#38
A Life Measured in Moments - Spotlight from East Greenland
Anna Cortesi moves through life the way she travels: deliberately, with curiosity and an appetite for the extraordinary. A labor and management consultant by profession, Anna has spent four decades building a career and a life shaped less by possessions than by experiences.
In conversation, she returns again and again to a theme that has become her mantra:
“The best money I've ever spent is the money I've invested in experiences.”
Plan your trip to Greenland
Every expedition starts with a single step.
That simple philosophy is what led her from archeological dives in Titicaca to the floes and fjords of East Greenland aboard the Freya — and what makes her story the kind that gently convinces others to step aboard.
From adventure seeker to mindful traveler, Anna describes herself as an “adrenaline seeker,” a label earned through years of varied expeditions: rafting in Nepal, climbing Kilimanjaro, exploring volcanoes in Mexico and Ecuador, archaeological diving in Bolivian lakes, as well as long solo jaunts to cities like Tokyo, New York, and Dubai. Yet beneath that adventurous streak is a reflective traveler who treasures the little things:
“I learned in my life to appreciate every tiny thing and every tiny moment,”
Anna’s approach to travel blends an appetite for challenge with a deep sensitivity to place — an ideal match for Secret Atlas’s small-ship, intimate expeditions.
The decision to choose Secret Atlas came after careful research. Antarctica was her dream, but time constraints and the long commitments required steered her to East Greenland and the Scoresby Sound voyage instead. The result was a trip that exceeded expectations.
“The real thing was 10 times better,” Anna remembers, reflecting on the warmth and professionalism of the crew and guides, and the rare beauty she found each morning.
Moments that become memory
Several images from Anna’s trip linger in her retelling. She recalls the surreal moment of stepping aboard Freya after a windy, snowy landing:
“I set foot on Freya, and I thought, I’m in a fairy tale.”
Then there is the predawn stillness before sunrise: standing on deck amidst black sea and sky, illuminated only by the ship’s lights and the dazzling white of pack ice.
“You were suspended in this black mirror, and Freya sailed past and all these wonderful white dazzling chunks”, she says.
Those early hours capture the uncanny intimacy of polar travel by a small but powerful ice hardened ship — a sensation that many larger land-based journeys cannot reproduce. Anna was also struck by the palette of the ice: the blues, rose hues, and even startling yellows and blacks that made the icebergs seem like nature’s own gallery.
“There was one iceberg which was white and blue and sort of a rose red. For me, these memories carry the wonder of seeing a rare spectacle for the first time.”
For Anna, these visual encounters weren’t only branded by spectacular photographs — they were almost indelible spiritual experiences.
“It was a symphony of exciting, wonderful, amazing things,”
— Anna added.
People, place, and the power of small ships
A central theme of Anna’s story is the human scale of small-ship expedition cruising. She appreciated the care she received — a contrast to some of her earlier, rougher adventures.
“Everyone was there to help me, to give me help, to warm me,” she says.
On the Scoresbysund Expedition, there was intimacy that allowed meaningful connections with guides and crew. Anna highlighted two guides in particular: Giancarlo, an Italian whose warmth resonated with her, and Neils, a local Greenlander from Ittoqqortoormiit. Nils’s storytelling and cultural knowledge brought her closer to the place and its people: “I was immersed in Greenlandic culture. I don't know… I'd like to talk to him for a week.”
Anna was deeply impressed by the small community of Ittoqqortoormiit, which she happily pronounces with excellence after much practice in the field. She noted the presence of complete families — children, teenagers, and elders — and what she called a self-sustaining local economy. The sight of ATV traffic and everyday life in such a remote spot made a lasting impression. “It's amazing how you find young people, complete families… there is a real economy,” she observed, surprised and delighted to find a living, breathing community where many might expect only seasonal inhabitants.
A gentle evangelist for the great health benefits of travel, Anna’s voice in the spotlight is persuasive not through “sales talk” but through authentic testimony. She offers candid advice for future travelers and a heartfelt argument for why these journeys matter: “I like everything that’s new. I like every form of life. I’m enthusiastic. I love adventure. I love exploring. This is my nature.”
Her enthusiasm is contagious, and it’s grounded in lived experience — both the highs and the pragmatic realities of travel logistics as well as personal limits. Anna’s practical side shows in her meticulous packing habits and survival mindset. Years of expedition and rescue experience have turned her into a planner who values small, indispensable items as much as grand vistas. She keeps a detailed packing checklist (she laughed that hers contains “170 items”), not out of fussiness but out of respect for being prepared in remote places.
Why this story matters for would-be travelers
Anna’s spotlight illustrates how Secret Atlas-style expeditions offer something rare: the union of heart-stirring landscapes, authentic local encounters, and the safety and care that allow not just young peopld bit also even bold older travelers to continue exploring. She’s a compelling example: at 60 she looks like a young 40 something who is still seeking out wild places. She is both intrepid and measured. Her choices are motivated by an authentic hunger for experience rather than novelty for its own sake.
“I promised myself I won't ever spend money on things,” she says. “I spend all my money on experiences.” That belief alone will resonate with many readers considering their first — or next — small-ship expedition.
Practical echoes and lasting impact
Anna’s story also contains practical takeaways for planners and guides. She loved the crew’s preparedness on Freya: “Freya was really, really complete. They had everything.” She admired the thoroughness of pre-trip information. Her combination of meticulous preparation and openness to surprise makes her an ideal ambassador — someone who shows future travelers how to prepare, and what to leave open to wonder.
In the end, Anna’s voice invites readers into a kind of tasteful, heartfelt persuasion: travel changes you. It’s not about conquering the world; it’s about collecting moments that enrich who you are. She sums it up simply:
“I learned in my life to appreciate every tiny thing and every tiny moment.” If that statement rings true, then a voyage to places like Scoresby Sound and beyond is not just a trip — it’s the preservation of moments that become the fabric of a life well lived.
If you’d like to see Anna’s iPhone images from the voyage (her photos glow with the same wonder she describes), she has offered to share a selection for our spotlight. Her pictures and words together make a quiet, convincing case for small-ship exploration: intimate, safe, and profoundly life-affirming. Join us aboard and see what stories you’ll bring home. We thank Anna Cortesi for her beautiful observations and wish her many happy trails in her future.
Northeast Greenland National Park Micro Cruise
76°50'N, 23°10'W
The ultimate Greenland experience – a unique two-week adventure into Northeast Greenland National Park, the world’s largest national park, and Scoresbysund, the longest fjord system on Earth.
- 12 guests
- 11 — 13 days
Scoresbysund Autumn Micro Cruise
70°50’N, 25°00’W
An autumn micro cruise to Scoresbysund, East Greenland. For landscape lovers and aurora chasers – the ultimate expedition of Earth and sky.
- 12 guests
- 9 days
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