Happy new year, everyone!
It's almost time to go to the South Pole. I have been scheduled to go for many months and have had my plane ticket ready for a few months, and finally, I will be flying out in a few days. Now that the holiday fun and craziness is over, it's finally sinking in.
You know the saying about how you get to Carnegie Hall (practice, practice, practice...)? Well, how do you get to the South Pole? There are many ways to get there: you can mount an expedition (see Shackleton, Amundsen, or Scott), ski, or run a marathon (O.K. not strictly the Pole, but close enough). I opted for many many years of education + research, and airplanes. There are many other ways to get there (becoming an U.S. Senator, for example), but I'm going as a scientist with IceCube to help build a neutrino telescope (more on this later, I'm sure). There are many accounts of what it's like to get to and to be at South Pole, but I wanted to share my experience, so, bear with me...
So, how do you really get there? I will be flying through Los Angeles, through Sydney, Australia, then spend a few nights at Christchurch in New Zealand. In New Zealand, I will pick up my "Extreme Cold Weather" clothing, then on to McMurdo Station at the edge or Antarctica, spend one night there, then onto South Pole proper. The geographic pole to be more precise. I will spend about 2 and a half weeks there, then make the trip backwards home some time in February.
I will be in good hands as there will be many friends and colleagues already there, and it's comforting to know that all along the way, English will be the official language. In that regard, I've worked at far more remote places than this. With a husband who speaks a mix of German/British/Seattle and a 2-year daughter who speaks with a pure Wisconsinite accent, I can't even complain about the Kiwi accent in New Zealand :).
Anyway, I hope to share some of my adventures with you during the next few weeks.
In case you're curious for more, I have collected some links:
You will be very missed!! But how exciting! Is this the longest you'll have been away from Yuki?
ReplyDeleteHave a safe trip! W'll be looking forward to hearing about all your exciting experiences. Love the picture of Yuki with "penguin" book!
ReplyDeleteThanks! Yes, this will be for sure the longest. First time I was away for a week and she was weaned. Second time, ten days and she turned into a toddler. This time... potty trained? :)
ReplyDeleteNice to know that you made it to Christchurch safely after a very long travel. Isn't it wonderful to meet Cubers who'd had been to the Pole already and get some tips!! Love the photos of the city.
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