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00:00MUSIC
00:20Hi! It's me, Jane.
00:23It's absolutely freezing.
00:25I'm in Antarctica,
00:27just about to start my pole-to-pole adventure.
00:30Epic adventure, may I add.
00:33I'm more than 10,000 miles away from Wakefield.
00:37I've come a long way.
00:41I'm Jane MacDonald and I've been lucky enough
00:44to spend over 35 years travelling the world
00:47as a singer and a TV presenter.
00:50There aren't many places I haven't been.
00:52Let's go exploring!
00:54But I'm not ready to hang up my passport,
00:56so now it's time for the ultimate bucket-list adventure.
01:00What the hell are we doing out here?
01:03In just six episodes, I'll rack up a whopping 15,000 miles.
01:08So the fort was built to protect you from pirates?
01:11Mm-hm. Wow.
01:13On my journey of a lifetime, I'll see the sights.
01:16It's a beauty. Yeah? Yeah.
01:18Meet the people.
01:20This is paradise. It's heaven.
01:22It's heaven? Yeah.
01:24And do the things... Oh, sorry.
01:27..I've only ever dreamed about.
01:29Blimey, that's heavy!
01:31Yes, it is!
01:32Making memories to cherish forever.
01:34I love you all right.
01:35This is Jane MacDonald from pole to pole.
01:42There we go.
01:43I think I'm going to choose some of this route, then,
01:46because, obviously, it's my show.
01:50So I'm going to go Antarctica, Falklands, South Georgia.
01:55That's going to be dodgy around Cape Horn as well,
01:58because that can be a bit...
02:00Ooh!
02:01Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil.
02:05..and then I think, look, it's only there.
02:08I'm going to nip over to Italy on the way.
02:12And then...
02:15..end up...
02:18..in the Arctic.
02:21That is an epic journey.
02:24How long is it going to take us?
02:26I've only cancelled my milk for three weeks.
02:30It's been a lifelong dream to see for myself
02:33the frozen, untouched beauty of Antarctica.
02:45But travelling to the ends of the earth
02:47is no walk in the park.
02:49It's already taken me four days and three flights
02:51just to get to me starting point.
02:53This is as far south as I'm going,
02:56because, let's be honest, I'm no Bear Grylls.
02:58I don't want to be diving in there
03:00and catching me on fish to keep me alive.
03:03But this is my start.
03:06I'm moments away from meeting my ship, Scenic Eclipse.
03:12Pilot Pascal will drop me off
03:14right at the door in Fournier Bay,
03:16off the eastern coast of Anvers Island
03:19in the Parma Archipelago.
03:21So, Pascal, do you ever get bored of doing this?
03:25Never.
03:26This is my fifth season down here
03:28and I always love to come back here.
03:31Every flight I see something new,
03:34this is as good as it gets.
03:37Oh, wow, look!
03:38This is my home for the first leg of my journey,
03:41a Polar-class Discovery yacht
03:44built to cut through the ice.
03:46There she is.
03:47To transport me through the Earth's most extreme environment
03:51and navigate challenging seas safely.
03:58This is not just a holiday.
04:00This is an experience, an expedition,
04:04and a privilege to actually see this place.
04:09This is a different league for me completely.
04:13The peace and quiet of the Antarctic continent
04:16is the ultimate break from my busy life.
04:19I'll reconnect with nature in all its dramatic glory.
04:24Oh, look at that!
04:26Be closer than ever to wildlife I've never seen before.
04:30I mean, he's really fat.
04:32He's really fat, yeah.
04:33And get to grips with the great outdoors.
04:36Listen, this is not for the faint-hearted.
04:38That's all I'm saying.
04:47Now, I'm willing to go the extra mile in search of adventure,
04:50but I still like my home comforts.
04:53And I'm going to start as I mean to go on.
04:57Can I have a glass of champagne, please?
04:59Of course.
05:02One of my favourite sounds in the whole world
05:07is going to be this.
05:10From the depths of the bar.
05:15Thank you so much.
05:17Leave the bottle, it's fine.
05:20Cheers, everyone.
05:24Mmm.
05:31It's day one of my trans-global expedition,
05:36and to say it's the polar opposite to home
05:38is an understatement.
05:41When they said,
05:43you've got four days to travel from Wakefield to here,
05:46I thought, four days?
05:49And I thought, what can possibly be so amazing
05:53after four days' travel?
05:56And then you get here,
05:57and you open the blind.
06:00And I saw something,
06:03as you can see,
06:05that is magnificent.
06:08I was amazed, and I'm still in awe.
06:11I'm a bit speechless.
06:16And it's a fresh air that I've never breathed in before.
06:21You can actually feel it doing you good.
06:27At first, it's overwhelming.
06:31Huge icebergs and dramatic mountains everywhere.
06:34And nothing else.
06:36Just the silence.
06:38It takes a while for it to sink in.
06:41There is no pollution here.
06:43There is no lights.
06:45There's no smoke.
06:46There's nothing like we're all living all the time.
06:51And I think that is the shock.
06:56Just look at that.
06:58Just look at it.
07:02Antarctica is the southernmost continent
07:06and one of the least explored places on Earth.
07:09It's nearly 60 times bigger than the British Isles,
07:12and we're only seeing a fraction of it.
07:14Hello.
07:16And I can't wait to kick off my adventure
07:18and explore this amazing place for myself.
07:22When you get here, it's very harsh.
07:25Good night to meet you.
07:27Very cold.
07:29Very grey.
07:34I have never seen as many shades of white.
07:38Or grey.
07:39There's a book in there somewhere.
07:40And when you see all this, this landscape,
07:46it is quite incredible.
07:48There is nothing like a shop, a bar, a building.
07:55There is nothing but absolutely incredible to see.
08:00I'm so excited.
08:02Let the adventure begin.
08:04Woo-hoo!
08:08Coming up, I'll come face to face with sunbathing seals.
08:12It's a big one.
08:14It's a big one.
08:16Whooping great whales.
08:18It's incredible to see it in real life.
08:20And witness a genuine geological wonder.
08:23You don't get to see that very often.
08:24Oh, wow!
08:35You pick your buff up, it gets cold now.
08:38I bet, yeah.
08:39It's a big one.
08:43To understand the extraordinary landscape of the Antarctic Peninsula,
08:47I've chosen to leave the comfort of my ship.
08:52So are the Arctic and Antarctica very similar?
08:56Down here, Antarctica's a continent surrounded by ocean,
08:58whereas the Arctic is the Arctic Ocean surrounded by continents.
09:02I've arranged for guide Jack to take my iceberg watching.
09:07Winter Island is the perfect spot to see these giant floating sculptures.
09:18I can't believe I'm actually sat in here with you,
09:22looking at an iceberg.
09:24Yeah.
09:25Are they as big underneath as they are?
09:27Bigger. A lot bigger.
09:28Are they bigger underneath?
09:29Yes.
09:30You normally say, sort of, 10 to 15% above the water,
09:32and the rest is below.
09:34And you can see it's rolled before,
09:35so where it's smooth on the underline,
09:37that's the old tidewater line,
09:38so that all used to be underwater.
09:40Right.
09:41And then, over time, bits break off,
09:42it loses its equilibrium,
09:44and then it rolls out of the water.
09:45So the top bit hasn't been underwater yet,
09:47but all that bottom bit used to be underwater.
09:49Right.
09:51November's the best time to see the most impressive icebergs,
09:54before they begin to melt,
09:56when they're looking so majestic and just beautiful.
10:02There's even a seal up there on the ice.
10:04Yeah, there is.
10:07It looks like it's sunbathing.
10:09It's a big one.
10:11It's a big one.
10:13It's a big sea sausage.
10:15They like to sleep on their own.
10:16Sometimes.
10:17Sometimes they'll haul out together.
10:18You might see three, four, five...
10:19Yeah.
10:20...twenty of them sometimes on the ice.
10:23Yeah.
10:24Sometimes, yeah, they'll just hop out of the water,
10:25have their nap on the ice,
10:26and then they'll go back in.
10:28That's it.
10:29Sometimes it's like humans, isn't it?
10:30I've had enough of you, I'm off.
10:31Yeah.
10:35Suddenly, I see something I've never seen before.
10:38This is a humpback whale, so they can grow to about 18 to 20 metres.
10:45Look at that.
10:46You're in this little zodiac boat, sort of zipping about,
10:51and then all of a sudden, you hear the noise of the humpback whale
10:57at the side of you.
10:59It's incredible to see it in real life.
11:02All of a sudden, a humpback whale just comes up to say hello.
11:05It's pretty impressive, isn't it?
11:07Yeah, it's amazing.
11:08Sometimes they can be curious, sometimes they will come to us,
11:10sometimes they'll be transiting, and they're mainly here to feed.
11:13So these whales here migrate down from South America,
11:16and they're only here in the summer,
11:18and then as Antarctica starts to freeze again in the winter,
11:20they'll head back up to South America.
11:25This iceberg here, a bit just carved off, and it might roll.
11:28Look at that.
11:29So this is what we talk about when they roll,
11:31you get a new tidewater line.
11:33That's rolling.
11:35Ah!
11:36It's going.
11:39You don't get to see that very often.
11:40Oh, wow!
11:50So has that literally just broke off that?
11:52Yeah, literally one corner just broke off the top there.
11:55It lost its equilibrium, lost its weight on one side,
11:58and it's just caused it to roll.
12:00So now it will just find a new balance in the water,
12:02and it will carry on, and then a bit more will break off,
12:04and it does the same thing.
12:06That's how these big tabulars, eventually,
12:08they come to the end of their life,
12:09and then they end up looking like this.
12:11Wow.
12:12So how a mighty fall.
12:15Here you go, Jane.
12:16I've got you a bit of ice for your whisky.
12:18Oh!
12:19That's a good bottle of whisky, that, isn't it?
12:21Yeah.
12:22It looks like crystal, doesn't it?
12:23It looks so beautiful.
12:28It's like having an ice pop.
12:30Although this ice is made from compressed snow and fresh water,
12:34it's been floating in the sea, so tastes salty.
12:37I like it.
12:38I like it.
12:39Well, I have had an absolutely brilliant time, though, Jack,
12:44and the thought of the whisky now with the ice,
12:47I'm just thinking, let's head back.
12:49Yeah, of course, let's go back.
12:51Well, I was on the hunt for some real peace and quiet,
12:54and thanks to Jack, it's mission accomplished.
13:00My first impressions of Antarctica were how vast it is
13:06and how everything is nature here.
13:10There is nothing.
13:11And I had no idea what impact it would have had on me
13:16until I arrived here and saw it for myself.
13:21It's like Mother Nature herself has hit the refresh button.
13:28Meanwhile, back on board in my suite...
13:31You know, it's always that last bit of lippy.
13:36That makes the difference.
13:38I'm going out tonight to have dinner with a few guests
13:47that I've sort of met along the way on the trip.
13:50Having spent the day zipping about on a zodiac in the cold,
13:54I'm looking forward to a hot meal.
13:56Fellow pioneers Martin, Chris, Lynn and Michael,
13:59along with all the other 224 guests on board,
14:02have one thing in common, a sense of adventure.
14:05Shall I sit here?
14:06Yeah.
14:07Yeah.
14:08Right then.
14:09Shall I sit up to you if you want to sit here?
14:10Yeah.
14:11No, no.
14:12This is lovely.
14:13A window seat.
14:14I want to find out if they chose to visit Antarctica
14:17for the same reasons I have.
14:19What was the big pull for Antarctica for you?
14:21I've always wanted to come.
14:22It's just so different.
14:23Yeah.
14:24I've seen so many programmes on it.
14:26It just looks so amazing.
14:27It's exactly how it is in the programmes.
14:29You know, David Attenborough.
14:31It's exactly like that.
14:33It is exactly like that.
14:35Actually, what I like is there's so many species and plants
14:40and everything that are endemic to this region,
14:43and they really try and protect it.
14:45Like, you know, with all the biodiversity,
14:47we're having to have all our boots cleaned and everything
14:50because they don't want us bringing anything that's going to disrupt.
14:56Like Chris, I'd heard about this,
14:58but experiencing it firsthand hits home.
15:01Whenever you speak to someone about travel
15:03or you see something on the TV,
15:05it kind of inspires you.
15:07You just think, oh, actually.
15:08Yeah.
15:09Yeah, I could do that.
15:10Tomorrow's never promised.
15:11Mm.
15:12And we have got a window.
15:14And while we're still well and we're fit
15:17and you can do a paddleboard and fall in and get back on it.
15:20Yeah.
15:21You know what I'm saying?
15:22Well, here's to adventure.
15:24Here's to travel.
15:25And here's to new friendships.
15:27Yeah, definitely.
15:28Cheers.
15:29Cheers.
15:30Cheers.
15:40It's day two of my big adventure
15:43and I was one to prepare for the unexpected on this trip
15:46and that meant packing for it too.
15:49When I decided to come on this trip,
15:51I had a little bit of a breakdown, if you like.
15:54Well, it wasn't that bad.
15:56But I just thought,
15:57how the heck am I going to fit everything in my case?
16:00Now, looking at this,
16:01this is already getting very, very full
16:04because everything's bulky.
16:06We're in Antarctica and it's freezing.
16:08So you need very big, bulky, warm stuff.
16:13So I just thought, right, got on the interweb and I found this.
16:22So I thought, let's give it a try.
16:25Put that up there a little bit.
16:35This bit, really press it hard.
16:39Make sure that the seal is definitely sealed.
16:46Then, hoover.
16:49You just put that there.
16:54And it's magic.
16:55And look at that.
16:58That is half the size.
17:01I've got a massive coat in there.
17:04I've got three jumpers and a ski suit.
17:08And I've still got loads of room left for my boots.
17:11I can fit all my underwear in this top bit
17:14and I'm ready to go.
17:16Don't forget, though, to weigh it
17:18because it's still going to weigh the same
17:22as it did when you couldn't shut your case.
17:24But I think this is a fabulous idea
17:27if you're going somewhere where you need coats
17:30and big jumpers and ski suits
17:33and all the rest of it.
17:34This, to me, is a game changer.
17:42So out of my vacuum pack comes my big coat
17:45for my next exciting adventure.
17:49I'm heading to Portal Point,
17:51named by British explorers,
17:53as it formed part of the gateway
17:55for the route to the Antarctic Plateau.
17:58Hi.
17:59Good morning.
18:00Good morning. How are you?
18:01Welcome to Antarctica.
18:02Thank you so much.
18:04It's here on the Recluse Peninsula
18:06where I get to firmly put my feet
18:08on the actual continent for the first time.
18:12So this is the real Antarctica?
18:14These rocks and all these areas,
18:16this peninsula is connected to the real continent.
18:19Shall I get off?
18:20Yes.
18:21We've got to come here.
18:22Ah!
18:23Woo-hoo!
18:24Now.
18:25Here we go.
18:27Thank you very much.
18:28It's incredible.
18:30It's cold, but it's incredible.
18:35There's a raw, untamed beauty here,
18:37a frozen world of snow and ice.
18:41To learn more about this unique place,
18:43I'm meeting guide Sasha.
18:47Sasha!
18:48Hello, Jane.
18:49Nice to meet you.
18:50Nice to meet you too.
18:51Official welcome now to the continent,
18:53to the Antarctic continent.
18:55And we'll start to walk all over those glaciers.
18:58We'll eventually come to the Antarctic Peninsula.
19:01And from there, it's just two and a half thousand kilometers
19:05to the softball.
19:06Can we do that?
19:07We're not doing that today, are we?
19:08No.
19:09OK, yes.
19:10But today I will offer you to come just for a short walk up to the viewpoint,
19:14so we have a beautiful view on the surrounding mountains
19:17and on the bay with that beautiful iceberg.
19:19What do you think about that?
19:20I'm definitely up for that.
19:21Yeah?
19:22OK.
19:23So please follow me.
19:24OK.
19:25I've got the poles.
19:26I've got Sasha.
19:27We're exploring.
19:28Come on.
19:34You can only imagine that the continent itself was discovered just a little bit more than 200
19:39years ago.
19:40And it was the last continent to be discovered.
19:42Wow.
19:43Antarctica is about five and a half million square miles.
19:52It's big.
19:53It's almost completely covered in ice.
19:56And it's the highest, driest, coldest, windiest and brightest of the seven continents.
20:03It's just an incredible experience to be here in a completely new continent.
20:10I've got to this age and you realise just how much of the world that we all haven't seen.
20:17Mm-hmm.
20:18And if you will look at Antarctica itself, Antarctica keeps 90% of the fresh water of the planet.
20:25Oh!
20:26Really?
20:2790% of the fresh water comes from here?
20:29Yes.
20:30Because Antarctica is covered with the big ice sheet, which can be three kilometers thick.
20:35Wow.
20:36So it's an absolutely crazy amount of ice.
20:39And ice, it's just a frozen fresh water.
20:52Okay, so just a few meters over here and a final step.
20:56And you can already now stand near our Antarctic flag.
21:01Right.
21:02And be very proud of yourself that you conquered the hardest of the continents.
21:06Wow.
21:07The Antarctica.
21:08Listen, I haven't climbed Everest.
21:11I haven't done out like that.
21:13I've walked up a slope with my little friend here, Sasha.
21:17But it's an amazing experience to get up to this point and see the flag of Antarctica.
21:24It takes a lot to get here, doesn't it?
21:26Yes.
21:27But once you get here, you get it.
21:30You get it.
21:31Yes.
21:32It's like nowhere else ever.
21:34And I'm being given the privilege of truly making my mark here.
21:39You can take it in your hands.
21:41Right.
21:42And it is your moment.
21:45This is fantastic.
21:53We have conquered Antarctica.
22:05Never in a million years would I have said I'm an explorer.
22:10I'm a bit of a game bird.
22:13But I would never say I'm an explorer.
22:19And yet I'm in a place which nobody has ever seen until 200 years ago when it was discovered.
22:27So you do get that feel of I'm an explorer when you get here.
22:40But I'll tell you what, I'll not be breaking any new frontiers until I've had a decent brew.
22:50Now, you know me and my tea.
22:53But sometimes they come in a laundry bag.
22:56This is a bag.
22:57It's not a paper bag.
22:59It's not a paper bag.
23:00And it's crème caramel.
23:02I thought, ooh, I just fancy something nice, something different.
23:07So I'm going to try it.
23:08I'm sure it's going to be lovely.
23:12It's been amazing out there today.
23:14That's my first visit to Antarctica.
23:17And it is mind-blowing.
23:19My God, I'm glad I've seen this now.
23:23And I think sometimes we have to step outside our comfort zones.
23:28Just go for something a little bit different.
23:31Cheers.
23:32Coming up, I rise to a kayaking challenge on the Antarctic Ocean.
23:42The wind is picking up now.
23:44But we're keeping going.
23:46It's pretty wild out here.
23:47Stretch myself on board in an aerial yoga class.
23:50This is a lot harder than you think.
23:53I can't even get dressed without a wall now.
23:57And I get up close and personal with penguins and elephant seals.
24:02Oh, my God, look at the size of them.
24:12Just look at this.
24:17Gosh, I can't believe how beautiful this is.
24:22It's like a little oasis in the sea, isn't it?
24:25Yeah.
24:26I'm three days into my pole-to-pole adventure of a lifetime,
24:29starting at the southernmost continent, Antarctica.
24:32Look at that.
24:33Look at the way the wind is blowing the snow off the top of the cliff
24:36over there on the right.
24:37Oh, wow.
24:38To offset the fine dining on board with my new friends,
24:40I've chosen an active challenge today, kayaking.
24:44Call that spin drift.
24:46Spin drift.
24:47Yeah.
24:48Thanks to my guide, Simon, who's keeping me upright,
24:51paddling about at water level
24:53makes this the most hands-on experience so far.
24:56This entire place was at one point covered by a glacier.
25:00Right.
25:01And so looking at the snow,
25:03you can see that there's these lines in the snow here.
25:06That stuff is called primary stratification.
25:09Right.
25:10Every single glacier around here began as a snowflake.
25:12Whoa.
25:13It's just millions of tonnes of snow over time that builds up
25:16and creates beautiful habitat like this.
25:20With clear blue skies and exposed to the elements,
25:23I really start to feel at home in this place.
25:26But it doesn't last for long.
25:28That sea is quite strong, isn't it?
25:31Yeah.
25:32So we'll probably get up to that, call that a brash line.
25:34You see those little bits of ice there?
25:36Yeah.
25:37So you're just going to drift right through it.
25:39Oh, my God.
25:43Another thing about being in Antarctica
25:46is it can be glorious sunshine and blue skies one minute
25:49and then boom.
25:50In a second, it can turn.
25:54That little bit of swell is not insignificant.
25:56No.
25:57It isn't, is it?
25:58No.
25:59That's quite a big swell.
26:01And woe betide you if you're out there when it does turn.
26:07There's nothing like sitting on a big swell.
26:10Oh, my God.
26:13Oh, oh, oh.
26:14There's a trepidation about it, but also an absolute excitement.
26:21It's spectacular, Simon, and you do this all the time?
26:25I do.
26:26This is my office.
26:27Wow.
26:28I suppose every day is different, is it?
26:30It is.
26:31Even if you're paddling in the same place,
26:32it shifts and changes over time.
26:34And, you know, the sun moves, the light changes,
26:37and you never know what animals you might see.
26:39We're doing pole to pole.
26:41Have you been to the North Pole as well as the South Pole?
26:45I have.
26:46Well, not quite as far as the North Pole,
26:48but, you know, I live in Alaska.
26:50Oh, wow.
26:51And it's a really spectacular place to experience.
26:54Do you know what I'm loving more about this is the peace.
26:59You feel at peace here, but, yeah, it could turn on you.
27:03Sure.
27:04It's got its own.
27:05It's a dangerous beauty.
27:06Yes.
27:07Almost, you know?
27:08Yes.
27:09That's exactly it, Simon.
27:11Yeah.
27:12A dangerous beauty.
27:14And just when I thought we were over the worst of the weather,
27:18Mother Nature has other ideas.
27:21The wind is picking up now, but we're keeping going.
27:26It's pretty wild out here.
27:27It is, isn't it?
27:28Yeah.
27:29We should probably get out of the window.
27:32Yeah.
27:33Should we do that?
27:34Yeah.
27:35So we'll take a left-hand turn here.
27:36Okay.
27:37There was a point where we stopped filming,
27:40due to the fact that nobody could even hold the camera,
27:43because the waves were whoosh.
27:46Woo!
27:47Splashy.
27:48All good.
27:49All good.
27:50We'll just paddle forward a little bit.
27:51Go around up there.
27:52Yeah!
27:53Yeah.
27:54I'm good.
27:55A little sporty.
27:56We call this spicy.
27:58We've got spicy-cy here.
28:00Right.
28:01That was a scary moment, but also exhilarating.
28:05That's a long way back to the ship.
28:07Yeah, it is.
28:08It was very extreme, because there is no help around.
28:13It's you, your guide, and the people there with you.
28:17Listen, this is not for the faint-hearted.
28:19That's all I'm saying.
28:20Oh, my God.
28:22So you can see that way the wind is blowing across us right there?
28:25Yeah.
28:26That's probably about 25 knots.
28:29Oh, my God.
28:31What the hell are we doing out here?
28:33It's muy picante.
28:35Muy picante!
28:37I am going to die any minute now if we don't get out of the sea.
28:42When you have to send for a ship to come and rescue us,
28:47I'm just thinking I'm glad I wrote me will,
28:49then that's quite a scary moment.
28:52I would like to do pole to pole, not just a pole pole.
28:57I think on this trip, you get the ridiculous to the sublime.
29:09Huh.
29:10Hi.
29:11Hi.
29:12I'm Jay.
29:13Hi, I'm Smith.
29:14Wanda.
29:15You try to do more and share of men and women around together in the elements,
29:18in a world that is so alien to all of us.
29:20Oh, nice to meet you.
29:21Same here, yeah.
29:22And then you come back to the peace, the quiet.
29:25So you're going to teach me aerial yoga?
29:28Yes. Yes.
29:29And the whole surrounding of this expedition makes you stop.
29:34So we're going to use this hammock today to work on our flexibility.
29:39OK. Now, I'm not very bendy. I'm not a bendy-wendy.
29:43I'm more of a plain Jane.
29:46Yeah.
29:47So you'll just have to go easy with me.
29:49Yes, we will.
29:50Because I'm not fit. I don't do anything. I just eat and drink.
29:54I'll take care of you with that, yeah.
29:56OK. Be gentle with me.
29:57Yes, we're going to start with a gentle one.
29:59OK. Thank you.
30:00I'm all for throwing myself into new adventures on this trip.
30:03And, on the off chance I can find me core,
30:06it's Hello Fitness. Goodbye Dignity.
30:09Ooh!
30:11Did you hear my hip crack, then?
30:15Apparently, this could improve me flexibility,
30:18strength, balance and circulation.
30:21This is a lot harder than you think.
30:23I can't even get dressed without a wall now.
30:28I have decided.
30:29Bring your hands down slowly.
30:31Ooh!
30:32Going good, no problem.
30:33And grab the silk and come back.
30:36Ooh!
30:38There we go.
30:39Oh, it was beautiful.
30:41Ah!
30:42There we go.
30:43OK.
30:46Feels good?
30:47Yeah, actually.
30:48There we go.
30:49I didn't know I could do that.
30:50Yeah.
30:55I need to get one of these in my bedroom.
30:57Feels good?
30:58Yeah.
30:59OK.
31:00Surprisingly, yes!
31:01I'm no stranger to travel.
31:02But on this voyage, I'm amazed at how many brand new experiences I'm packing in.
31:15I can hear my bones creaking.
31:17I'm happy for you.
31:19Yeah.
31:20Usually, I don't enjoy exercise at all.
31:23How do you feel now?
31:24Do you feel more relaxed?
31:25I do.
31:26And I feel a little bit proud of myself for stretching bits of my anatomy that haven't been stretched for at least four or five years.
31:35I'm starting to think I can really push the limits of what I'm capable of doing.
31:42Oh, look at you!
31:44Bless you.
31:45I am determined to make it pole to pole.
31:49So, basically, all I need is a couple of Amazon nails and a bed sheet.
31:54Oh, yeah.
31:55Yeah?
31:56And that's it.
31:57I'm done.
31:58That's it.
31:59You're all set.
32:00I want to do things while I still can.
32:01I would be throwing up now.
32:03Oh.
32:04I would be sick.
32:05Vomit everywhere.
32:06There you go.
32:07I've hit an age now where I'm still very fit.
32:11But a lot of people my age say, oh, I couldn't possibly do that because I'm this age.
32:16Stretch.
32:17Please.
32:18No.
32:19No.
32:20Forget it.
32:21Whereas I'm thinking, no, I'm only this age and I'm going to do as much as I possibly can while I can.
32:28You can do it, Jen.
32:30So, I'm determined to do the whole trip pole to pole.
32:35Thank you for making an old lady very happy.
32:42Somebody once said, there's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing.
32:47I can hardly walk.
32:48I've got that many layers on.
32:50You do really have to have the right attire on.
32:54Otherwise, you're going to freeze.
32:56I've got about 14 layers under here.
32:58It's cold out there and there's no getting away from that.
33:01Here we go.
33:03Bye.
33:04Bye.
33:07Having found my zen, my appetite for adventures returned.
33:13Jack's taking me to Livingston Island.
33:16It's part of the South Shetland Islands and my last stop in Antarctica as we head north.
33:23Livingston is a haven for species that thrive in extreme conditions.
33:28I could do with a few tips.
33:30Not going to be an easy crossing to see this wildlife, but I'm sure it'll all be worth it.
33:37This is Walker's Bay where we're coming into now in the South Shetland Islands.
33:41As in Johnny Walker?
33:43As in John Walker.
33:44Well, whiskey man.
33:45He was a sealer here back in the 1800s and he charted a lot of this area.
33:50So the first sort of discovery of the South Shetlands in South Georgia was made by the sealers.
33:57And we nearly made seals extinct in that time.
34:00Fortunately, we didn't.
34:02And hopefully for the first time, I'll see elephant seals and penguins close up.
34:07Oh, my God.
34:08Good morning.
34:09Good morning.
34:10Come.
34:11We're going to the easter market.
34:12I'll be with you outside.
34:13Come.
34:14Perfecto.
34:15Okay.
34:16Here we go.
34:17I'm in.
34:18There you go.
34:21This dark-colored rock is a dramatic contrast to all the icebergs I've seen.
34:26There's loads of penguins and seals and wildlife here.
34:30So that's hopefully what we're going to see today.
34:32These fingers...
34:33I've crossed my fingers, but my gloves are that tight.
34:35I can't even cross my fingers.
34:37I've crossed my fingers.
34:39I'll find out here all theầy, lots of beautiful vuls has been still video, keep it in the
34:45ryanka.
34:46If you don't imagine for me when to take it as long as I know.
34:48We've discovered that all of them have gone together, all of them have been in western
34:49fight of many years now throughout the past.
34:50To Gardiner.
34:51in this unforgiving climate are visitors and guides like mine esteban committed to protecting
34:57the land and the animals who call it home right now we are in livingstone island uh-huh it's a
35:03very nice place of antarctica we've been through icy areas very wide landscapes but this looks
35:09very dark huh it's very very dark we have a place in the canary islands called tenerife and lanzarote
35:16and the only difference really is the sunshine and there's no irish bar is it volcanic this is
35:21volcanic so livingstone island is located very close to deception island which is a volcano and
35:28historically there have been several eruptions is it active it is active currently yeah
35:35but the awesome volcanic terrain is just a backdrop
35:39oh my god look the size of them to the real stars of the show the elephant seals oh gosh
35:51are they playing oh i wouldn't say they're playing they are more like practicing
35:56they're jousting they're fighting yes
36:01these guys we're seeing here are elephant seals and uh once they get older they are going to have to
36:07fight to get a harem of females a harem yes these harms can get very very big sometimes past the 100
36:16females 100 females for one for one male only two percent of the males are going to be able to ever
36:22mate really yeah most of them are never going to get to mate with a female so if you're an elephant seal
36:31it's good to be a girl yes but the females do have some challenges on their own do they yeah because the
36:39males tend to be they sometimes can be 10 times bigger than a female oh right so whenever they are
36:45inland the males are going to be here also with them right so it feels like kind of like a harsh life
36:52you're not kidding but it's been worth it there's been a hundred and fifty percent increase in elephant seals
36:58here from 30 years ago you probably think some more then because i've got that much padding on
37:06i mean he's really fat he's really fat yeah does he just eat more than anybody else so these seals
37:12need to eat 60 80 kilograms of food per day to be able to hold on that blubber but that blubber is
37:19very important for them is it so the fatter they are the more attractive they are exactly exactly oh
37:26there's hope for me so this one is around two meters to three meters long right so that would be
37:37like a small car that is not a mini cooper that's more of a range rover exactly yeah exactly oh look at
37:47that nose i know impressive huh ah this nose allows these males to make these loud loud sounds so in the
37:57natural world what we have is the louder and the lower pitch the sound the more attractive the animals
38:06are so it's just a way to say i'm big i'm big and i'm strong and i'm handsome i'm handsome and i'm
38:12good for mating yes exactly size matters on the south shetland islands anyway they are huge he's waving
38:21hello you cannot imagine how big they are just give him a bit more space because they're the size of a car
38:31oh my god they do like a worm thing and my god they can move fast i told you he thinks i'm one of
38:39them i've been eating too much on that ship when you've got something the size of a car which is
38:44living and breathing and apparently mating at this time especially with a very big nose look at that
38:49let's talk back a little bit guys yeah then you move as big as they are these colossal creatures don't
38:57all have the bay i love how they're coexisting with the penguins do they just get on yeah in the
39:06end the seals are not going to attack or eat the penguins so the penguins the thing was just don't
39:11really feel scared of them no they walk like us a bit don't they wobble these are gentle penguins they
39:19tend to keep their mates but not every year they can find the same mate yeah because they all look
39:24alike let's be honest yeah yeah it's not easy no it's not easy to to tell them apart but they
39:29definitely can through their calls so their calls are unique and they can tell them apart if they
39:35come the next year they're going to try to find the same mate they had last year but if they don't
39:41find it they will find a new one oh well there you go it's not a bad deal that really is it it's not
39:47a bad deal hello hello no can't find you you'll do yeah
40:01it's funny how we're all different different species have got different ways of surviving and
40:20it's incredible isn't it really the whole of this planet and how different everything is
40:27nature and the whole planet has so many things to see you can never get tired of it no it's like
40:34as long as you have your curiosity active anywhere you go you will find something that will amaze you
40:41we all should be grateful for to be here because not many people in the world
40:46get the chance to get here congratulations yay it's the end of my first leg of my pole to pole
40:55and i can honestly say i have been amazed but i also know there are many more adventures ahead
41:00as i continue my journey into the unknown i can hear you but i won't some look for trouble while others
41:13don't everyone i've ever loved is here within these walls i'm sorry secret siren bird i'm blocking out your
41:23call i've had my adventure i don't need something new i'm afraid of what i'm risking if i follow you into the unknown
41:34into the unknown
41:42into the unknown
41:46are you out there do you know me can you feel me can you show me
42:00where are you going don't leave me alone how do i follow you into the unknown
42:26next time i discover you can feel at home even in the
42:29wilds of the remote south georgia islands is it quite lonely out here it's almost the opposite
42:35people going out for hikes or holding ping pong tournaments there's no way to be lonely there's
42:39always people around there's always something to do and then feast me eyes on the falklands that is
42:44such a different taste as i tick off more bucket list adventures feel like singing is just so good for
42:51the soul singing just brings so much joy it's just a really lovely way to spend time on my journey of
42:57a lifetime would you like to have a drink well yeah 10 o'clock in the morning why not have a whiskey
43:05and jane's pole to pole adventure continues next friday at nine cruising in with a new series of crime
43:10capers at sea the good ship murder returns tuesday at night and if you miss this before the holiday
43:16stream on five kim marsh and danny minogue star in the imposter kinky boots is up next
43:33you
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