Continuing madness

I just got back from vacation and haven't gotten all my pictures uploaded yet. I promise I'll post some pics soon. Probably next week.

In the meantime, some Q&A about Antarctica.

Perhaps the most asked question I get is "They actually have fires down there?" My answer is usually that Antarctica is the driest, windiest place on earth. Many of the buildings are older, and made of wood. Heat and power is made by fuel generators. Most things are brought in by plane. If something bad happens, what do people do? The same as they do here...call the fire department!

Another question I get asked a lot is about sled dogs. Sadly (or not, depending on your point of view), there are no dogs on the Ice. They were all taken off by 1998 (I believe) and even before then, there were restrictions on the dogs. Things like, the dogs had to be born on the Ice (to limit the contamination from diseases from the mainland), and all the dog waste (yes, that kind of waste) had to be picked up and transported off the Ice, just like the rest of the stuff we have down there. Finally they decided that the dogs were more trouble than they were worth, especially with motorized vehicles around, and they shipped them all off the Ice.

A few more random tidbits of information...Yes, there is running water. From what I understand, water is a bit more rationed out at the South Pole station (about a 4 hour helicopter ride from McMurdo Station), but at both places, you are, in fact, allowed to take showers and wash clothes. There is plenty to do during off-time, including mini-trips called 'boondoggles' which take you off-base, a gym (complete with bouldering wall!), and a recreation group that has all sorts of things, like cross-country skis, and even mountain bikes! There is hiking to do, and all kinds of other things.

Trash is heavily controlled. Remember that Antarctica is basically a giant science lab, and through the international treaty that was signed many years ago, is supposed to be kept as pristine as possible. This means that everyone uses the 'Leave No Trace' rules. Everything that is brought in is brought back out again.

Anyway, if you have any more questions, just ask! I'll save them up and make a post with a bunch of answers (if I get enough questions, that is...)