說走就走的旅行 和6000企鵝遊南極
Sleeping next to a 200-foot icefall, walking amongst a colony of 6,000 emperor penguins, and standing at the lowest point on earth... this trip is certainly one for the bucket list. Would-be adventurers with cash to burn can now follow in the footsteps of the great explorers, but with private jet transport, they don't need to compromise on comfort. For £46,000 for an eight-day trip, polar explorer Patrick takes wealthy clients on luxury safaris to Antarctica and the South Pole with his company White Desert.
睡在200英尺高的冰川陡崖便，和6000只帝企鵝一起走路，站在地球的最低點……這樣的旅行想必一定會是在遺願清單裏的吧。富有的探險家現在可以追隨探索家的步伐，乘坐私人飛機旅行，還不需要犧牲舒適感。一次八天的旅行花費46000英鎊，極點探索家帕特里克和他的公司“白色荒漠”帶領富有的客戶進行南極洲和南極點的探險之旅。
Guests have included billionaire entrepreneurs, Jordanian royals and Saudi princesses who had previously never seen snow. VIP guests arrive by specially chartered private jet from Cape Town, landing on an ice runway in the middle of the Antarctic. Whichaway Camp sits on the edge of a frozen lake overlooking a magnificent 200foot icefall.
這些客戶中有億萬富翁，約旦皇室，還有從未見過雪的阿拉伯公主，哈里王子曾經也是客戶之一。貴賓客人乘坐特定的私人直升機從開普敦出發，降落在南極洲中部，從營地可俯瞰冰凍的湖泊，以及冰川的盛景。
State-of-the-art sleeping pods are made from strong fiberglass panels, and even in high winds, very quiet. Double beds for couples or singles with a privacy screen for solo guests, the pods also have a washing area and toilet. There is a separate pod with showers, and three pods make up the large communal living and dining area. Chef Jenna Viney prepares three meals a day including steaks, seafood, and full English breakfast.
睡眠艙是由堅固的玻璃纖維面板製作的，即使在強風下也能保持堅固。雙人牀、爲獨身客人準備的私人屏幕，睡眠艙裏還有洗漱區域和衛生間。睡眠艙和淋浴間是分開的，三個睡眠艙共享一個客廳。簡大廚爲客人們準備一日三餐，包括牛排、海鮮和英式早餐。
Adventures during the tour include visiting a colony of 2,000 emperor penguins at Atka Bay, there is abseiling, and rock climbing too, for those who wish to push their limits. Guests spend the night in special tents at the South Pole, take a tour of the station, and even send postcards from the souvenir shop.
旅程中的探險包括探訪2000只帝企鵝的聚居區，還包括速滑、攀巖等等，供希望挑戰極限的客戶選擇。夜晚可以居住在南極點特殊的帳篷裏，在南極站探訪一下，還可以從禮物商店寄明信片。
Patrick came up with the idea while stuck in a small tent for four days during a snowstorm. He recalls that as the supplies dwindled, Patrick and his teammates discussed how most people never get to see the interior of Antarctica. 'We joked about having a chef and it got me thinking whether you could have a luxury experience in the interior of Antarctica. Normally, the only way to do a luxury trip down here is by cruise ship and they just touch on the coast of Antarctica for a few hours. We wanted to create something more authentic and have a luxury camp in the deep field. A place where clients could experience what a polar explorer saw - the incredible beauty and solitude.' White Desert are committed to their 'zeroimpact' policy and operate in accordance with the environmental tourism guidelines laid out in the Antarctic Treaty.
帕特里克最開始想到這個主意時，是在暴風雪裏被困了四天的時候。隨着供給的減少，帕特里克和他的隊友討論說可能大部分人都沒見過南極洲壯美的景色。“我們開玩笑說要是有個大廚在就好了，這就不禁使我想到人們會不會想來一次南極洲的奢華之旅呢？通常唯一的方法就是坐遊船，只是到達南極洲海岸就會折返。我們的主意是更原創的、奢華的旅行。在旅行中，客戶能體驗到極點探險家看見的，關於南極洲的雄偉和壯麗。”白色荒漠遵循的是對南極洲零污染的原則，並且遵循南極條約，保護環境。
The camp is powered by renewable energy, using solar panels for electrical supply and solar water heaters for the shower system. White Desert also offsets all emissions through Carbon projects. The dream that came out of that cramped, cold tent became a reality when Patrick founded White Desert with his South African wife Robyn, 36, in 2006. Both keen polar adventurers, the couple lead two separate teams from opposite sides of Antarctica to meet at the geographic South Pole in 2005.
營地由可再生能源供電，運用太陽能進行電力供給、爲淋浴加熱水。當佩特里克和他南非的妻子羅賓一起建立起“白色荒漠”時，他們關於南極旅行的設想就開始了。兩個人都是熱忱的極點探索家，自2005年帶着不同的隊伍探索南極時相識。
A novelist as well as an adventurer, Woodhead uses many of his exhilarating real-life experiences as fodder for his storylines. The book borrows one harrowing chapter in which an expedition team becomes trapped down a crevasse and the gruelling rescue, from his own pre-White Desert experiences.
作爲探險家，同時還是一名小說作家，帕特里克將真實經歷融入了他的書中。書中有一章是介紹探險隊陷入了冰縫中，精疲力竭等待救援的故事，這就是從他自身經歷取材的。
