Longest day ever... really, at least for me! Here is the rundown:
Depart Phoenix Air Field - 7:15 pm, Monday
Arrive Christchurch, NZ - 3:15 am, Tuesday
Customs & USAP Office check-in, 4:30 am
Arrive at hotel, check-in, repack, 5-6 am
Sleep - 6-8am
Leave hotel - 8:30 am
Leave Christchurch - 11am
Arrive Auckland - 12pm, Tuesday
Leave Auckland - 3pm, Tuesday (12+ hour flight - no sleep)
Arrive in San Francisco - 6:45 am, Still TUESDAY!!!
Customs and recheck-in - 7:00-8:30 am
Depart San Francisco - 10:40 am
Arrive in Chicago 5pm
Arrive in Milwaukee at 7pm - STILL TUESDAY!!
What is peaking out of my backpack? A seal pup!! How could I go home without one?
I checked in this morning at the Christchurch International Airport and said goodbye to a few friends who were there for the noon flight. I did not get to say goodbye to Hongjie and Yongli. We were in different hotels and had different flights. I was hoping to see them at the airport, but no luck.
The 11am flight to Auckland carried one other Antarctic traveler who offered up his window seat for my aisle seat, a much appreciated and accepted offer. He helped me navigate through the Auckland airport and ate lunch while we waited to board our connecting flights. I really had no concept of the company I was with... clearly, greatness! I had not met him while in McMurdo, which on one hand was good, but I think I missed out. He was one of the doctors on station. I never got sick or seriously injured, hence, I never went to the clinic and never knew he was on station, an unfortunate side effect of being healthy! Dr. Erik Antonsen, a kind-hearted and accomplished man. He earned a PhD. in aerospace engineering, later received his MD at the University of Illinois and completed a residency at Harvard. He now works for NASA and is in charge of a research division, oh, and he is a diver! He is working on becoming an astronaut. He has made final rounds of selection at NASA, twice. He is originally from Chicago and is quite familiar with Door County! I am hoping Dr. Antonsen will stop by Nicolet and talk with some of the science classes sometime on his way through. I believe he has an excellent message to share with young students pursuing science, particularly, medical degrees. It was a true pleasure to meet and talk with him today.
Dr. Erik Antonsen, or at least a picture I copied from his page on the Baylor College of Medicine website. I should have grabbed a pic while I was in the airport, sadly, this will have to do!
I am sitting in San Francisco as I write this. Too many airports and flights with not a lot of photos. I probably should have taken a pic of my bag that broke apart when I arrived in the states or the decorated Christmas trees in Christchurch, but I failed. I am tired and this day that seemingly will never end. Though, it is leading me home! I will write one final reflection journey to wrap up later this week. Daily journals are now complete!
Sitting at the airport in San Francisco. This is my view while I write. A little different than Antarctica!
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