2 November, 1999

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November 1, 1999

1420 hours

The day has been a long one already, but things to this point (other = then the good byes) are great. My ride to the airport was 5 minutes = early; we made it to Boston in about 35 and then to the ticket counter = where the person at the window was not only helpful, but pleasant to = boot. A great sign I hope. Plane was scheduled to leave at 1344 and we = did, in fact 1 minute early. Had entire row to myself. And then the = pilots said because of the slow head winds we will arrive at LAX 35 = minutes early or 4:35 PST.

Finally getting a chance to figure out some time zone differences. Since = I left Boston at 1:43 PM, that means in Christchurch N.Z. it would be 7 = hours earlier, but the next day (18 hour time difference). So if I've = this figured out right, this flight left Logan airport at 7:40 am on = Tuesday November 2nd and is scheduled to arrive there at 12:40 PM on = November 3rd. Oh I'm too tired to think so I guess I'll grab a quick = nap, but, then again the view from 35,000 feet is awe inspiring, so I = guess I'll forgo the sleep and "carpe diem".

Arrived at LAX at 7:43 hours, a six hour flight. Now the next leg is a = mere12 1/2 hours duration. Yuck!!!=20

The total flight will be some 11,991 miles: 2611 miles Boston to LA, = 6502 miles from LA to Auckland, 463 miles from Auckland to Christchurch = and 2415 miles from Christchurch to McMurdo Sound. Total flying time = will be somewhere between 25 1/2 and 28 1/2 hours depending on the type = of military aircraft we take to McMurdo. In all likely hood we will be = on an LC-130 and that means the 8 hour deluxe trip in the belly of a = military cargo plane. I CAN'T WAIT.

Barb Schulz my TEA counterpart showed up from Seattle at 8:30 PST (11:30 = EST) and we shared a pizza and discussed our project. The excitement in = both of us just grows and grows and grows. I am so fortunate to be = working with such an excited, dedicated, hard working women and who is = all so brilliant.

We started boarding the plane at 9:40 PST the plane. This was a very = slow process at best, since there were some 400 of us. The plane was = packed. While we were waiting to go on board I was people watching and = noticed several people had exactly the same travel envelope, suggesting = to me that they too were headed to the ICE. I introduced myself and = found that to be the case, in fact the fellow I spoke with believed that = here were probably 15 others on this flight headed for the Ice.

Boarding was completed and we pulled away from the terminal at 10:35 pm = (PST), only to stop maybe 50 meters from the ramp. There we sat for a = good 35 minutes until the Captain came on the PA and informed us that = they were waiting for "oceanic clearance", whatever that was. Some 10 = minutes latter the Captain returned to inform us that there was in fact = one engine that they could not start and that a technician was coming = out to look at it. After some time we returned to the terminal and = learned that repairs might take an hour. So much for the perfect flight. = Me and my big mouth.

Flight is all screwed up, they have decided to switch planes; ours is = not going to make it to NZ. We, all 400 of us, have to be bused to = another plane; all the food, luggage, cargo, and we are told to bring = the blankets, pillows and headphones. Sounds to me like this plane = really is not ready for a flight to NZ. Move went well, in spite of any = real lack of directions by any United Airlines personnel. I think a = large part of the success of the transfer was that we were held on a non = air conditioned plane for almost two hours.

Plane finally took off at 1:45 PM PST, now just another 12 1/2 hours of = flight time to get to NZ. Arrived in Aukland NZ at @ 11.20 AM (Nov. 3, = lost a day) and have to catch another flight. Next flight left at 1:50 = PM, but, we had to go through customs and walk from the International to = the domestic part. We, now 20 of us headed for the ICE, were all too = stupid to take a bus so we walked. It was a long way and it left us with = 15 minute to catch the flight. We did catch the flight; and it was = wonderful. Plane was not crowded, hostesses were awesome and the scenery = flying from Aukland to Christchurch was spectacular. This country has an = enormous array of environmental types, from grassy plains, to tropical = like forests, to the "Southern Alps". Would like to spend some time = here.

Finally arrived at Christchurch at 2:00 PM NZ time. Boy am I (we) beat. = Met by USAP person who gave us hotel reservations and times when we are = to try on our ECW gear. More tomorrow.

Ciao,

Penguin Peter the Polar Man

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November 1, 1999

1420 hours

The day has been a long one already, but things to this point (other = then the=20

good byes) are great. My ride to the airport was 5 minutes early; we = made it to=20

Boston in about 35 and then to the ticket counter where the person at = the window=20

was not only helpful, but pleasant to boot. A great sign I hope. Plane = was=20

scheduled to leave at 1344 and we did, in fact 1 minute early. Had = entire row to=20

myself. And then the pilots said because of the slow head winds we will = arrive=20

at LAX 35 minutes early or 4:35 PST.

Finally getting a chance to figure out some time zone differences. = Since I=20

left Boston at 1:43 PM, that means in Christchurch N.Z. it would be 7 = hours=20

earlier, but the next day (18 hour time difference). So if I've this = figured out=20

right, this flight left Logan airport at 7:40 am on Tuesday November 2nd = and is=20

scheduled to arrive there at 12:40 PM on November 3rd. Oh I'm = too=20

tired to think so I guess I'll grab a quick nap, but, then again the = view from=20

35,000 feet is awe inspiring, so I guess I'll forgo the sleep and = carpe=20

diem.

Arrived at LAX at 7:43 hours, a six hour flight. Now the next leg is = a mere12=20

1/2 hours duration. Yuck!!!

The total flight will be some 11,991 miles: 2611 miles Boston to LA, = 6502=20

miles from LA to Auckland, 463 miles from Auckland to Christchurch and = 2415=20

miles from Christchurch to McMurdo Sound. Total flying time will be = somewhere=20

between 25 1/2 and 28 1/2 hours depending on the type of military = aircraft we=20

take to McMurdo. In all likely hood we will be on an LC-130 and that = means the 8=20

hour deluxe trip in the belly of a military cargo plane. I CAN'T = WAIT.

Barb Schulz my TEA counterpart showed up from Seattle at 8:30 PST = (11:30 EST)=20

and we shared a pizza and discussed our project. The excitement in both = of us=20

just grows and grows and grows. I am so fortunate to be working with = such an=20

excited, dedicated, hard working women and who is all so brilliant. We started boarding the plane at 9:40 PST the plane. This was a very = slow=20

process at best, since there were some 400 of us. The plane was packed. = While we=20

were waiting to go on board I was people watching and noticed several = people had=20

exactly the same travel envelope, suggesting to me that they too were = headed to=20

the ICE. I introduced myself and found that to be the case, in fact the = fellow I=20

spoke with believed that here were probably 15 others on this flight = headed for=20

the Ice.

Boarding was completed and we pulled away from the terminal at 10:35 = pm=20

(PST), only to stop maybe 50 meters from the ramp. There we sat for a = good 35=20

minutes until the Captain came on the PA and informed us that they were = waiting=20

for oceanic clearance, whatever that was. Some 10 minutes =

latter the=20

Captain returned to inform us that there was in fact one engine that = they could=20

not start and that a technician was coming out to look at it. After some = time we=20

returned to the terminal and learned that repairs might take an hour. So = much=20

for the perfect flight. Me and my big mouth.

Flight is all screwed up, they have decided to switch planes; ours is = not=20

going to make it to NZ. We, all 400 of us, have to be bused to another = plane;=20

all the food, luggage, cargo, and we are told to bring the blankets, = pillows and=20

headphones. Sounds to me like this plane really is not ready for a = flight to NZ.=20

Move went well, in spite of any real lack of directions by any United = Airlines=20

personnel. I think a large part of the success of the transfer was that = we were=20

held on a non air conditioned plane for almost two hours.

Plane finally took off at 1:45 PM PST, now just another 12 1/2 hours = of=20

flight time to get to NZ. Arrived in Aukland NZ at @ 11.20 AM (Nov. 3, = lost a=20

day) and have to catch another flight. Next flight left at 1:50 PM, but, = we had=20

to go through customs and walk from the International to the domestic = part. We,=20

now 20 of us headed for the ICE, were all too stupid to take a bus so we = walked.=20

It was a long way and it left us with 15 minute to catch the flight. We = did=20

catch the flight; and it was wonderful. Plane was not crowded, hostesses = were=20

awesome and the scenery flying from Aukland to Christchurch was = spectacular.=20

This country has an enormous array of environmental types, from grassy = plains,=20

to tropical like forests, to the Southern Alps. Would like =

to spend=20

some time here.

Finally arrived at Christchurch at 2:00 PM NZ time. Boy am I (we) = beat. Met=20

by USAP person who gave us hotel reservations and times when we are to = try on=20

our ECW gear. More tomorrow.

Ciao,

Penguin Peter the Polar Man

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