I’m here. I can’t believe it! Our plane touched down on the ice and it was smooth, softer then any landing I’ve ever been on. Everyone was strapped in but leaning over looking out the windows at our first landing site. Everything was white, clean and we knew it would be cold. When the cockpit door opened up we were fully suited up and ready to go. At the top of the stairs you were allowed to pause because you could only go down one at a time so you could take it all in. It was cold. You could feel it weaseling it’s way into every open gap and suck the warmth from your body. Like landing on another planet you look around in bewilderment. No terminal. No buildings. Nothing but a large monster vehicle nicknamed Ivan waiting to cart you home and a few stray parkas standing around. This was it. This was the welcome party and everyone looked alike. Welcome to Antarctica you tell yourself afraid that if you take anything off you’ll die of frost bite. I was warned it was cold but I didn’t know if you could lose a limb by simple exposure or how long it takes. I kept my red parka bundled up and glasses on for fear of losing something important like skin.
Huddled into Ivan we began the lumbering 45 minute ride to base having landed out at Pegasus, the farthest strip from McMurdo. There are two strips that I know of the closest called the Ice Runway. We couldn’t land there because chunks were missing and the flight before us had bounced a bit upon landing. Out the window was a plain of white with a few mountains in the background. Not actual mountains but volcanoes. Was I really here I wondered? Had I really flown more than 10,000 miles to the coldest desolate place in the world? Yes to both and I was overwhelmed by the blessing. How truly blessed I am to be here. . . .Who knew a girl from Cali would end up at the coldest place on earth.
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