Landing in Antarctica

We got to McMurdo around 1400, on October 6th. It was -29F when we landed, with a wind chill of -50F. It was quite shocking when I got out of the plane. I was glad to have all the ECW gear on, including the goggles, which make it hard to see. Our shuttle driver told us that we were almost boomeranged, since about 40 minutes before we landed the wind was blowing about 95 mph. We had a debriefing, got our room keys, and then the firefighters met up with the chief to see the firehouse. We had a bit of a meeting with him, and then went to pick up our luggage, which had been taken to the post office. They were supposed to have shuttles for us, but some people who were on my flight who had been here before were in the same building as I am helped me take my luggage to my room. I am in building 201 (so if you look on a map of McMurdo, there is a line of dorm buildings…one of those is mine). I got to unpacking, and found that my shampoo had developed a pin hole and leaked all over my back. I’m thinking I might have to take that bag in the shower with me (water is pretty scarce here…evidently they’re overhauling the water system and had to take a pump off-line). I managed to clean everything else up though.

My roomie is pretty cool. She’s from Arizona, and I had met her when I overlapped with the next class in Salt Lake City. She has a ton of movies, and we have a small TV in our room with a VCR. Supposedly we’re getting DVD players in the next few weeks. The room is really small, smaller than my dorm room at college, and it’s pretty cold too. She says it’s usually not this bad, so it is likely just from the windy day today. Tomorrow is supposed to be warmer. This is evidently the coldest day they’ve had in weeks.

The station store here is pretty well stocked with stuff. I have already made the list of things I’m getting for people, both here and in New Zealand. I picked up a water bottle, since I don't have mine with me and I left the one they issued us in NZ. I also picked up some stickers and other small stuff, but the big stuff I'm waiting for.

I crashed pretty hard last night. I slept pretty well, the best since leaving home. I couldn't figure out if I was too cold or too warm, so I kept waking up to kick off the covers or put some back on. Still, the room got a bit warmer, and my roomie has a cold air humidifier, so the static is lessening slightly.