Itinerary for Christchurch, New Zealand

Got it today, my Itinerary for Christchurch New Zealand. It's kind of amazing that where I'm going on the Antarctic Continent is 16 hours AHEAD of me here in Denver. Formula for figuring the time there (McMurdo) from here is to add 6 hours to the current time and subtract a day. Pretty weird since I will be loosing a day traveling to New Zealand.
I leave here on the 11th at 4:30PM, arrive in LA, CA at about 5:30PM on the 11th (Wed). 2 hours 25 mins.
Leave LA, CA at 11:30PM on the 11th and arrive in Auckland, NZ at 8:10AM on the 13th (Lost a day). Flight time is 13.5 hours. Those of you that have done these trips on aircraft for that long know, "THESE TRIPS SUK!!"
I leave Auckland at 12:30PM on the 13th (Fri) and arrive at Christchurch, New Zealand at 1:55 PM. 1 hour and 25 mins.

In Christchurch I gather my baggage, follow the "Blue" footprints (they have so many peopel heading to Antarctica from Christchurch they have painted blue footprints on the ground for us to follow) to customs and then to the shuttle for transport to our hotels. I'm booked at a the Christchurch Novatel. Should be interesting as it was recommended cause of some decent pub in the square.

Next day (Sat the 14th) I head back to the airport to the CDC (Clothing Distribution Center) for Extreme Cold Weather clothing issue and training. Already scheduled for "Vehicle Operators training" (Yea, they are going to let me drive down on the ice :) LOL), "General Forklift Operator Training" (no forklifts, so no idea what I am taking this for, maybe the Caterpillars? Hehe, D8's and D6's) , and finally "Airfield Driver Safety Training/NVG, Pegasus". I guess "Pegasus" is the main ice runway after the sun finally comes up.
Will post some pictures of the vehicles. Snowmobiles too.
Then on Sunday we fly to Antarctica (another 8 hours) on an Air Force C-17 weather permitting.

 We could end up doing what is known as a "Boomerang" and get half way there, have the weather turn bad and have to turn around and return to Christchurch for another night. I guess the record for bad weather and enduring boomerangs is 32 days. That would have driven me nuts for sure.

A C-17 Globemaster III aircrew from McChord Air Force Base, Washington, performed the first known after-dark landing in Antarctica using night vision goggles on September 11, 2008. I have heard this is what we will be doing at Winfly. Couse, they may have been saying this to put "newbs" on edge. Little did they realize some of us actually did this in the military. "Been-there, Done-that" with Helicopters and C-130's.

I guess this is what the inside of a C-17 transport looks like loaded for the trip. Looks actually pretty comfey!

Working on asset allocation for communications gear for the science teams. Doubt if it will ever be done. But I can continue to work at it down in McMurdo next week. Changes too often to keep up with the lists and I have 108 projects at the moment, just for McMurdo area. I Have to test a dialing sequence for an Iridium Satellite Phone to a Inmarsat satellite phone system. I guess it didn't work for a science team last year and we need to get it operational this year for them. Nothing too technical, just getting the correct dialing sequence of prefix codes.

Have been collecting tid-bits of info from people who have been there. Was told it's cold to start, but by mid-summer (November-December) the temp at McMurdo gets up to 30. Warm enough to not worry too much about cold feet if you go hiking in normal hiking boots.

Also was told ANY time you fly, you have to wear what they provide in Christchurch as the ECW boots. You have three to choose from. One type is the "Mickey Mouse" boots we were issued to go to Korea back in 81. These are solid rubber, usually white and have air for insulation. Cumbersome and large. The other types I'm not too sure about, heard "Felt Liners, no rubber on top (so feet can actually get wet) and another was a "Sorel" type of boot that reach pretty high up the calf. Will see when I get there which I choose.

Plenty to do, the station was described as a College Campus and a Wild West Town. Wonder if that person ever went to Amsterdam in the Red Light district, or BC Street on Okinawa Japan before they closed it in the 90's. Or even modern day Phuket, Bangkok, Santo Domingo :) Hehehe!

Guess I might also get to go do some actual technical work. I was hired as an Admin Specialist (Secretary) but I bet when they saw my resume and talked with me during the interview, they realized they hit a gold-mine for experience. Over Qualified is an understatement. Oh well, least I have a job and get to do a bit of travel :) It's been hinted at that I may be assisting the techs in setting up repeater sites up to 100 miles away from McMurdo. Helping install radio telephones at the camps, and general technical stuff. I sure hope so! I do better outside working, instead of cooped up in an office watching a computer screen.

All for now, signing off till something else worthwhile comes up!