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.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Hello. This post is likeable, and your blog is very interesting, congratulations :-). I will add in my blogroll =). If possible gives a last there on my blog, it is about the Servidor, I hope you enjoy. The address is http://servidor-brasil.blogspot.com. A hug.
Post a Comment