April 29, 2020

Dear friends:

When I had the idea in 1975 to start a bird tour company, my main motivation was to be out in nature as much as possible. I soon found out that equally rewarding was meeting wonderful people on the trips I led. Then I learned what a profound effect being in nature on a trip with VENT could have on someone’s life, especially the life of a person who has been through difficult times. The letter below illustrates the significance of this effect better than any I have ever read. It is enormously gratifying to know that our Antarctica trip had such an influence on Paulette’s life. She has given us permission to use her letter here, without her last name.

Best wishes,

Victor Emanuel

Dear Victor,

Below is a photo from a trip in 2005.

Given the memories you are posting, for some reason I feel compelled to share one of my lifelong favorite memories, which happens to be with VENT.

I am writing to you as a sort of message of gratitude to all who work with us humans to help us appreciate what nature has to offer us in every manner. In my case, it was not only the human drive for adventure and exploration but, in fact, an extremely important one of healing. It is not meant for public consumption, but is meant as a thank you for what VENT did for me personally.

Prior to this trip to Antarctica, I endured a very difficult period struggling between life and death. It was a very aggressive cancer in which I was given a 16% chance of survival even after the chemo, surgery, more chemo, and finally radiation. At diagnosis I was told I could expect 12 to 18 months to live. The disease, as well as the cure, took a serious toll on me including that of hope for ever being able to enjoy travel and simply the joy of living again.

My husband, a man who loves to travel as much as I do, decided that the only way to get me to actually come back to life, so to speak, bribed me with a trip to the Antarctic, which I had long expressed a desire to make.

We were not birders, but we did love the songs and beauty of birds. I also loved being on water, which has always struck me as odd since I was born and raised in Nebraska! I suspect there is something about the silence of both that appeals to me. We had never heard of VENT before, but he found your website and this trip. I was very hesitant due to my fear of not being able to handle the rigors of travel again and especially such a long and unusual trip. I went to see my oncologist to ask if she thought I could manage the trip. She said only one thing to me: “Live.” I was surprised and again expressed my fear, as I knew that medical help would not be available, but again she looked me in the eye and said, “Live.”

I returned home and told my husband that she said it was okay to book. But I was frightened.

Obviously, it was wonderful in every respect, even though I was often quite sick throughout the voyage. I remember the day that we went on the Shackleton Walk and, although I almost turned back early in the walk and trailed everyone else, including a lovely gentleman of 80 years old (I was about 51 at the time), I made it. That night I was utterly exhausted and lying in our bunk in the cabin when it was announced that the weather was so favorable that they had added a third outing for the day. I was not well enough to go, but my husband joined the group of intrepid travelers. As I lay in the bunk and was a bit tearful due to how badly I felt, I suddenly realized that I had not done poorly just because I wasn’t up for the extra outing.
 
It finally dawned on me that I had actually done the Shackleton Walk, and, given my state, it was worthy of note. It was at this moment that I told myself that if I could survive that rigorous walk in my condition, I could survive anything.

This was, in fact, the night I realized that I really would LIVE.

You cannot fully appreciate just how important this was for me and continues to give me sustenance all these years later whenever I am feeling especially challenged.

So, thank you Victor and all who gave me HOPE when I needed it most.

Sincerest regards,

Paulette

Barry Lyon, Victor Emanuel, Brian Patteson - Antarctica 2005