Christchurch, NZ
Christchurch is the jumping off point for people on their way to McMurdo. Coming through customs, you can spot at least some of the people who are heading farther south. Some have penguin luggage tags from years past on their carry-on luggage. Some are talking about where they're going. Some just look like adventurers and I'm guessing they are not just hiking the south island.
For those of us heading to Antarctica, we show the passport control officers a letter asking for a 9 month visitors permit rather than the standard 3 month permit in case we get stuck "on the ice" due to bad weather. If I had to stay for 9 months, it would be the start of winter! As I put my luggage on the x-ray belt, the customs worker sees my penguin tags and asks, "Another ice girl?" and I say, "Yep!"
After checking into the hotel, we go to the United States Antarctic Program (USAP) travel office to ask about McMurdo flights. A storm and a mechanical problem have delayed flights so that the first flight in was yesterday rather than almost a week ago. That has everything backed up, but today's flight also went in, and they are combining flights as much as possible. If tomorrow's flight can make it, we'll be set for our flight on the 6th. If not, they'll try to combine that flight with ours and we'll be squeezed in. Cargo is also backed up.
I'm eager to get on the ice, but today in Christchurch is very pleasant. Christchurch is a beautiful city with a focus on the outdoors. There are lots of adventure tourism things to do, lots of tours to take. Antarctica has a strong presence, too. The bookstores have special sections on Antarctica with beautiful pictures and adventure tales. Roald Amundsen and Robert Scott led the first two expeditions to the South Pole, with Amundsen getting there one month before Scott and making it back alive, unlike Scott. However, Scott has a stronger presence in Christchurch, possibly because he was English and he died in his endeavor. There is a beautiful statue of Scott, carved by his wife, along the Avon River that runs through Christchurch.
The stories of these early adventurers makes me contemplate my own motivations for this adventure. Some of the things our "expedition" will do will be "firsts". But that isn't what motivates me. I am much more interested in trying to answer my scientific questions. Why isn't being first important to me? Why does trying to answer esoteric questions about microscopic organisms intrigue me so much? Luckily, I don't have to actually answer these questions!
For those of us heading to Antarctica, we show the passport control officers a letter asking for a 9 month visitors permit rather than the standard 3 month permit in case we get stuck "on the ice" due to bad weather. If I had to stay for 9 months, it would be the start of winter! As I put my luggage on the x-ray belt, the customs worker sees my penguin tags and asks, "Another ice girl?" and I say, "Yep!"
After checking into the hotel, we go to the United States Antarctic Program (USAP) travel office to ask about McMurdo flights. A storm and a mechanical problem have delayed flights so that the first flight in was yesterday rather than almost a week ago. That has everything backed up, but today's flight also went in, and they are combining flights as much as possible. If tomorrow's flight can make it, we'll be set for our flight on the 6th. If not, they'll try to combine that flight with ours and we'll be squeezed in. Cargo is also backed up.
I'm eager to get on the ice, but today in Christchurch is very pleasant. Christchurch is a beautiful city with a focus on the outdoors. There are lots of adventure tourism things to do, lots of tours to take. Antarctica has a strong presence, too. The bookstores have special sections on Antarctica with beautiful pictures and adventure tales. Roald Amundsen and Robert Scott led the first two expeditions to the South Pole, with Amundsen getting there one month before Scott and making it back alive, unlike Scott. However, Scott has a stronger presence in Christchurch, possibly because he was English and he died in his endeavor. There is a beautiful statue of Scott, carved by his wife, along the Avon River that runs through Christchurch.
The stories of these early adventurers makes me contemplate my own motivations for this adventure. Some of the things our "expedition" will do will be "firsts". But that isn't what motivates me. I am much more interested in trying to answer my scientific questions. Why isn't being first important to me? Why does trying to answer esoteric questions about microscopic organisms intrigue me so much? Luckily, I don't have to actually answer these questions!
