The USAP celebrates Thanksgiving in style! OK, so they move it to a Saturday to better accommodate the field schedule down here, but it is quite a splash! The kitchen and volunteer helpers really outdid themselves. There was turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole (yum!), mashed potatoes, roast potatoes, green beans, sweet potato casserole, crab legs, 2 or 3 kinds of stuffing, salads cut veggies, 5 kinds of pies/cakes, chocolate covered strawberries, cherries fresh strawberries… and chocolate mousse skuas!

mmm tasty dessert skua

I can’t believe that I am sitting in a cozy living room and blogging from ANTARCTICA! The kettle is on I am sitting on a couch and I am in Antarctica. Outside my window is a giant rack of wooden sleds. Just as soon as I post this blog I am going to have a proper wonder around town, McMurdo Station and take pictures that I can share with you all.



Me on arrival, so excited and so jet lagged

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Well I have arrived in Christchurch….just one more flight! I think that so far the weather is looking good for tomorrow. I need to check-in, then weigh-in (and go through customs again) at 7 am. Apparently that is a “lie-in”. In the “good old days” check-in started at 2:30 in the morning.

Appropriate plane clothes

…and I am excited, if not quite ready, to go.  My friend Kari wanted to make sure that I was adequately prepared for the trip. Apparently she expects me to be chafed and bored. That is probably a good guess if bad weather rolls in. Actually I have been warned that it can be painfully dry in Antarctica  so, I am sure that I will treasure the moisture cream.

Tomorrow, November 23,  I start my “flight Odyssey”. I fly from Washington D.C. to LA to Sydney to Christchurch. I will overnight in Christchurch and then fly on military transport to McMurdo Station. With some luck, I will be in Antarctica while you all are napping off Thanksgiving dinner.

I will try to post a few times a week from now until I leave the Ice on December 20…but no promises.