Author: edelaquess92

I’ve communicated with several folks back home who think I am going to the South Pole. I am not. McMurdo Station is about 800 miles north of the South Pole, on Ross Island, which is partially landlocked by the Ross Ice Shelf, one of the world’s largest ice shelves.

Ice Shelf = thick platform of ice that forms on the coasts of oceans

The flight from Christchurch to McMurdo was about five hours. It was a little weird being on a plane with no windows, but it was also a little weird being on a C-17 Globemaster operated by the U.S. Air Force.

With the food and copious leg room, it was the most comfortable flight I’ve ever had.

7 am or so, lining up outside the CDC with our passports and gear.

At the CDC, waiting to board the bus that will take us to the airport.

We are here!

The Air Force provided bagged lunches. It was awesome.

Stoked about leaving, and having the most leg room I have ever had on a flight!

Inside the C-17 Globemaster.

I left Madison on October 5th and flew from Milwaukee to Chicago to Los Angeles to Christchurch, New Zealand, home of the International Antarctic Centre, and where the United States Antarctic Program (USAP) coordinates many of their activities.

We arrived in Christchurch on October 7th (jumping ahead one day as we crossed the international date line) and were supposed to fly to McMurdo on October 10th. Bad weather in McMurdo delayed us by four days, so we flew on October 14th.

The first few days in Christchurch involved lots of orientation and training, but the delay gave me some extra time to explore the city.

185 chairs memorial for the folks who died in the Canterbury earthquakes of 2011.

Christchurch has a lot of street art, much of it springing up on ruined buildings after the earthquake.

Flowers in the botanic gardens. It was so strange to see flowers blooming and feel spring rainstorms in October!

The River Avon.

Maori art at the Canterbury Museum.

Trying on my ECW (Extreme Cold Weather) gear at the CDC (Clothing Distribution Center. Yes, there are a lot of new acronyms to learn!

Hello readers,

Occasional blog posts will appear here.

-Elizabeth