Outside the window it's cold, white, and lumpy. That means I'm in McMurdo! I breezed through Christchurch fairly quickly after a minor initial snafu (Raytheon forgot to buy me an airplane ticket to New Zealand). I had just enough time in town to see my friend Jeff's end-of-term Circus school show. Oh my if that wasn't something! People flying through the air, people doing amazing and beautiful things, people doing silly things, people doing things I never thought people could do. I guess that's what it's all about.
I've got a few days' work here in Mactown before I move along to Pole. I'm trying to enjoy the things that McMurdo offers that I won't have there: mountains to look at, walks to take, unlimited hot showers, and of course friends from other seasons who are working here. Town is full up because the first flights in to Pole have been delayed by weather, so all the Polies have been stacking up here. And of course the winter-overs there are itching to get out. They haven't seen an airplane since February; they ran out of beer and soda in April, and homebrew in June. Reports are they've been having a good winter but enough is enough. Time to move.
They're going to try the first two flights again today. I saw the pax (passengers) head out to the Ice Runway, and much as I like everybody I'm hoping not to see them come straggling back into town again. I'm scheduled in with a big group on the 30th. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, for as much good as that ever does anybody trying to get somewhere in Antarctica!
Best,
-Sarah