On our way!


Quick note from onboard the RNZAF Boeing 757 before take-off:

It was an early morning today... we all needed to return our RAT results by 4.30am so that our standbys could be called in if needed. Thankfully everyone has tested negative and we're good to go. 

Breakfast and a final bit of (re)packing then out the door at 6.15am. We headed straight to the APT (Antarctic Passenger Terminal) for check-in. A long line formed out the door and around the corner with ~300 passengers all loaded up with Extreme Cold Weather (ECW) clothing,  plus all their luggage. One by one they were allowed to check-in: Identification checked, dangerous goods checked, checked-in luggage weighed, each person weighed with their carry-on gear, and finally exchange of departure cards for 'boarding passes' - a lanyard with a numbered tag.

I then had to duck out to return our rental car, but returned to the APT in good time for a team photo and the pre-departure briefing. Then we filed through security screening and onto the transport to the plane - an old repurposed American school bus. Quite a squeeze with everyone's bags and bulky clothing.

The bus drove us out of the terminal complex, across the public road, then out onto the tarmac to meet the waiting aircraft. We all piled out of the bus for final instructions in the sunshine before boarding the plane... in addition to everything we were already carrying, we also had to collect a lunch bag and water - a difficult load to manage elegantly!

Every seat in the plane is spoken for so we don't have a lot of room. But the real advantage of the 757 is that we all have a window which we can look out of all the way down - unlike the C17s and Hercs which only have 4 little port windows down the whole plane, and noone can be taking in the view during take-off or landing. 

It's now time to taxi, so I'll send this off now. Looking forward to a lovely and fast (only 4½ hours!) and stepping out onto the ice for my eighth time! Hopefully the next update will be from Scott Base!

 

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