HOME SWEET HOME - 27 February 2008

It was a mix full of emotions. One I couldn't wait to get home to see Hubby, family, friends and the four legged ones in my life, and two, it seemed really sad to be leaving this phenomenal environment behind.

I made some incredible friends that I'm really going to miss. Being in such a unique environment we became so close, the term seems so cliché now, but I know we'll be friends for the rest of our lives. We've shared something special together.

We boarded the c-17 at 11.30am in a condition 2 storm, the winds were howling and the air was chilly, it took all concentration to stay upright. Antarctica really wanted to give us a send off!

We touched down at Christchurch airport a little after 5pm. A man from the Air National Guard came over the PA "welcome to New Zealand - be careful, there are a lot of colours out there"

I remember feeling the intense heat once I stepped onto the tarmac, quickly followed by just an abundance of smells and colours bouncing out from everywhere. We were informed it was 25.c outside, when we left Antarctica it was around -23.c. Here I was wearing thermal underwear, wind pants, woolly hat, and a fleece top.

Spending the night in Christchurch; Indian was on the menu for dinner. Now I’m renown for being a slow eater, but that butter chicken was in my belly in under 7 minutes. The sun dipped slowly below the horizon and the night drew in. We stood in awe, gazing towards the black sky. It was such a surreal experience, the dark looked so foreign. The pub-crawl was inevitable and we enjoyed some final laughs together over some great tasting kiwi beers.

I heard from a friend on my way to the airport that my good friends Megan and Sean cried when I left the pub that night. It's sad to think that these guys live on the other side of the world.

It's fantastic to be home, and be in the arms of my husband and the "kids". Logan sprinted down the path, jumped straight on top of me and licked my face for about 5 minutes! He hasn't left my side since.

I have fulfilled a dream. Visiting Antarctica was such a phenomenal, inspiring, spiritual, and once in a lifetime experience, one I’ll never ever forget.

I can only end this with the poem as is inscribed on Antarctic explorer, Robert Falcon Scott's cross...
To Strive, To Seek, To find, and not to yield.

WEATHER WEATHER WEATHER - wednesday 20 february

A storm came in on Tuesday, cancelling a c-17 flight north. They have been delayed again today, and are now crossing their fingers to get out on Thursday. Unfortunately that pushes other people back by a day or two also. At the moment it still looks like I’ll be out on Saturday, but if the plane doesn't come in tomorrow then that won't happen. I feel for the delayed folk, they had to hand in their luggage on Monday to get packed into the pallets for the flight out. So all they have is the clothes on their backs and that's it! I guess that explains the half naked people I saw in the laundry this morning.

(the photo is from a c-17 flight I was at the other day - the pilot checking his plane!)

THE MAZE - sunday 17 february

The course was set, the facemask blacked out, and the lights turned off. Training time!

Our lieutenants set up a training "maze" and the drill was set "things have turned bad, the fire is out of control, find your way out of the building.

Antarctica may be the coldest continent, but it sure was hot crawling around the engine bay, working your way through tight caps, loose wires, tunnels and roof frames!

(spot my nickname - kiwi - on the back of my helmet)

NOT YOUR TYPICAL TROPICAL CRUISE - friday 15 february

This one's especially for you Jennie. (for those that don't know my super cool mother-in-law; she is an absolutely amazing woman, full of compassion and forever thinking of others before herself. Jennie is a big fan of cruising, so I knew she'd be right into this one. I had to work today but I told my Leitenant about Jennie and he let us drive the fire truck down to the water for some photos.)

Today we had the pleasure of off ice company.

The Polish cruise ship, Marina Svetaeva, stopped by for a cup of tea on her way from New Zealand to Australia. The sea ice hasn't completely broken up this year, making it impossible to get to the pier without the icebreaker. So she rested in the bay whilst her 100 eager passengers were flown in by helicopter to explore what McMurdo and Scott base had to offer.

I had the great fortune of talking to some of the passengers, including a kiwi from Gore. They had visited the dry valleys, port chambers, watched orca's playing in the ships wake. Sounds like a lifetime dream, and with a $30,000 dollar price ticket, I bet for many it was.

visit www.auroraexpeditions.com.au for more information about this Antarctica cruise. The first photo is off their website.

THE END IS NEAR- wednesday 13 february

Last station 2 shift today. Willy field runway will be closed this coming Sunday.

I'm flying out on Saturday the 23rd - the last flight north. Apparently it's tradition to do a "fly by" over mcmurdo and tilt the wings both ways to wave goodbye. Unfortunately my ticket on the c-17 doesn't come with a window seat, so as much as I am excited about the prospect, it's probably going to feel like some sort of crazy roller coaster ride. I always wondered why the c-17 in-flight lunch came in a brown paper bag. Now I know why.

SHACKLETON'S HUT- friday 8 february

This hut is one Shackleton and his crew spent a winter in during one of his expeditions.

The heritage trust has been working hard to preserve both shackleton and Scott’s hut, and it's amazing to see that many artefacts have lasted till this day 96 years on.

I stumbled across the supply box of dog biscuits. I tried to imagine dogs in this harsh environment; the cold snow and the bone chilling wind, yet I can only picture Logan my retriever laying upside down on our couch waiting for a belly rub.

AMERICAN TERN - wednesday february 6

This morning I volunteered to line handle for the incoming cargo ship. It was absolutely incredible watching this mother ship crushing through the ice as she drew her way in.

The American Tern set sail from Littleton in New Zealand 20 days prior, battling with 40-50 foot waves and thick brash ice. But they braved the conditions and made it safely in one piece, delivering us our lettuce, ski poles and engine motors.

EMPEROR PENGUIN - tuesday 5 february

I went out to Pegasus runway today to do a hard stand for a c-17 flight. I was driving Red 2, a 19 tonne beau that with foot to the metal I could run faster than. The 7-mile drive out there took around an hour and a half. We had to load a medivac onto the c-17 also, he was suffering from appendicitis.

As the hours drew by the weather rapidly deteriorated, making the return drive back a little difficult. To make matters worse the window wipers were broken. Every so often I had to jump out and wipe the windscreen down with a cloth enabling me to see. On top of that the engine would die every time I stopped to an idle. I was on my own, in the middle of a white out snow storm, throwing up my options...Do I stop driving to wipe the window, and run the risk of it not starting again? or just carry on and drive blind?, it's just snow either side of me for 2000 miles "what am I going to hit" the words hadn’t left my mind when all of a sudden, in the 5cm circle of visibility I spot something black. As I get closer I realise it's a penguin, and not just any penguin, but an emperor penguin. "Now this is worth getting stuck here for,” I thought. I grabbed my camera and jumped straight out of the rig.

Out of all the things I wanted to experience here, topping the list was seeing an emperor penguin. People have been here for 5-8 seasons and never seen one. I was in absolute awe, clicking away on the camera. He stood no more than 10 feet away from me. I found myself talking to him as I do to my retriever Logan "hey little guy, hey buddy, whatcha up to?" I just wanted to go and rub his tummy.

After posing for some photos and realising I wasn't a fish, he turned and waddled away into the surrounding white cloud.

What a breathtaking experience. There I was on my own in awe of this lone emperor. I wonder what he was thinking?

SUPERBOWL - monday 4 february

Today I got to experience my first ever super bowl. The all American past time.

New York Giants vs. New England Patriots. The game was streamed live from America through the air force television network.

I got a running commentary from my patient friend Dave, "so wait, why can they do that again?" I would ask. "Did he just score a try?" "there are no tries in football" hmmmm.

The under-dogs (the giants) won 17-14. We had a little betting game for the score after each quarter. (the red photo) The score didn't change between the second and fourth quarter so my other friend Dave won some money twice, cashing in on $75 mulahs.

Although much to the disgrace of my American buddies that I fell asleep half way through the game! - I had a blast, and I would recommend the super bowl to anyone.

A SLEEPING BAG & THE ELEMENTS - 1 February 2008

This white land mass is often referred to as the "harshest of continents" the white desert. The coldest, driest and windiest of continents. Only cold-adapted plants and animals survive this environment. So on that note I decided I had to spend a night outside. No tent, No shelter. Just a sleeping bag, and a good attitude.

Be at one with Antarctica I thought.

My good friends Dave and Heath didn't need much convincing to join me.

Fortunately a friend in the field camp supply lent us some sleeping bags and mats.

Observation Hill had to be the destination. Standing at 750ft tall, Ob hill is the site of Scott's cross, a memorial to him and his expedition team. The large wooden cross is inscribed with names of the fatal party and a short quote from the Alfred Tennyson poem "Ulysses", which reads "To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

It started to snow as we zipped up our bags. I lay in awe, staring up at the cross, wondering what it must have been like in 1912, traversing this landscape I see before me. I'm brought back to reality by the feeling of chilly snowflakes hitting my face. I pull the sleeping bag draw cord in tight, and settled in for the night.

I slept soundly for an hour then awoke feeling intensely cold. I looked over at Dave and saw his black sleeping bag covered tip to toe in snow. I drifted off again. At 5am I woke this time feeling super warm, rather confused and still half asleep I opened my eyes and noticed the sun shining out through the clouds, it's rays rapidly increasing the warmth in my bag.

I soundly slept again until I was woken at 8am by the voices of some rather surprised hikers.

It was such a moving and memorable experience, and by the sounds of it we were the first to have slept up there.

WEATHER REPORT 31 January 2008 – 1st February 2008
Wind – variable 5 knots becoming easterly 10-18 knots
Temperature – max -13.c wind chill -24.c
Forecast – chance of light snow