Of Cocktails and Penguins: A Summer in Antarctica from behind the Bar - Paperback

by Tanja Plasil (Author)

Of Cocktails and Penguins is based on my experiences accumulated during eight trips working on a cruise ship in Antarctica. While most people put a lot of time and effort into planning a trip to the icy continent I ended up serving cocktails on the high seas quite by coincidence. Working seven days a week, twenty hours a day was not all I did down there. From behind the bar and during landings I kept observing those whom I was serving. These insights into the curious behaviour of both man and animal, combined with some facts and information about the continent, its inhabitants and its exploration are bundled into a hilarious book that will take the reader on a very special journey. This book offers glimpses into the reality of working on a cruise ship where privacy is non-existent, the days are long and the pay low. It also shows how much fun working on a ship can be as long as one takes it with a smile. The reader will take part in the adventures I had during these cold months: You will go camping on the ice, have close encounters with whales and penguins, visit research stations, drink a toast to Shackleton and enjoy a shopping trip on the Falkland Islands. This all adds up to a funny, informative and inspiring real-life reading experience that brings you closer to this beautiful and fascinating place.

Author Biography

Tanja Plasil has a master's degree in Cultural Anthropology and Non-Western Sociology from the University of Amsterdam. There she specialized on Old Colony Mennonites and conducted six months of fieldwork in Belize. A few articles and a book were published about this research. She currently works as an independent researcher in Argentina.