Problem: Article: By far the most common way to travel to Antarctica is on a special cruise ship. These trips vary, but are typically between 10 days and three weeks long. You can take various routes to the Peninsula depending on where you are departing from. The advantages of these cruises are that everything is provided on the ship, and you get to see Antarctica and its wildlife close-up for an extended period of time. Most voyages to the Antarctic Peninsular region leave from Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego in Argentina, Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands and a few leave from Punta Arenas in Chile, Buenos Aires in Argentina, or Puerto Madryn in Argentina. There are a variety of ship sizes that you can travel on, ranging from around 45 passengers total at the smaller end, to 280 passengers at the larger end. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. In general, the larger the ship the more comfortable and well-equipped it will be, but the less opportunity you will get to land on Antarctica yourself and see things up-close. In high seas, larger ships are the most comfortable but the strict guidelines on how many people can visit the shore will limit your opportunities for shore visits. Smaller ships allow for more time on shore. This is because tourist guidelines limit landings of tour groups to 100 people. All reputable cruise operators will be registered with the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), so this is good place to consult during your planning. They support environmentally friendly travel to Antarctica. The costs for these cruises will vary, but for a ten day trip expect to pay at least $4500, whereas for the longer trips it could be from $12,750-$16,000. It is possible to reach Antarctica by yacht but this is not commonplace and is more for specialist yachtsmen than your average tourist. There are a number of yachting companies that are sanctioned by the IAATO and conduct trips to Antarctica who can you contact. Yachts tend to leave from Ushuaia or Stanley and are only for the very courageous and adventurous. For these smaller ships, the conditions are much more treacherous than the larger cruise ships. This is a very expensive option that could cost more than $1000 a day for each traveller. One left-field option is to travel on a French re-supply vessel as a tourist. The ship, Marion Dufresne II, leaves from Reunion and the round-trip takes around a month. The number of tourists allowed aboard is limited and you will have to contact French tourist agencies for up-to-date information on departure schedules, availability and prices. Prices start from around $8,000 for the month.
Summary: Travel on a cruise ship. Decide whether to travel on a larger cruise ship or smaller one. Sail to Antarctica on a yacht. Travel on a French re-supply ship.

Problem: Article: Get the smallest box you can that will safely ship all the items in your care package. Keep in mind that you may need to specially pack certain items to insure they don't break or leak. You can usually buy boxes at your post office or shipping company's store. Some stores will pack your items for an additional fee. If you'll be shipping to him often, it might make sense to keep packaging from any online orders you receive to reuse. You can ask friends and family to save theirs too. Make sure that nothing can spill or break inside the box. Secure the contents of the box so that they do not jostle around in transit. If there is anything that is fragile, wrap it carefully with newspaper or bubble wrap. If you are sending a package to your boyfriend in a faraway country, he may appreciate the newspaper wrap to be able to read some of the news from back home! If there is any liquid, put it in a small plastic bag and tape up the ends. That way if it breaks open, the whole package isn't ruined. Separate toiletries and foods. Secure soaps in separate plastic bags to avoid their odor contaminating the food. Put foods in their own, separate plastic bags as well. Stuff newspaper or filler material in the empty spaces in the boxes to prevent contents moving around. Tape the box securely to prevent it from being opened during transit. Decorate the package if you want. Put colorful tissue paper in it. Tie ribbons around the gifts. Draw or write something on the outside of the box that way as soon as he picks up the package, he'll know who it's from! Keep in mind that additional decorative material may add weight (and therefore, expense) to your shipping cost. Make sure any decorations on the outside of the box don't obscure addresses. There are plenty of shipping companies that will deliver your parcel, as well as the post office. Shipping through your post office will likely be the least expensive, and private shipping companies will be more expensive. You may want to research several companies, as well as your post office, to find out how much it will cost to send a package. For example, you may want to call the company or go online to ask, "How much would it cost to send a six pound package from Chicago to Glasgow?" You may also have to pay extra if the dimensions of the package are outside acceptable limits. If you want, get insurance on the package. It is usually fairly inexpensive. Fill out a customs form if it is destined for somewhere outside of the country. You will get this form at your post office or at your shipping company. You need to list the contents of the package and the cost of the item on the form. Make sure that the mailing address is correct, and that your return address is visible. If something included is perishable, make sure that that is indicated clearly on the outside of the package.
Summary: Find a box. Pack it. Make the package look pretty. Ship your package.

Problem: Article: Choose a fabric that will not fray, such as felt. The fabric should be wide enough to fit around the doll and overlap by at least 1 inch (2.5cm). The fabric piece can be as long as you want the top or dress to be. Measure the widest part of your doll to find the width. Then, use the doll to find the length. For a top, cut the fabric so that it will end about 1 inch (2.5cm) below the doll's waist. For a short dress, cut the fabric so that it will come to the doll's knees. For a long dress, cut the fabric so that it will come to the doll's toes. Center the doll on the fabric from the right and left sides. The top of the doll's shoulders should be about 0.5 inches (1.3cm) to 1 inch (2.5cm) below the top edge of the fabric. Use a pen or piece of fabric chalk to place a small mark on the fabric next to each of your doll's shoulders. There should be 2 marks when you are done. Cut along each of the marks you made on the fabric to create armholes for the doll dress or shirt. Make sure that the holes are wide enough for the doll's arms to fit through by inserting the doll's arms through each one. Insert your doll's hands through each of the holes and slide the holes up to your doll's shoulders. If the holes are not wide enough to get them all the way to the doll's shoulders, then snip a little more fabric to widen the holes. Keep mind that it is better for the armholes to be a little too small than too big because you can always make them larger. Next, wrap the fabric across the doll's body, as if you were closing a robe. Wrap the fabric as tight or as loose as you want it to be. The fabric should be long enough to wrap all the way around to the back of the doll if you want it to. To secure the wrap dress you have created, cut out a strip of stretch fabric. Wrap it around the doll's waist and tie a bow to secure it. You can also use a piece of ribbon to secure the dress if you prefer. You can leave the neckline area of the dress as is, or you can fold it back to create the look of a collar. It's up to you! Use glue to attach jewels, beads, and/or sequins to the dress. You can add them anywhere you like. Just add a dab of fabric glue to the jewel, bead, or sequin and press it onto the dress where you want it to go. Let the glue dry overnight. Add a jewel to the center of the neckline. Apply some beads to the bottom of the skirt. Layer the skirt with sequins.
Summary:
Cut out a piece of fabric. Lay the doll on the fabric and mark the fabric next to the doll's shoulders. Cut holes in the fabric where you marked it. Slide your doll's arms into the holes. Cross the fabric in front of the doll's body. Use a long strip of fabric to secure the shirt or dress at your doll's waist. Fold back the collar if desired. Decorate the dress with jewels, beads, and sequins.