<p>With a message to save the planet, a crew of young Indians as part of a global expedition to Antarctica is ecstatic to have raised the tricolour on the 'white continent' besides playing with Gentoo penguins and sighting leopard seals.<br /><br />"The land does look like a fairytale. The noise and the pollution and the chaos of the human world give way to the pristine great white nothingness," crew member Sonal Asgotraa told PTI in a message.<br /><br />The Chandigarh-based technology analyst is one of the select few Indians, among other participants from the rest of the world, who are currently on the fortnight-long global expedition, led by noted British polar explorer Robert Swan.<br /><br />"You will never look at a map the same way ever again... Great explorers like <br />Amundsen and Shackleton laid the foundation for us years ago, for me and for others to explore. And, you are going to do the same," said Swan.<br /><br />Fellow member, Anurag Maloo, 23 said there are eight Indians in the team.<br />"On Day 8, we also had our official flag day, where the team members could put up flags of their nations or organisations or alma mater at Antarctica. It was a great day for all of us as we fluttered our respective flags," Sonal said.<br /><br />Talking of the experience there, she said that between the white nothingness, perhaps she has lived the "entire lifetime in these moments".<br /><br />But, the journey to fairytale land wasn't so easy and the crew had to negotiate the bumpy ride through the "dreadful Drake Passage" in perhaps a ride of a lifetime.</p>.<p>"We slept underneath the open sky on sub-zero ice below with no tent covers, contemplating the milky way in the company of snoring seals," she said.<br /><br />IAE 2013 is part of Swan's '2041' foundation and this expedition marks the 10th anniversary of the '2041' voyage that began first in 2003.</p>
<p>With a message to save the planet, a crew of young Indians as part of a global expedition to Antarctica is ecstatic to have raised the tricolour on the 'white continent' besides playing with Gentoo penguins and sighting leopard seals.<br /><br />"The land does look like a fairytale. The noise and the pollution and the chaos of the human world give way to the pristine great white nothingness," crew member Sonal Asgotraa told PTI in a message.<br /><br />The Chandigarh-based technology analyst is one of the select few Indians, among other participants from the rest of the world, who are currently on the fortnight-long global expedition, led by noted British polar explorer Robert Swan.<br /><br />"You will never look at a map the same way ever again... Great explorers like <br />Amundsen and Shackleton laid the foundation for us years ago, for me and for others to explore. And, you are going to do the same," said Swan.<br /><br />Fellow member, Anurag Maloo, 23 said there are eight Indians in the team.<br />"On Day 8, we also had our official flag day, where the team members could put up flags of their nations or organisations or alma mater at Antarctica. It was a great day for all of us as we fluttered our respective flags," Sonal said.<br /><br />Talking of the experience there, she said that between the white nothingness, perhaps she has lived the "entire lifetime in these moments".<br /><br />But, the journey to fairytale land wasn't so easy and the crew had to negotiate the bumpy ride through the "dreadful Drake Passage" in perhaps a ride of a lifetime.</p>.<p>"We slept underneath the open sky on sub-zero ice below with no tent covers, contemplating the milky way in the company of snoring seals," she said.<br /><br />IAE 2013 is part of Swan's '2041' foundation and this expedition marks the 10th anniversary of the '2041' voyage that began first in 2003.</p>