South Pole!

Yo. I am not feeling particularly verbose, and I can't think of a huge amount to say, although when I'm not in front of a computer, I have heaps to say.  So in the hope that this makes me remember what I meant to say:
Things of note, in no particular order

Actual view out of the dining room window (zoom in on the sign..!):

People here are just lovely.

Skidoo is a legitimate form of transport. I have had my skidoo training course, and one day when I don't feel guilty about it, I'm going to borrow one to ride the 500m from the station to where we work. heee!

The food is amAZINg. Sample menu :

and for dessert.. your choice of delicious apple pie and ice cream, these chocolate nut things that they made for christmas that taste like ferrerro (??) roche(????)s, etc.
There is also always fruit, and the know how to cook veggies properly.

They have a greenhouse! Salad last night was from there.

There is one kiwi, known as Kiwi Dave. He was absolutely stoked when we showed up with 2 more kiwis and 2 Australians..

We watched Mad Max 2 as a movie last night, and were informed (by an American) hat it was all filmed on the Spencer Highway. We're pretty sure she meant the Stuart Highway.

Our stuff all arrived yesterday. I've finished fixing the electronic boxes, for the yellow box (instrument module, runs all the experiments), and today I spent the day battling with the engine gear plate - the equivalent electronics rack for the engine module (green box). It was half designed by someone (I name no names) who didn't tell anyone his plans, didn't finish it, didn't start it until the night before we shipped, and didn't document anything. Not that I'm bitter. Actually, it's kind of fun, like a jigsaw puzzle. Except someone's got there before you and glued bits to the table that may or may not be in the right place. Anyway. Pretty sure I've got it sorted, and I should finish it tomorrow. Which, I believe, finishes off our electrical system, so we can test.

It is DRY. I didn't drink my usual glass of water at breakfast today, and I had a headache by lunchtime. All good now, but man! if you think a desert is bad!

They employ people on an interesting basis. There was one guy here who's been working for three summer seasons now. The first two were as a general assistant (cleaning), and then this one he's a welder. Which is what he's actually qualified for..

I have been to the South Pole. Both the ceremonial one with a few hundred flags, and the real one, with a geological marker and the US flag. On the first of Jan, they'll move the real one ten metres thataway ->, since the ice shelf that we are on is slowly moving.

Said ice shelf is approx 3km thick.

Satellite up time is: Great coverage 4-11am, intermittent coverage til 5.30pm, no coverage otherwise.

There is supposed to be a band and dancing in the gym on New Year's. Given that I think I'm still operating on Sydney time, my bedtime is about midnight, which suiits me fiiiiine.

We are playing lots of gin, to 100. My highest score currently is 95. I will win a game. I will...Dad, I'm slowly remembering all the things you told me....

When we arrived, the first room I found was this one, and I knew I was going to like this place..comfy chairs, a piano (keyboard) out of sight around the corner...and books!

Also: This is a later edit. I don't know if I've put this in another blog post or an email, but.. SOUTH POLE!

I think that is all I can think of at the moment, and the satellite goes down in about three minutes, so..

byeee!