We made it! Dr. Chu, Jackson and I are on the ice. We have had a few days to get trained and catch up on sleep, and are now busy working on our experiments.
Right: the more crowded area of the plane, where Dr. Chu was sitting. It was packed!
The flight down was a very crowded 8 hour flight. We were very lucky that we didn’t have a “boomerang,” where you turn around after hours of flying back to Christchurch, NZ, based on weather conditions or mechanical troubles. Other than the tight seating, the flight was surprisingly comfortable!
The moment you step off of the plane is surreal. Seeing Antarctica for the first time is a magical experience. Mt. Erebus was partially obscured by fog, but otherwise the blue skies showed a beautiful landscape that reminds me of another planet.
After the quick look around, we boarded the bus for a 30 min drive to McMurdo. Calling it a “bus” is generous- driving on the ice road requires some serious tires.
