Hi everybody, hope the new year is finding you full of fun. Except Rick, my dear friend back in SF, who is experiencing a lot of pain following his recent tackle by his manly
motorcycle. Hope you get better darling. The X-Rays were amazing.

This is what I've been up to.

December 31, 2003. After work I took a shuttle over to Scott Base for a new yr party that turned out to be not that exciting. Beer and bad music, whoopee.  I tried to get back
to Mactown so I could ring in the New Year with some adelies that have been
hanging around Hut Point, but the shuttles paused for an hour at 11:15, stranding me at Scott Base. I walked around a bit, admiring the incredible clouds, and unusually clear visibility. I could see many peaks from the actual Continent. Midnight was nearing, so I found the world's southernmost parking meter, located by the sea ice, and hugged it.

Sorry Soren, I violated our 'sitting in a bathtub eating pudding at midnight' tradition, due to the lack of bathtubs and pudding here in Antarctica. The Coast Guard’s icebreaker, the Polar Star was circling around the sea ice, clearing a path for the resupply vessel, and let out a huge honk that could probably be heard at any place on Ross Island.

Happy new year.

January 3, 2004. Ice stock

This is when McMurdo celebrates the New Year, (most citizens get 2 days off) with a fantastic music festival, chili cookoff, real coffee with free Bailey’s, and craft vendors. I was lucky enough to get the day of Icestock off of work.

I floated around to the different millvans and tested the veggiechili (that was cooked by solar power even). Although the best-named chili goes to the group E.COLI, which stands for Excellent Chili of Local Ingredients, i.e. skua, seal, penguin.

The bands were awesome. and of course, there was a fierce mosh pit.  

Baby New Year came out and read predictions…….

and what’s a music festival that doesn’t finish with a bit of a roll in the mud…..

Then I went on a tour of the wastewater treatment plant with Keri and marveled at the poo cakes. Very fascinating experience, indeed.

Thinking about what to do after the Ice. Inspired to go out and relive everything we don’t have here. Haven’t see a sunset since October 2. It’ll be nice to chase some in the Southern Hemisphere. Roll in grass. Eat something exotic and not wash my hands. Pet a dog. Going back to the world will be like being reborn, although one thing I enjoy most about this Big Dead Place is everything we’re deprived of. I’m still loving it here as much as I have all season. Looking for a job here for next season.

I have this work visa for New Zealand that is meant to start April 1, but right now I see it as a limit to spontenaeity. As of now, my redeployment date back to chch is for February 17. It’s likely that will change, but only by a few days or so. I’m thinking of bicycling around NZ for Feb, then over to Australia for Mardi Gras for a few weeks, then back to NZ for work. If anyone has any leads on interesting work there, let me know.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is my fun filled New Year. Hope all is well for everyone and keep on keeping on!

sandwich

Sandwichgirl.com