South Pole Adventure Travel Log: jan 19, 2000

Travel Log: January 19th, 2000

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January 19th, 2000


Here's Milly, all strapped in for the trip from New Zealand to McMurdo.	Yeah! We've made it to McMurdo!

Randy writes:

At mcmurdo now
wednesday jan 19 at 844pm
flight took about 8 hours
are supposed to leave for Pole tomorrow morning.
took lots of photos!

Today is also Randy's Birthday!

Here is an additional update from Steve:

We got word that we were going in the air at about 9:00 this morning and went through another short orientation at the Clothing Distribution Center in Christchurch. We then proceeded to board the C-130.
The flight was fairly uneventful, except that if you've never flown on one of these aircraft it is quite an experience. The flight took about 8 hours. It isn't too bad except for the noise (you have to wear the standard issue earplugs, and believe me, you want to wear them!) Flying into the continent of Antarctica was really bumpy and left a lot of people looking fairly ill.
After landing in McMurdo Station, we were transported to the NSF headquarters and briefed on living quarters and rules and regulations. We then grabbed something to eat, and got our bags checked and weighed for the flight to the Pole, which should happen at 7:30 am, (remember we are 17 hours ahead) hopefully, but you never know....
So we are spending the night in McMurdo and will hopefully contact you next from the Pole!

Click on any small image to retrieve a larger one...

Waiting for the flight....

Milly and Steve enjoying the flight.

Randy studying something.

Randy and Steve got to go up to the cockpit to look out the windows -- you can see them looming in the shadows there.

Most of the flight is very boring, but as they approach Antarctica, there is a lot of interesting sea ice to look at. Here are many views out the cockpit and other windows of the sea ice and clouds: