Hey everyone,
Time sure is flying along. I received my official flight itinerary, and I leave for the South Pole on November 8th. The journey to the South Pole takes several days - almost a week actually. Unlike most U.S. travel, there is not a "non-stop" flight to the South Pole. In fact, my journey to the South Pole will consist of several stops and stages. First, I will be flying from Los Angeles (just up the road from me here in Irvine) to Sydney, Australia. I will only be in Sydney for a few hours for a layover and will then fly to Christchurch, New Zealand. Christchurch is the location for the United States Antarctic Program headquarters and where I will receive all my cold weather gear and safety training. I will spend two nights in Christchurch and then hopefully leave for McMurdo Station. I say "hopefully" because the flight out of Christchurch to McMurdo depends heavily on the weather conditions along the route from Christchurch and in McMurdo. It is not unusual for flights to be cancelled for several days due to bad weather. Remember, Antarctica is a land of extremes! Once in McMurdo, we will wait until the South Pole Station has been resupplied and is ready for new visitors to arrive and then we will be flown to the South Pole. All in all, the trip to South Pole will take about a week!
My packing adventure begins today. What all do you think I'll need to take with me for my trip? I'd love to hear your comments.
Until next time,
Mindy
Time sure is flying along. I received my official flight itinerary, and I leave for the South Pole on November 8th. The journey to the South Pole takes several days - almost a week actually. Unlike most U.S. travel, there is not a "non-stop" flight to the South Pole. In fact, my journey to the South Pole will consist of several stops and stages. First, I will be flying from Los Angeles (just up the road from me here in Irvine) to Sydney, Australia. I will only be in Sydney for a few hours for a layover and will then fly to Christchurch, New Zealand. Christchurch is the location for the United States Antarctic Program headquarters and where I will receive all my cold weather gear and safety training. I will spend two nights in Christchurch and then hopefully leave for McMurdo Station. I say "hopefully" because the flight out of Christchurch to McMurdo depends heavily on the weather conditions along the route from Christchurch and in McMurdo. It is not unusual for flights to be cancelled for several days due to bad weather. Remember, Antarctica is a land of extremes! Once in McMurdo, we will wait until the South Pole Station has been resupplied and is ready for new visitors to arrive and then we will be flown to the South Pole. All in all, the trip to South Pole will take about a week!
My packing adventure begins today. What all do you think I'll need to take with me for my trip? I'd love to hear your comments.
Until next time,
Mindy