Local NZT Posting Day and Time- 12-28-07 5:30PM
Central Standard Posting Day and Time- 12-27-07 10:30PM
Answer to 12-21-07’s WATIZIT Picture
Luggage Tag
United States Antarctic Program Luggage Tag
Today’s WATIZIT Sound
Click on the MP3 icon below to listen to today’s mystery sound.
Shelley and George, two of the meteorologist that I will be working with were due to arrive yesterday but due to bad weather in the MidWest, USA their flight was canceled. Jonathan and Jonas were scheduled to arrive today. I received word from Shelley that I was to go to the CDC (Clothing Distribution Center) here in Cheech- slang for Christchurch, today at 1:00 to be issued my ECW, (Extreme Cold Weather) gear. When I arrived at the CDC a few hours ago, all four of them were there, having just landed. George laughed and said he made it but his luggage was apparently on the way to Melbourne, Australia. As he says, "it is all just a part of the experiment".
When Shelley visited my classes a month or so ago, she showed students some of the gear that I was issued this afternoon.
ECW
Future Polar Explorer
Shelley told us that what she had was only a small amount of the ECW, she was definitely right. I tried on two large bags of clothes; several layers of fleece, a huge parka, another coat, monster "bunny” boots, several kinds of hats, several layers of insulated underwear, numerous pairs of gloves and mittens. About $2000 worth of clothes!!!!
ECW
Shelley Knuth and 7th Period
I have been preparing for this trip to Antarctica since last March, but as I am stuffing all of my gear into the two duffle bags that we are allowed, the reality sinks in that this is really happening. (I would add some pics of the "dressing room” but all of the electronics I need are packed in the two duffel bags and waiting fr me at the CDC.)
George explains his method of packing his bags. He packs specific items into the one bag that he will carry onto the plane. He says that way if the plane crashes he will have the survival gear he needs on the ice. The reality again sinks in that this is for real!!! How cool is that!!!!
So now we wait.......
We are scheduled to fly out at about 2:00AM 12-29-07 NZT. If you want to know when that is your time, you can figure it out from looking at the dates and times when I posted this report.