Friday, August 27, 2010

Argh!

I went out last night to stargaze and try to catch Auroras around Hut Point. The weather was supposed to be great for it. Anyhoo, I went out from about 8:15pm to 9pm, and I didn't see much. The starts were great, but background light from town kept me from getting a good look at anything. I gave up because I was getting cold. A group went out around 9-ish and came back with reports of amazing auroras. Grr! I'll have to keep my eye out and see if I can catch something. Next time, I'll need to bring a hot drink.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Con 2, but Warm

All day today has been condition 2 weather. High winds and low visibility have been the norm for today. It is really neat to walk around in blowing snow that prevents you from seeing more than a few feet in front of you. I can't say it is very smart, though... :P

Friday, August 20, 2010

Second First Day

I flew in on the C-17 yesterday, and I am back at my work center. I thought that six months of doing nothing would have dulled my brain a lot more, but I seem to be back in the swing of things. I have Sunday off, so the timing was convenient. I feel good about this season despite not knowing what I intend to get out of it. I do like the fact that I got here when it was still dark for part of the day. I will be taking some pictures, but not a lot. Winfly is really, really cold. With wind chill, the temperatures are -47F, which is about 157 degrees colder than my last locale.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Cheech

After many hours of travel, I made it into Christchurch yesterday. We got in late in the afternoon, so we had plenty of time to look around. Unfortunately, something on the plane didn't agree with me, so I had to spend the afternoon dealing with that. The weather here is a little cold and rainy. Despite all that, I find myself in a great mood and look forward to winfly (Winter Flights). Those flights are starting earlier this year, so the previous flights had to use night vision goggles. The pilots on my flight shouldn't need them, though.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

On the Road Again

Hmm. Somehow I thought packing would be a lot easier this time, but I can't seem to find a slightly larger duffle. I think I am going to make do with what I have and end up shipping some things to myself. I'm also unsure about what to do about my global ready-bag that I will use after the Ice. Japan and Korea will require much the same clothing that I'll be wearing on the Ice, and I'm not sure my funds or timing will allow me to stay too long in New Zealand, Sydney, or Hawaii this time. Hmmm.

Oh, I also found two small holes in the bottom of my duffle, and I just patched it with black duct tape. I know that it is really not classy or presentable, but I don't want to spend a stupid amount of money on a fancy duffle.