December 3, 2007
The last 24 hours have been incredibly tough, possibly the hardest 24 hours of the expedition so far. First there was sleep deprivation from the storm last night and then the haul from hell for the human huskies today. The storm last night really got going in the early hours of the morning. By 6.30am the noise was incredible and it was actually snowing in the tent! This is due to our breath freezing onto the inner of the tent and then being knocked off by the gusts.
So after some sleep deprivation (which was one of the tests during the selection process) we headed out towards the pass with two heavy sledges full of non-essential items. Our plan was to secure the sledges at the top then head back to camp, pack up and get all the remaining sledges up by early evening. After 3 hours of thigh burning, stomach churning, lung expanding work we had got one sledge to the top and the other to half way up. Another hour and a half later and both were at the top. We had climbed 500m from our overnight stop to a height of 1562m (Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the British Isles is about 1300m) and in the last two days we’ve gained 700m in altitude (the height you gain as you walk up Helvellyn in the Lake District). And all of it with heavy, heavy pulks on our back. The whole way up was very, very steep and our route crossed many crevasses, one of which temporarily swallowed my foot and calf!
We decided it was too late to try move the other sledges, so over the next day or so we will move the remaining pulks up to the pass and then decide what to do from there. It is very unlikely that we will be able to undertake the long walk back to Patriot Hills as time is against us.
December 4th, 2007 at 10:50 am
Amy, I can’t believe you’re actually doing it!
I’ve been meaning to get in touch for ages but just kept putting it off (bloody mock exam marking!)
However, I couldn’t ignore it any longer after I read the fantastic article about you in The Leicester Mercury posted in the staffroom.
It sounds both terrifying, incredibly uncomfortable, and exhilirating at the same time.
In a strange way, I’m quite jealous. I’ve always loved adventure, but the closest I’ve ever got to anything like this (and when I say ‘close’, I mean lightyears away!) was a trek in the Annapurna Mountains in the Himalayas when I went to Nepal. After finishing that, I felt a real sense of achievement, so I can only imagine that what you’ll feel after you’ve finished pooing in bags is going to be a million times more satisfying, and probably quite life-changing as well.
It’s an inspirational story and I know the kids are getting a lot out of the fact that someone they know is doing something so incredible.
I’ll write again with a more entertaining email, but I’ve got to go now as I’m on bloody duty at Shanklin gate – doesn’t really compare to waking up with frozen eyeballs though, so I’ll stop complaining.
All the very best with your licker spotting (!)
Ian
December 4th, 2007 at 10:29 pm
Hey mate,
It was really good to hear from you today, the students were so excited and really enjoyed the lesson and talking to you! The 4 your spoke to felt like stars, they had there 15 mins of fame, not only a TV filming but also a radio interview, as CWR turned up to cover your conversation. They were interviewed live on air after speaking to you. The students having heard from you also started to talk about how much they missed you and can’t wait to fire 1 million questions at you on your return. It was also a surprise to have Peter Fuchs turn up and this made the lesson even more relevant and enthralling for the students, I hope we can work with Peter on your return to utilise your experience to the full.
What you are doing is amazing mate, and everyone back here is behind you and wishing you luck for your final few days. Hope all goes well and its not long to go, so make the most of your experience and enjoy every last minute. Can you also pass on good luck wishes to the other teachers as they are also doing an amazing thing, I hope we can use, all of the science that you are all finding out, when you return.
Don’t forget to bring me back a penguin!! A chocolate on will not do.
keep smiling and Keep warm!!
Clare
December 14th, 2007 at 11:08 am
Great to hear from you Mr B and thanks for the positive comments. It means a lot to hear about the support at school, especially when times get hard! The questions from your form were fantastic. I’m looking for a penguin to bring back for them.
December 14th, 2007 at 11:09 am
Hi Miss J. Great to hear that the Year 10s enjoyed the lesson. It made my trip chatting to them. It was a definite highlight. Now that we are stuck here in the mother of all Antarctic storms I have plenty of time on my hands for another call. So if you did want to get in touch with any other classes that would be great! Thanks for all the support. It means so much. I spent a few legs of our man-haul through the night thinking about how great everyone was at Higham. It kept me walking when I was really tired and wanted to stop. I especially thought about you guys getting dressed up as penguins. Made me laugh again. I’ve passed on your message to the other teachers and they said a big thanks. We are all keeping our eyes peeled for a lonely penguin that we can bag.