Emma

I am really interested in some epic rail trips through Europe (and beyond) - to tick off as many countries as possible without flying! As a big sports fan I am also aiming to travel to the Olympic Games at some point in the future!

Growing up in Scotland always meant I was only an hour away from a Munro or the coast - which has fuelled my love of the outdoors and watersports. From an early age I was hiking up mountains, cycling around lochs or playing on beaches - and each winter I learnt to ski in the Alps. Whilst at school and university I was a competitive dinghy sailor, which led me into working as a qualified RYA watersports instructor in both Greece and Scotland over my summer breaks.

I was thrilled to head south to Antarctica in February 2022; this was a dream come true for me as a lifelong penguin fanatic! As soon as we left Ushuaia harbour I spotted my first penguins (Magellanic penguins), not to mention black-browed albatross and fur seals popping up in between the mandatory safety briefings. Spending two days at sea crossing the notorious Drake Passage allowed me to get to know our expedition team of naturalist guides and my fellow wildlife-mad passengers. I really enjoyed the informative lectures on the wildlife and ice we would soon be looking out for whilst in Antarctica - it was great preparation and really helped me appreciate everything so much more.

Once in Antarctica our first adventure out on the Zodiac ribs was blustery, the biting Antarctic wind made me grateful for the warm parka - but the wildlife did not disappoint. I was absolutely in love with every little penguin zooming past us in the water and the marvellous feathery chicks waddling about on land. In total it was estimated we saw 40,000 penguins - I was completely awestruck by the noise, the activity and the smell! My biggest surprise was the icebergs - I was fascinated by their immense size, and the myriad colours and shapes are just beautiful.

As one of the awesome Customer Experience Coordinators here at Swoop - I am part of the team that make your trip to Antarctica or the Arctic happen. We dot the i's, cross the t's, book any requested add-ons and make your travel itinerary shine. Day to day tasks can really vary, from answering customer questions and completing itineraries to organising a dream Antarctic wedding for some lucky passengers!