Next Stop, Antarctica

11/11/2005

Arriving back at the CDC, we got into our ECW gear and slowly did the 'bag drag' which involves taking all our luggage and shuffling along to weigh all our check-in bags (4 for me), our carry-on bags, and ourselves with our 'hot' ECW gear on. After watching a video and grabbing some breakfast we got onto busses and headed out towards the tarmac where our C-17 awaited.

After boarding the C-17 aircraft, the biggest concern for us was getting 'Boomeranged', which means having to turn around. However after a six hour flight, we had to do a couple of 'touch-and-gos' at McMurdo's Ice Runway to burn off fuel, but we made it! This was my first sight of McMurdo:


On our way to our dorm rooms, this truck pulls off and starts honking at our group. We're all wondering what's the problem. The guy inside is pointing at us. Then I talk a closer look and it's my old college friend Wade Cunningham!

We've had a brief tour of the Station, if you've ever been to a mining town, McMurdo is pretty close to that along with a college dorm style atmosphere. Truely amazing!