the end is nigh
i can not believe that in just over 2 weeks i will be flying off of this frozen rock, weather depending of course. i was originally scheduled to leave in october, but with the shoulder injury and all that jazz, i’ll be leaving here on 26 august.
at first i was really upset, and trying to find a job for winfly (the 6 week period between these flights and october), but now i’m at peace with it. i have my vacation plans somewhat set, and i’m actually looking forward to leaving. on 2 september, cora and i will be flying to tonga from auckland. we will spend 2 weeks there on the vava’u island group. we’ll stay in an apartment right on the water. i can’t wait for the sunshine. after that i’ll go back to new zealand for a while, and then i don’t have anything else planned yet. i don’t know when i’ll be home yet.
i’m packing again. it feels so weird to be packing when i feel like i just packed to come down here. i’ve bought so many souveniers that i’m shipping them all home, as well as at least one suitcase. this will greatly lighten my traveling load, so that’s awesome.
i’ll be happy to leave here, but i’ll miss it as well. i love it here. but i also feel like i’m stuck in a time warp down here sometimes. i’ll go home and time will have passed, i missed an entire summer. i never lived the summer of 2006. i lived the winter and a little bit of fall of 2006.
i am burnt out, but i don’t want to admit it. i want to come back here and look through rested eyes. i know that i will never have the same giddiness that i had coming down here for the first time, but i know that i will still long for the beauty and serenity that is here. i look out to the sea ice, sitting under vince’s cross on hut point, and the frozen sea is so peaceful to me. the sun coming up again over the point is astounding, and i don’t want to think that i’ll never see that again.
i will be back, i just don’t know when yet.
August 12th, 2006 at 5:41 pm
What happened to your shoulder?
August 14th, 2006 at 4:18 pm
Hi,
Like the last comment - what happened to your shoulder. Also, my co-worker wants to know if u know Chris Toegel (Spelling ?) He’s her friends brother.
August 15th, 2006 at 10:30 am
1. I hope that your shoulder is okay.
2. Rest is always good. I’ve taken the whole summer off from theatre and though I miss it, I sure do love being able to sleep and see my friends. It’s refreshing.
2a. Get yourself refreshed and then you can get yourself back there.
3. CHEERS!
August 17th, 2006 at 8:04 am
We are very proud of you for the path you have taken and the strength you have shown within it. I envy you more than you know.
You didn’t miss a summer. You gained an experience that is irreplaceable and life changing. You will draw upon this experience for the rest of your life, and as each day goes by you will realize the value all the more.
When the time comes and you go back, you will enjoy it all the more as you will have seen our world thru the eyes of Antarctica.
Be well and enjoy your journey. All our love.
August 19th, 2006 at 4:14 am
i hurt my shoulder at work, repetitive motion injury. i’m not entirely sure, but i think that i tore the ligaments that hold the head of the shoulder in the socket, so it pops out making my whole hand go numb. kind of a neat parlour trick.
and no, les, i don’t know that person - do you know what season they usually work, or in what department? maybe they’re coming in this week and i’ll find them =)