Am I there yet? While this may look like the Antarctic ice sheet, it is actually a thick stratus cloud layer from the Christmas Day storm last week, seen from the airplane as I was flying from Washington, D.C., to Phoenix, AZ.
Well, it is finally happening. After five weeks of being poked and proded for medical clearance, securing reservations for New Zealand flights and lodging, filling out paperwork, organizing a fundraiser, researching Antarctic science, getting the proper reporting equipment, working my normal schedule and celebrating Christmas with family in Phoenix -- I am finally beginning my journey to the bottom of the World. In just a few hours, I will fly to Christchurch, New Zealand, home of the U.S. Antarctic Program office, where I will plan and prepare for a few days before departing for the Ice. Somehow (because of the time difference), I will miss New Year's Eve and magically appear there on the morning of Jan. 1, 2010. Celebrate some for me!
Many, MANY thanks for your generous support and encouragement over the past month, especially in helping me reach my fundraising goal. I will be posting to this blog as often as possible over the next few weeks, so check back often. I hope you enjoy reading my personal account of traveling to Antarctica, as well as the links to science materials Dan Satterfield and I create.
May 2010 be a great year for all of us!
