We went to the Clothing Distribution Center yesterday and 5PM and got all our gear. At 7:30PM we checked in our baggage and then got weighed with our carry-ons and extreme weather gear, then filed onto a couple of buses and were driven out to the airfield. We got onto the plane and by 9PM we were flying to Antarctica.
I managed to get a couple of hours sleep, which shortened the four and a half hour trip somewhat. We landed at the Pegasus airfield on the Ross Ice Shelf, and then got on another bus to get to the base
The airfield is far enough away, and Ivan the Terra Bus must drive slowly enough that we didn't get the McMurdo until after 2:30AM, so we didn't have time or energy to do much except get our bedding then go to our dorm rooms, make up our beds, and fall asleep.
This morning I got up and took a shower(!), then walked over to Crary Labs where the IT guys configured my computer so it would work on the computer network here and at the Pole. I worked for a couple of hours, walked to the galley for lunch and then to another building for the "Welcome to Antarctica" briefing, which gives new arrivals some guidelines for living and working at McMurdo.
At the briefing we learned that we needed to "bag drag" today so at 5PM we carried all our worldly possessions a few blocks up the hill to the cargo building, where we were again weighed and waved goodbye to our checked baggage. We're supposed to report back there at 7:30AM, and the plane will probably take off sometime after noon.
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