19 November, 2001

This morning when I woke up, I realized I made a mistake with packing my carry-on bag. Instead of putting my street socks into my carry-on bag, I placed them in the bag that is currently in the cargo hold of the C-130 plane. Now, the only items I possess are the clothes I have on my back, and a pair of Extreme Cold Weather gear socks. I think a lot of people found it amusing seeing me walk around Christchurch with a t-shirt, shorts, and thick wool polar socks bunched around my sneakers. Oh well, you make due with what you have.

I have been informed that the flight is on tomorrow and it is scheduled to leave at 8:00am. Of course this is subject to change, but I did want to share something really neat with everyone reading this journal. A website administered by the United States Antarctic Program allows people to track the flights going to McMurdo. Plus, it tells you what the temperature is at McMurdo and the South Pole. The website is:

http://intranet.iac.o rg.nz/newintranet/default.html

Once you are there, look for USEFUL LINKS found in the center of the page. Click on FLIGHT TRACKING and you will see a map of the route from New Zealand to McMurdo. My flight is currently KZM003. IF you click on that flight number, you will be shown a map telling the status of my flight and where we currently can be found. It is really pretty neat to know that someone on the opposite side of the planet can track my flight down to Antarctica. If you do try tracking me, please remember that New Zealand is 18 hours ahead of Pennsylvania. For example, if my flight leaves tomorrow on time (8:00am), it will be 2:00pm Monday afternoon in Pennsylvania. So, for those of you living on the East Coast, if you track my flight after you eat dinner, you will be able to determine whether I will finally make it to Antarctica...by that time we will have crossed the point of no return. The point of no return means that the plane has flown far so far that there is not enough fuel to return to New Zealand. The plane has to proceed to the ice.

One last item about the website I shared with you. Under the weather icon, the temperatures displayed are the thermometer readings. If you want to see the complete weather report, including the very important wind chill, then click on the station. I hope you enjoy the website I mentioned. Wish me luck on the flight tomorrow.

Checking in at the International Antarctic Center for the flight to McMurdo.