August 30, 2012 - Life Around Town

Me in front of the McMurdo sign.

Well, in case you need proof that I've arrived, here it is.  It's been four days since we got to McMurdo, and it feels like I never left!  The last few days have been riddled with trainings, getting ourselves set up on station, and other odds and ends.  We've had a handful of trainings so far for things such as where we can recreationally travel outside, how to operate the light vehicles on station, and getting our radios.  We have several more set up over the coming days also.  I've finally got my office and my dorm room set up the way I want it.  My roommate and I moved our room around so that we can each have some privacy, and I've hung up a few blankets and got myself a nice, cozy cave that works for me.

The dorms.  Mine is the one in the middle.

Right now, we're kind of waiting to get things together for flights - our cargo finally arrived, but there are a few days of prep before we can do any actual flying.  We also have to wait for the last C-17 flight from Christchurch to arrive and leave before we have clearance to fly.  This should happen tonight.  So far I have been spending a lot of time working and trying to get some things finished up that I hadn't had time to when I was in the US.  As we start prepping the planes to fly, I will try to also help with that, but since I'm probably the least qualified person here to put the planes together I'm not sure how useful I will be.  For fun, I watch movies and, of course the old Antarctic staple - "Arrested Development".  John and I are doing some spinning (indoor cycling) as well.  We all manage to keep busy, although that doesn't mean I don't miss my boys and Mom at home!

Yesterday it was pretty windy, but today it's much more calm and mild.  The temperature right now is -4F, with a wind chill of -15F.

Here's some pictures I've taken over the last few days.

Afternoon light over Hut Point Peninsula.

Dusk over McMurdo Sound.

Ob Hill in the morning (taken with a long exposure, so it's much darker than it looks).

Me on the dock of the science building I work in.  I was a little cold.

Cream puffs for dinner (not as good as the WI State Fair, but not too terrible either)!