Travel tip

If you travel with an electronic device and think you'll want to charge it during a layover, make sure to pack a 3-way plug. People frequently grab the available outlets, but you can usually talk them into sharing their outlet.

I feel like I'm performing a public service because I've got my iPod plugged into my laptop, which is plugged into the 3-way plug along with two other people's phones!

Heading back

I'm heading back to the Pole for my fourth trip, and will again be updating this blog every day or two. I'm writing this from the Los Angeles airport, 9 hours into the 30 hour journey to Christchurch. I'm currently scheduled to leave Christchurch for McMurdo (on the coast of Antarctica) roughly 30 hours after that, so this could be a very quick trip to the Pole!

The first part of this trip will be a bit different than previous trips. Before this year, I've stayed in downtown Christchurch, which is a beautiful town centered around a gorgeous church. However, due to the huge earthquakes in early 2011, most of the downtown businesses are closed, including my favorite B&B and a really excellent vegetarian restaurant and brewpub with outdoor seating.

I'll be staying in Papanui, which is a suburb of Christchurch near the airport. Instead of eclectic shops and restaurants, there's a mall a couple of blocks away. One place I'll be sure to visit is right across the street -- Burger Wisconsin, a New Zealand "gourmet burger" chain.