Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 11/19/2013 - 17:45

Hello, my name is Ryan and I go to Pope John Paul II High School in Boca Raton, Florida, and I am currently taking a marine science class. I was reading the Happy Camper journal and came across this line: "Eat, sleep, drink, go to the bathroom, drive a truck, sleep outside, even something as simple as tossing out a candy wrapper is more complicated and requires more thought and energy than you ever thought possible." In what ways are these things more complicated? I understand things such as driving and sleeping due to the climate, but why are eating, drinking, and other activities harder?

Justin Kendhammer

Hi Ryan,Taking this statement apart might be the best approach.Eating is more complicated due to many different variables. First, it would be the amount of food required. With high activity levels and cold weather we are taking on 5K or more calories per day. All of the food comes from New Zealand, by the time we are ready to ingest it in the field it is often frozen. Even a hot meal in the field will be frozen to the plate by the time you have finished. Drinking water is great when it is not frozen. Insulated water bottles are necessary. You also do not want to drink too much. For a day in the field we take along one water bottle and one pee bottle. Since the elimination of waste is highly regulated on the continent we have to be sure to bring our urine with us back to an approved disposal site. All the trash generated is also more complicated. Everything is sorted by the user. Plastic, metals, paper, tissue paper, true trash (nail clippings and floor sweepings) and a couple more categories I am missing. Then it is all hauled back to New Zealand and some of it all the way back to the US. It kinda makes my head spin considering the logistical complications related our activities on the ice.I hope that makes it more clear.Justin