I was already planning my Antarctic trip when I was in Ireland, and actually already looking ahead to it. Ireland was a blast, but this one, Argentina and Antarctica, was gonna be a biggie.

But really, when it came down to it, I had no interest in going to Argentina. To me it was just a country I had to get through on my way to Antarctica, the place I really wanted to go.

I tried studying the history of Argentina, as I do with every country I visit, but couldn't really get into it. E...