Our Flight to New Zealand

Antarctica.


More Antarctic goodness.
One of my favorite parts of working for the United States Antarctic Program is traveling to and from the Ice. We get to see parts of the continent that we don't have a chance of ever seeing otherwise, unless we hire a private charter. It is such a special time, the photos always get their own post. I'm not sure how high we were flying, but since we were so high I can only imagine how big some of the features would be to stand next to.


Even more Antarctic goodness below the engine of a C-17.


I love how the glacier almost looks like a river flowing downstream
This flight wasn't much different than my one down to Antarctica. Sitting with friends, chatting, napping, eating, getting antsy, and running to the window to get as many views as possible pretty much sum up the trip. The plane was full so I wasn't able to stretch out in the middle and sleep like I did after my winter. Some others felt the pain of this and came up with more creative ways to get comfortable.


There are all types of ways to get comfortable on the plane.
When we touched down in Christchurch, we waited for our bags and milled our way through customs. When we finally left the airport, it wasn't as shocking as when I came off at the end of winter. It was a cool night and the sounds were what overwhelmed me the most. At the end of the winter, the smells got me. I'm not sure why the smells weren't as overwhelming. My heightened sense of smell was definitely letting me smells things that I can't smell now. Smell is one of the strongest senses. Maybe I was ready for it this time and don't remember the sounds as much from last time because the smells were so overwhelming.


Yeah, more mountains.
When I got to my favorite hotel, the Windsor, I dropped my bags and headed out for a good roll in the grass. It was a little since it was drizzling and that was wonderful too. After soaking in not nearly enough green goodness, I set off about town to meet up with friends. It turned out to be a wild goose chase but it was really nice because it was drizzling on and off and that was the first time I'd felt water hitting my face outside of a shower in almost six months. I love the joy of rediscovery when we come back from Antarctica. I'm still going through some of that over a month later.


The continental edge.


Me on the flight home.