Random tidbits

My life has expanded so much in the last few days! I've gone so far beyond avtur in the things that Rich and I transport, that I wonder if I can handle much more innovation. Like a job where I don't transport stuff up an ice shelf for 12 hours a day! (10, if breaks are taken out.)

We've sped up our loading schedule, mainly because the stuff we're transporting is much less fiddly on the Amderma, compared to the Shack stuff. Like massive structural frames, instead of bags of frozen peas. Today, we transported a spool of cable that was 3 m in diameter and weighed 5.5 metric tonnes! Most impressive. We had to stop before hitting the ramp and put extra chains on it, because it was a bit wobbly. Wouldn't want it to roll down the ramp and off into the Weddell sea!

Anyway, I may be relieved in the next few days and go back to Halley, as I have fresh toys waiting for me. Like £100K worth of solar powered GPS sensor systems. They're in a box, just waiting to be hooked up. Can't wait!

So, my time on the Shack may be drawing to a close. But a storm may blow in tonight and delay everything. We shall see.

On a completely different note, I was thinking about the jargon we use down here. There's a site that lists a lot of it here. You may recognize some of it from my blog: terms like gash, beaker, etc. Some of the ones here I've never heard of, even the ones that are marked "Br" for British. Like "Monk on". Huh?

However, one thing that is not there is a list of the "P's". Not to be confused with one another!

P-bag - sleeping bag and accessories. Sheepskins, mattress, etc. Keeps you warm in a tent!

P-box - Box full of personal items, shipping to and from Antarctica. Mostly for winterers.

P-flag - Flag you P near, if you can be bothered to go outside.

P-bottle - Bottle you P in, if you can't be bothered to go outside.