British retiree Caroline Tapken spends €21,000 on Antarctica journey

Caroline Tapken, a 65‑year‑old British consultant living near London, chose to use her pension savings for travel rather than an inheritance. She spent roughly £18,000 (about €21,000) on a three‑week Antarctic cruise, sailing from Ushuaia after an itinerant start in Buenos Aires, spending twelve days among glaciers before a brief stop in Uruguay and returning to the United Kingdom.

Tapken said her money is not a “piggy‑bank for my children”, emphasizing a philosophy that retirees should enjoy experiences. She has already given her children a week‑long vacation in Barbados and, after a 2017 divorce in Thailand, she encourages her peers to pursue lifelong dreams during retirement.