Thursday 1 November 2007

1942 Basla DC3 - First Summer Arrivals

1st November 07

Not since the 18th February have i seen and interacted with any other human being in person, apart from my 18 base members. How the excitement was brewing. As with any flights, delays are inevitable - will it takeoff today or wont it? will we see new people or wont we? will the weather be kind or wont it? All questions, which circled our minds, of the eagerly anticipated departure of the, 1942 Basla DC3, from Rothera to Halley, flight time 6hours, carrying a cargo of fresh faces, conversation, post and the all important ingredient for every chef - fresh produce. The base felt alive with the expectation of the planes cargo, and the inquisitiveness of meeting so many other people, in all these months. It was similar to the feeling i imagine dogs get when they are desperate to meet each other - wagging tails, salivating mouths and a good sniff u know where - well almost like that anyway.

Touchdown, the Basla lands on 1st Nov. 07 at 05.37 am, infront of most of the excited base winterers who could fall out of bed in time and catch the "Taxi" style Snowcat of passing Skidoo, to the skiway about 1.5km away.



1942 Basla DC3



Lance (left) and Matt (right), homing in on each other like a pair of lost and found carrier pigeons.



Its not everyday you get to greet a Basla fitted with skis, landing on an ice shelf.





Christmas comes early. Id never imagined the vast colours of "Fresh" fruit and vegetables would hypnotise me - so shinny and colourfull you almost dont want to eat them, except if your Richard, and u wana rub your rough, stubbly beard in a lettuce - i wont eat that one!



1 comment:

Unknown said...

I always thought you were a bit of a fruit Ant.

Man I'm amazed Richard held himself to just sniffing the lettuce ...