Firsts!

A couple of firsts today. I'm about to work out for the first time since leaving home. Since there's about a third less air here than at sea level, it usually takes a few days to adjust to the altitude. I haven't had any problems but I'd rather play it safe.

I'll also take my first shower since leaving McMurdo! We have plenty of solid water but it takes a lot of energy to melt and purify it, so we're allotted two 2-minute showers a week. It's Monday here, so my next shower will be on Friday. Fortunately the air is so dry that smells don't really carry very well.

In case you're curious, here are the usual shots of my room:

And here's a picture of the ceremonial Pole, taken from a station window: