In Transit

I have not added any posts for the last few weeks as we have been in transit. The problem has not been with the transport, but the weather.

Saturday 23rd October

I Started my journey south at 11.00am Saturday morning, the first step was to meet the rest of the group at Heathrow airport. I met up with most of them during check in it was good to see familiar faces, most of the group where the same guys as last season with a couple of first timers.  The flight was to leave Heathrow at 4.30pm, but was delayed by an hour.

We eventually left for Madrid, the flight itself went quite quickly with 3 and a half  hours in the air, but there was a 5 hour wait at the other end for our connecting flight to Santiago in south America. As we couldn't leave the airport we got a bite to eat and waited for our call.

A few of the lads sleeping in the departure lounge

The next flight was to be a 15 hour jaunt which was not very comfortable as i was stuck next to someone that slept almost the whole journey. Once in Santiago we had another 5 hour wait before we boarded our plane to Punta Arenas, this flight was another 3 and a half hours.



Flying over the Andies on our flight 
to Punta Arenas


We were all glad to be on the ground and heading for the Hotel, it had been a long trip down and we were all pretty tired

having been travelling for approx. 40 hours.

Our Hotel was very comfortable having a room each and a place to shower relax and spread out a bit. it was a bonus to be in Latin America, although there was not much to do in Punta Arenas itself apart from restaurants bars and cafe's, but it was exciting to be in that part of the world, and we did get to have a good look round, but again the majority of our time was spent hanging around waiting for the powers that be to tell us when we would be heading for the Ice. We had a briefing mid week at ALE (Antarctic Logistics Expeditions) telling us how we were getting to Antarctica, what to expect and what to do once there.

Karl Tuplin the project Manager checking cargo
at ALE Logistics

The Kit bags were all there except mine,
that one had been packed in a seperate container
which i could not access until i get to Halley.
So I was issued with new gear.

Nigel and Steve in the lobby of the Hotel
waiting to go

We had been in Punta Arenas for 6 days when we got the word to go, we grabbed our kit bags and personal belongings and boarded the coach that had been provided to take us to the airport.

We were flown this year again by the Russian Yllusion plane, but this time to Union Glacier.

this was a 4 hour flight in a tight military style operation and carrying cargo as well as a team of british army guys who are competing in a race to the South pole. They are competing against the Norwegian team and will be doing it on skis.

On board the Yllusion aircraft with Nigel
in front of me looking at the Russian crew member 
as we prepare for take off

 A shot of myself as we prepare to land on the Ice
We were all tired by now.

Flying over Antarctica as we made our final approach
to Union Glacier. 

The flight was noisy and the landing was awesome these Russian pilots really do know how to land on Ice. We landed on a blue Ice runway between magnificent mountains and crevices. Once safely on the ground we donned our Antarctic gear and stepped off the plane into a temperature of between - 20 to - 30 with winds gusting 35 knots, making a subjective temperature of  - 45 which is the coldest i've experienced since being on the Ice. It was cold and windy but absolutely amazing.

 The Yllusion on the ice, with a track vehical 
and a six wheeled truck to take us to the camp.

Karl Tuplin and our camera man Kirk
standing on the runway.

The Scenery was breathtaking and after a couple of photographs we were taken to a holding container before being transported to the base camp, which was not yet ready for guests as the guys here were still preparing it and putting up tents. This was because they only got in a day before we arrived.
We were given a welcome briefing which included a few camp rules before dinner.

After dinner which was a meaty broth and much needed, we were shown to our tents and given our beds which we had to construct. The tent we were in had no heating as it had to be fixed and plumbed in and the sleeping bags that we were issued with, on the label said, "comfortable to - 6 degrees".  Well, It went down to nearly - 30 in the night and I was bloody freezing!!

 I could not get enough layers on me, I was nearly in my full Polar gear including hat….But , It's what you come to Antarctica for! I loved it…(Almost)..