Went out for a Search and Rescue meeting last night to discuss and then walk on the "late season" sea ice. The afternoon storm had cleared through at this point and the lighting was so beautiful. We played around on the ice's pressure ridges, drilling holes and looking at the consistency of the ice and then back to McMurdo at about 10pm. It was too beautiful outside to head in so I headed to Hut Point (where Captain Scott once lived on his first expedition to the Antarctic) and stood there for a long time, looking at the water, the ice, the snow and the mountains. Didin't want to go back inside. So amazing. And so amazing to be here, strange to be leaving in what is now about 48 hours. Just said good bye to half the GA crew who are flying out right now. The rest of us fly out on Friday.
Many people are ready to leave, but I am savoring these last few days. I finished my last day of work today and tomorrow have a day off to clean my room, and get in gear to make the five hour flight back to Christchurch, New Zealand. It'll be hard to get on that plane and I plan to have a seat near one of the few windows. It'll be a time of much reflection. This experience won't easily pass though the cog wheels of my brain.
Happy Valentine's Day to you all.
Benny-Oy! I am sad 4u that u have to leave - it must be so hard having become used to such an alien environment to contemplate coming back to the "real world" - but NZ will be a good stepping stone to that!!!! I hope u can make it to Australia!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeletejamie