The North Pole: One of Earth's last 'un-owned' lands - The journey to reach this elusive destination helps travellers grasp the power and fragility of our changing planet.


ezgif-5-2ec9de6669.jpg


The world is filled with wondrous places, but there are still many far-flung corners of the globe that few people ever get to see. In their forthoming book, Remote Experiences: Extraordinary Travels from North to South, photographer David De Vleeschauwer and travel journalist Debbie Pappyn journeyed to 12 of the world's most hidden, uncharted and remote territories relatively untouched by tourism. By going where the crowds don't, the duo is hoping to encourage others to travel slower and more purposefully, and to take better care of the planet we all share.

Owned by no-one, claimed by many, the enigmatic North Pole is a constantly shifting sheet of ice in the middle of the Arctic Ocean. The world's largest and strongest nuclear-powered icebreaker, 50 Let Pobedy, sails every summer to 90° north with 100 passengers aboard, all eager to set foot on the geographical top of the globe. For most of them, this moment is much more than ticking off a list. It is all about the voyage.

When the ship cracks an ice sheet 3m thick on its way there, it sounds raw and without reservation. The name of the ship means "50 Years of Victory" in Russian, and refers to the 50th anniversary of the Soviet Union's triumph in World War Two. To commemorate its launch, the ship carried the Olympic flame to the North Pole in 2013 during the run-up to the Sochi Winter Olympics. Powered by a pair of 171-megawatt nuclear reactors and two 27.6-megawatt steam turbo-generators, the almost 160m-long icebreaker can reach 21.4 knots – almost 40km per hour – and sail nonstop for almost six years without returning to land for refuelling. With nuclear reactors on board, fuel stops become almost a thing of the past.


ezgif-5-e1616fcc17.jpg


ezgif-5-e1616fcc17.jpg


ezgif-5-e1616fcc17.jpg



https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/2...=pocket-newtab