their tusks to haul themselves out on the ice, defend themselves from large predators or fight other walruses for supremacy, especially during breeding season 🥇

You'll find walruses in herds, sometimes hundreds strong. Witnessing them in their natural habitat is an unforgettable experience 💕

📍 Spitsbergen
📸 Photo credit @marthaevebee

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