I'm a travel influencer who's sailed to Antarctica 3 times. It's a notoriously treacherous journey — but it's so worth it.

• The Drake Passage is an ocean passage ships take to Antarctica. It's gone viral for how rough it is.
• Alyssa Ramos, a travel influencer, has crossed it three times back and forth — and keeps going back.
• "It's wild," she says. "But then you get to Antarctica and remember why the journey was worth it."

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Alyssa Ramos, a travel influencer who's sailed the Drake Passage. It has been edited for length and clarity. 

I've crossed what's widely known as the most treacherous ocean passage in the world three times back and forth by boat. This is why I keep going back.

I'm a travel influencer 

It's my job. It has been for 10 years, back when it wasn't that common to be a full-time influencer. I make a living off of collaborations and sponsorships. 

As a travel influencer, I've always had those bucket list destinations that are just dreams to me. One of those is Antarctica.

The most economical and environmentally-friendly way to get to Antarctica is by ship 

That journey to Antarctica takes you right through the Drake Passage, which has a reputation for being one of the roughest seas in the world. The Drake Passage is a body of water between the southern edge of South America and the lonely continent of Antarctica. 

Within the Drake Passage, three seas converge. The Atlantic, Pacific, and Southern Seas all meet there, and without any land to offer resistance for the water, it can get treacherous. 

I've gone through the Passage six times now on three Antarctic trips, and you never know if you're going to get the Drake Lake (the nickname for when the Passage is calm) or the Drake Shake (the nickname for when the Passage is rough).

As a travel influencer, I share my travels online 

A video I posted of what it's like to cross the Passage has been viewed more than 4 million times. In the video, you can see the reality of the Passage: how it throws you around while you're just trying to walk, how the waves can reach heights of 40 feet, and how the boat literally rocks up and down. 

My best tip to anyone going on the Drake Passage is to bring Dramamine, which is an anti-nausea medication. It saves my life. I still throw up every time, but with medication, I'm able to keep myself from throwing up for the entire duration of the two days it takes to get through the Passage. 

People say they could never go because they get so motion-sick

But honestly, I get motion-sick just sitting in the backseat of a car and I'm able to do it. You just have to accept that you're going to throw up and be prepared with anti-nausea medications. 

There's also been a doctor on board each ship I've been on in case someone can't stop vomiting.

It's wild to go through the Drake Passage

It's like being in an elevator that drops. Your stomach falls into your feet, and it feels like gravity is just slamming you around. You're rocking side to side with no control over what's happening. I've had a chair slide across the room from the motion and hit my leg while I was sleeping. 

Every time I go through the Passage, there's a moment where I'm cleaning up after throwing up and looking at myself in the mirror like: Why did I do this to myself?

But then you get to Antarctica and you remember why the journey was worth it

You get to step foot on the seventh continent. You get to see penguins and whales. You see wildlife you can't see anywhere else in the world. It's one of my favorite places on Earth.

The #drakepassage is going viral on TikTok right now with more than 189 million views, and you can see why. Not only is it a crazy journey, but it leads you to the most incredible destination.