My exciting week!

This week has been a very big week here at the South Pole.  On Wednesday we celebrated the 100 year anniversary of Norway’s Ronald Amundsen’s finding of the South Pole.  We had nearly 100 tourists ski, drive, and fly all across Antarctica the pole to be part of the celebrations.  The tourists camped about 1/2 mile away from our station, as they are not allowed into our building.  We set up a visitors tent (that was warm!) for them!  

I met, and hung out with Norway’s Prime Minister, Jens Stoltenberg.   He and his entourage were here 3 days.

And we had a group photo with him at the pole.  This is nearly all 200 of us who live and work at the pole this summer.  It’s a pretty big deal to get your picture on the walls at the  south pole station.  I’m happy to say, I will have checked this box.  I’m in the front row, kneeling, near the center, in blue ski pants, white fleece, and red jacket.  I’m just to the left of a a firefighter in uniform.  

Last night I met up with Borge Ousland, an adventurist.  He skied along Amundsen’s route to the pole, unsupported a few days ago.  He was really inspiring.  

We watched a movie “Patagonia, A Travel to the End of the World”.  It was about Borge and a friend, Thomas Ulrich who climbed over the ice cap between Argentina and Chile.  They were the first to do it unsupported, and it took them 55 days.  I don’t have great internet down here, but if you can find it online, definitely watch!!!

Borge's website and blog: 

http://www.ousland.no/

And, at some point during the week, I felt I needed a hero shot.  It was -27F outside!