tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16285402524247458692024-03-06T06:00:11.538+10:00Chef on IceUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628540252424745869.post-26042550817651404772011-01-12T18:18:00.000+10:002011-01-12T18:18:18.030+10:00NEW CHEF ON ICE SITE<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Thanks so much for looking us up. We have a new site up and running now and you can find it at...</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://chefonice.com/"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>chefonice.com</b></span></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628540252424745869.post-74403857722247543292011-01-11T07:50:00.002+10:002011-01-11T08:23:39.142+10:00New Year's Eve<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">It was a normal start to the day… Wake up with the phone (alarm) two rings........roll over, lift the receiver an inch then drop it down like the head of a mallet. Yawn... swig any remaining water from the bottle beside the bed. Open eyes. Stare at the ceiling for what appears to be an hour or so (but in reality only 2-3 minutes). Grunt.........I love this place, Antarctica.......but I love sleep possibly even more, so it’s just a small grunt each day..............ahhhhhh sleep!!!!</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">Get up, leave the room walk around some stairs, take a left at the t-junction and first door on the right. Return to the room feeling a little lighter.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">Dress for the day… t-shirt/jacket, trousers, socks, kitchen crocs... grab an apron off the hook and leave the room again for work. Do a hard right once out of the room, proceed through the Link and down into the foyer, turn right and voila, we’re here!! Oh yeah... turn 180</span><span style="color: #1f497d;">°</span><span style="color: #1f497d;"> and head back through the foyer and into the Wallow, straight to the coffee machine. Ahhhhhhhh now we can start the day. Time check 0548.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">It was decided a few weeks ago that on New Years the chefs would have the day off. Cool. So Tony and I made plans to go out to one of the surrounding huts and spend NY eve there. We put out an APB for those who may wish to join us. As Brookes hut only contains 4 beds and a mattress we soon found our three lucky companions.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">Lunch was put up. Reheating instructions for dinner were left with the slushies. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoehvIvF0ZKnONK1AdnEy_ZEQ7MgRuYujY8M6-lWa1G5bixUGTVYlgQEFK_IW_eVZEkEP_ADSEyyf5BXRYR6r4MrLM44xLCuRpOTyJ3S0WsD3in6QoLY7OVagDvNiRIeHzXC-Qmgo_-10/s1600/NYE4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoehvIvF0ZKnONK1AdnEy_ZEQ7MgRuYujY8M6-lWa1G5bixUGTVYlgQEFK_IW_eVZEkEP_ADSEyyf5BXRYR6r4MrLM44xLCuRpOTyJ3S0WsD3in6QoLY7OVagDvNiRIeHzXC-Qmgo_-10/s200/NYE4.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #1f497d;">And the next thing you know I’m sweating and panting 5 clicks from station heading in an easterly direction with a near gale force frontal assault of pretty snowflakes and not so pretty bits of ancient landscape (dirty, dusty, sand). It was a nice feeling leaving the station behind... and responsibility. The walk to Brookes hut took around four hours in which we passed 3 lakes, 7 penguins, 2 thousand year old seal carcasses, hundreds of magnificent dykes (the black rock that form ribbons upon the landscape), and millions of fascinating rock formations. The land that I was walking through was It!! True blue, untouched, undisturbed ancient earth. What a feeling............breathing in the cleanest air in the world and staring at god’s very own creations in their weathered and unique forms.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzRhxYVjQUNs0aygZbd8ww7I3CKT-chg7yA_1P2YUZBGCwbHz_Khnf-IYbUPCCQTcpN4Wp8Ku-WOjiNlY8t61w6oDgqxcM0PTDC9ebzg_h9WQYiQj7wTLC2d3q0Q-1KB9JeHWmcalTK1M/s1600/NYE7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzRhxYVjQUNs0aygZbd8ww7I3CKT-chg7yA_1P2YUZBGCwbHz_Khnf-IYbUPCCQTcpN4Wp8Ku-WOjiNlY8t61w6oDgqxcM0PTDC9ebzg_h9WQYiQj7wTLC2d3q0Q-1KB9JeHWmcalTK1M/s200/NYE7.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">On arrival at the hut the generator was started, bags were emptied, food laid out and drinks poured. 5 hours later glasses were chinked, messages were swapped via radio and the chitter chatter continued. Another 3 hours later the snoring started and lasted well into the next morning.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTF7NGa2NyZusOOyhhCWgBua824xTGz9jbTXoPF0k34mkCzUq6atoVtJwOWOTu9-nFsrLwoYa-h8YrVpar1cMvfW9gTaSJ3hz_YhMGO4b7g4-TWT25WQZqVhIJJQRWcErNlMmdIoyH7XY/s1600/NYE9.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTF7NGa2NyZusOOyhhCWgBua824xTGz9jbTXoPF0k34mkCzUq6atoVtJwOWOTu9-nFsrLwoYa-h8YrVpar1cMvfW9gTaSJ3hz_YhMGO4b7g4-TWT25WQZqVhIJJQRWcErNlMmdIoyH7XY/s200/NYE9.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #1f497d;">Finishing off the crackers and cheese from the previous evening and adding only coffee made for an undisciplined (I’m on holiday) breakfast. I spent the next ½ hour preparing for lunch fresh sushi using tinned crab and asparagus. It was very tasty........and here we go again........... surreal - sitting in a little red hut eating sushi and pickled ginger using chopsticks, listening to Simon and Garfunkles greatest hits through my ipod and portable JBL speakers and all the time staring out through the cracked and wind beaten window into the great expanse known as the Antarctic.........blue skies, ice bergs, rolling hills and seals... it was all there only inches from where I sat.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">Doing your business down here in ‘the freezer’ is all about management.....on one hand..... of your body (hold on until you get back to base), or .........of the available resources and space. Basically #1s are sent straight into the sea or carried back home in a supplied bottle. #2s are carried by you all the way back to station. I recommend double bagging then bagging again and stuffing into an appropriate receptacle to minimise perforation. Sorry about the topic but I guessed people wonder how these things were done down here. I did!!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOTNaUCcrXBWTAmUH-x6GVfRFCDXmyuHWv9PD1uRdxBv3S2ekR06uktshFC07mU1UX_DJSHJUrqLuxqp7GZAyyXwKt6kRfNq9rhhjFMOl-s_HMTtgnEgJqFvTKaPXi1NlkBduWJJPZvn8/s1600/NYE14.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOTNaUCcrXBWTAmUH-x6GVfRFCDXmyuHWv9PD1uRdxBv3S2ekR06uktshFC07mU1UX_DJSHJUrqLuxqp7GZAyyXwKt6kRfNq9rhhjFMOl-s_HMTtgnEgJqFvTKaPXi1NlkBduWJJPZvn8/s200/NYE14.jpg" width="133" /></a><span style="color: #1f497d;">I had organised a helicopter to come and pick us up. Well, the hut did need stocking up of essentials so I arranged these back at Davis and coordinated a time that would coincide with our need to vacate the hut. Cunning? Hey!! Anyway on our return we were lucky enough to make a special flight to the plateau in order to assess the amount of snow built up around a lone hagg used to transport a couple of guys who maintain the skiway known as Woop Woop. I grabbed a couple of snaps of Platcha hut on our way ( the hut in which I did field training) as well as the surrounding hills etc...... </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">The summer melt is well and truly here.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">Just to add… I’m writing this blog from the Doctor’s office. A Chinese Doctor became ill at one of their stations (Dome (A) Argus - the highest area situated on the east Antarctic Ice sheet at 4093m). A call was put out to the AAD for assistance and a medivac was set up. The belief is that the patient suffered from altitude sickness. I am doing a 2 hour patient monitoring shift before work this morning (3:45am wakeup). The Chinese resupply vessel that I took aerial photos of a couple of weeks ago should be entering our waters later this morning to pick their comrade up and maybe pop on over for a cup of tea or something... who knows.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRkq_4kVzuhyEnOvkEJESkNonEhGBwmLcZvzOIyyPlDPgLvNS3-vJCJ2vgCSb0pRu-8MclopgbkSLGCJTSiI-FlzuYL40GeVrfDirgnDT3jBStGqqSgymEqsn3i_ZxUdMyUkVgbqN55bE/s1600/NYE18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="87" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRkq_4kVzuhyEnOvkEJESkNonEhGBwmLcZvzOIyyPlDPgLvNS3-vJCJ2vgCSb0pRu-8MclopgbkSLGCJTSiI-FlzuYL40GeVrfDirgnDT3jBStGqqSgymEqsn3i_ZxUdMyUkVgbqN55bE/s400/NYE18.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628540252424745869.post-74196204903668653632011-01-10T10:09:00.003+10:002011-01-10T16:17:33.377+10:00My last day in Saudi<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I haven't already mentioned that in Saudi the weekend is Thursday and Friday and everyone works through 'our' Saturday/Sunday weekend as normal practice. Which is why we were able to shop on Sunday. Pretty much nothing happens on a Friday.... and imagine, no pubs or clubs, no music - it's banned too - no movie theatres, strict internet censorship and no lounging around in cafes drinking coffee for hours with friends... </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcexUIgegpaRyO8Cljvpu3RvZ0iCVev7XFkWA17cAMdvr9N_0_kO5TG0so4QwYGZ8hRz7RmovaNyqLc1lLlBNXiuQJToMRb7PBYEoKf5FNWDmKpT9YZ_P6nnM9uJzH6kFBxtCkvkkgG8Y/s1600/IMG_0349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcexUIgegpaRyO8Cljvpu3RvZ0iCVev7XFkWA17cAMdvr9N_0_kO5TG0so4QwYGZ8hRz7RmovaNyqLc1lLlBNXiuQJToMRb7PBYEoKf5FNWDmKpT9YZ_P6nnM9uJzH6kFBxtCkvkkgG8Y/s320/IMG_0349.JPG" width="195" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">It's a SHOE store!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijxuJ5zf5_HNu5CmXMODuhVjf_TAKy83ZJOwQyhvfKVgVJqk4h9lcceMpTbAGTizO4zAdALJqH2_HR0AJkecPjd2HJfzcjnENufXJpuiEUuhTOvR9F2BJDoJUiTzkJbotxaelav8V9Yms/s1600/IMG_0344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijxuJ5zf5_HNu5CmXMODuhVjf_TAKy83ZJOwQyhvfKVgVJqk4h9lcceMpTbAGTizO4zAdALJqH2_HR0AJkecPjd2HJfzcjnENufXJpuiEUuhTOvR9F2BJDoJUiTzkJbotxaelav8V9Yms/s200/IMG_0344.JPG" width="164" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">My last day was Tuesday and Bronwyn had taken the day off work to join Louise and I in a girly day, and the last one out and about in Riyadh for me. It worked well to do those last minute things before flying out that evening. When we picked up Louise she had it all planned out. Seriously, I can't believe how lucky I was to get to spend time with someone whose knowledge of the city and surrounding areas is amazing. First stop... Shoe Palace. You are met at the door by chandeliers and a massive glass vase and flower display. It is as large as a small-medium Woolworths supermarket and it is here that the shoes are bedazzled and the handbags are supplied to match. There was an unbelievable amount of lace, sparkle and designer labels but shoes and handbags are extremely important to the Saudi woman when those are the only things that can be seen outside of an abaya. And you would have to be prepared to spend a pretty penny at Shoe Palace. </span><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">We went to Al Guthmi next, a two storyed fabric shop... nope, you don't order it to be made in to something, you just order the fabric. Again, a chandelier - they LOVE their chandeliers here - but this time over a grand marble staircase to the upper floor. Think of a fabric, any fabric, and you can purchase it right here. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I asked Louise and Bronwyn to help with a gift for my Mum so the next stop was Traditionals, a store for authentic artifacts from the region, better than what you would get from a souk but not hideously expensive. What a lovely store. I found some lovely little trinkets there for Mum but I could have spent a lot more time and a lot more money... ones bank account and ones suitcase can only take so much though! Besides, Louise had a surprise instore for us...</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGJ2E_hpD_85rhZNqeQZScmTdih9i-3EHcmlknHd2PdwsdwmG86QNI6sS5DbYCzVnBCGPMJqQOZbw8NB1ZtlIh_Prb33Eoug-_lqOuFWbMvK2BBiIJdhVIRJJcdMkXbT_JxJDcu3BH7_o/s1600/IMG_0358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGJ2E_hpD_85rhZNqeQZScmTdih9i-3EHcmlknHd2PdwsdwmG86QNI6sS5DbYCzVnBCGPMJqQOZbw8NB1ZtlIh_Prb33Eoug-_lqOuFWbMvK2BBiIJdhVIRJJcdMkXbT_JxJDcu3BH7_o/s200/IMG_0358.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-v3-8vQGb4QM0S6YYmOUkeotq_piA-P2c6vZZAev2heFxCjhg2X0mBkGSorzV4SKBIJaL6z3E7XbnXgw0smLLtZYjyh36uRRFfvmh_PFNIk6Qn5HlRCE0ZsS61xMECvZKGhGIrFhiJY/s1600/IMG_0361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-v3-8vQGb4QM0S6YYmOUkeotq_piA-P2c6vZZAev2heFxCjhg2X0mBkGSorzV4SKBIJaL6z3E7XbnXgw0smLLtZYjyh36uRRFfvmh_PFNIk6Qn5HlRCE0ZsS61xMECvZKGhGIrFhiJY/s200/IMG_0361.JPG" width="124" /></a>The doors were the height of the whole bottom floor and were opened by a white gloved doorman before we could even see he was there. Louise just has a way, and a confidence, and she had just led us in to the most stunning of jewellery stores where the very rich come to purchase their jewellery to go with those shoes and handbags we had 'visited' with earlier. And we didn't want to buy... we just wanted to gawp at what we would never be able to afford but still we were led to armchairs and out came the black velvet boxes. Well.... where does one start... a sapphire ring with a stone as big as my thumbnail, an emerald necklace and matching earrings and a 5 carat diamond ring worth 2.5m riyals... that translates in to around $800,000 and we were allowed to try on. The store was Fatahi Jewellers and they were polite and hospitable - I don't think I would get in the door of a store that sold that kind of jewellery here let alone receive that kind of service when they know you won't be buying.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNIGW9G0Oeo8RLxlJureCOFmj8YkRMdkQSN4WBeG82qop_WRlevX-iCkVwGxHABGcVOggFnAJ8UKL7akkyIv3VRXOTNOxTcTYlNICV6d8edLn1pTXkVGaT2ntMSDpJ-8GEOhIaO33QUAE/s1600/IMG_0363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNIGW9G0Oeo8RLxlJureCOFmj8YkRMdkQSN4WBeG82qop_WRlevX-iCkVwGxHABGcVOggFnAJ8UKL7akkyIv3VRXOTNOxTcTYlNICV6d8edLn1pTXkVGaT2ntMSDpJ-8GEOhIaO33QUAE/s200/IMG_0363.JPG" width="187" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMkyBjDMGB22gmBjIFXA1-JNPXE4IkrqLmEdxg9JOo8OwJBmiZnE4qKGZNUXXLngRvOcYboVKrS39EoktDePzjULP83BcsUJJFLdpZr-HK6f1m10RBBlzWSq4FY-D0ujy7OoBCy86zvs/s1600/IMG_0371.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMkyBjDMGB22gmBjIFXA1-JNPXE4IkrqLmEdxg9JOo8OwJBmiZnE4qKGZNUXXLngRvOcYboVKrS39EoktDePzjULP83BcsUJJFLdpZr-HK6f1m10RBBlzWSq4FY-D0ujy7OoBCy86zvs/s200/IMG_0371.JPG" width="160" /></a>Coffee was needed after that and where better to go than a VERY swanky designer mall - which noone was shopping in - and in to a very swanky French cafe that hails from Champs Elysees in Paris and serves world famous macarons? Obvious choice really. We chose from Coffee, Cassis, Lemon, Rose, Raspberry, Coconut to name a few and took a seat in a wee parlour all decorated with blue velvet upholstery... and walls!!! One could almost get the giggles really. Fench music, fantastic service, pastel coloured, gold rimmed cups and saucers... La Duree was a little slice of heaven. Even the coffee was great. And, when prayers started we were welcome to stay. Ahhhhhh.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXl6T9rs40BIaEGf2SLa5BxqHqkpSGGG-Dy0L5DqUI5B_ssp1Ycj40Z6fwO51piMFi69gjrKrbgbcR-4pFhLtlzd5tbr61MPYqnjYElrzslj8scySjUU7ergiZSO1cBq77Y1zDM0VIf7c/s1600/IMG_0377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXl6T9rs40BIaEGf2SLa5BxqHqkpSGGG-Dy0L5DqUI5B_ssp1Ycj40Z6fwO51piMFi69gjrKrbgbcR-4pFhLtlzd5tbr61MPYqnjYElrzslj8scySjUU7ergiZSO1cBq77Y1zDM0VIf7c/s200/IMG_0377.JPG" width="200" /></a>Louise had mentioned the first time we 'hung out' together that there was a great place that did stuffed pigeon, a bit of a local favourite. (Farmed, not wild I should add.) I asked if we could possibly try that for lunch today. So, off we went to a pokey corner shop and Louise marched in and order up stuffed pigeon for three. It is stuffed with a full flavoured and herby rice before cooking then wrapped in a sheet of the thinnest bread and served with a soup made with the juices from the bird. I should thank Justin at this point for being the person that made me comfortable eating with my hands because scooping the rice up with that paper thin bread... oh man! I LOVED it. I don't try 'different' foods easily but was so glad I did this time. I mean, it wasn't that daring... it tasted a lot like chicken after all.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7WHvLic9_awFrn34Yw6yh8c-Izt-cajQJdtqtBiBH9T4SizkNqj1nIk3Cnx8sb2nBuoDrljm2dmieY4_2F-L10cyPbYfUhAdmeuPyQL4bKvJO1X8jDgd6n8kXGn8pPr6TdhSItAnnwRE/s1600/IMG_0382.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7WHvLic9_awFrn34Yw6yh8c-Izt-cajQJdtqtBiBH9T4SizkNqj1nIk3Cnx8sb2nBuoDrljm2dmieY4_2F-L10cyPbYfUhAdmeuPyQL4bKvJO1X8jDgd6n8kXGn8pPr6TdhSItAnnwRE/s200/IMG_0382.JPG" width="164" /></a>We took the elevator down to the basement after lunch, walked across to the opposite elevator and up to the same level as Louise's apartment, and voila.... we were at the clinic where she works, which parts of used to be her old apartment. We had a look around the facility and were very impressed, said goodbye, then left Louise to get on with her work. </div><div class="" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;">It was time to head back to the compound and for me to pack, ready to leave for the airport. I was a bit worried about the weight of my luggage - I had my crystal tea set in my suitcase! - but as it turned out, everything was fine. My 'friend' from Singapore airlines who had assisted on my arrival appeared out of nowhere as I approached the check in desk and was at the gate for boarding. (He now knew that Brian was from the NZ Embassy.) Brian and I had gone to the other end of the terminal for a drink and hadn't heard the boarding announcement - it didn't help me that they were all in Arabic anyway! - so as we wandered back to the gate we were approached with 'last boarding call Madam'... ooops, I have NEVER been the last one on to a plane before. Full of apologies I rushed to the gate and presented my boarding pass only for it to be exchanged for another that said 'Business Class'. Well, talk about giggles again. What a great ending to a great day. I think I boarded the plane in a state of euphoria. 'Good evening Mrs Chambers', 'Can I help with your bag Mrs Chambers?', 'Would you like a drink Mrs Chambers?... you can have wine once we are in the air', 'Would you like a snack Mrs Chambers?'..... oh man..... </div><div class="" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;">I do have to sincerely thank Bronwyn, Brian, Louise and even a couple of Singapore Airlines employees for each contributing to my Saudi experience in some way. I feel as though I packed a whole education in to seven days and have to say... I would definately go back again. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628540252424745869.post-51129820597521805522011-01-09T19:59:00.004+10:002011-01-09T21:13:17.960+10:00Camels, camels everywhere<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitXDWGTjc-HofHMYL2rQLWOwz_gNmfcaCW2gs-yE64-a5NesM4pk2_KvwbDTsFwrPJZIa3Kxu0dV6b6pLagY1IlfhPlJzaty6xZ2yUe5cxDzixcjmc4C5Ay1g3snJjt-6xojTjKgfXfNI/s1600/IMG_0261.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitXDWGTjc-HofHMYL2rQLWOwz_gNmfcaCW2gs-yE64-a5NesM4pk2_KvwbDTsFwrPJZIa3Kxu0dV6b6pLagY1IlfhPlJzaty6xZ2yUe5cxDzixcjmc4C5Ay1g3snJjt-6xojTjKgfXfNI/s200/IMG_0261.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Camel Souk</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">My second to last day in Saudi saw me on a drive out of the city, accompanied by Louise, to the Camel Souk. To my surprise, after all I haven't spent much time around camels, there are everything from white to black Camels. The black ones in particular I found intriguing. Louise offered to take photos of me near the camels and I got much closer than I thought I would. Standing near the fence, a very dark brown camel came over to make friends and I gave his cheeks a bit of a rub. He seemed to enjoy it and stayed there for a good few minutes while Louise snapped away. This is my favourite shot.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTJwDLnrJMHi2Xh3AqSAkUPVWSaPexD0qCIHLdphalv0L3yeyDM7OvezFZahGI-gOq8UBEqhKLnCx93SFZFVcMTtWMfguS13N5XZQJ6cGl_-6C1I0teEqFfvxnBG7xOeZ8-QuY62xLqNw/s1600/IMG_0289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTJwDLnrJMHi2Xh3AqSAkUPVWSaPexD0qCIHLdphalv0L3yeyDM7OvezFZahGI-gOq8UBEqhKLnCx93SFZFVcMTtWMfguS13N5XZQJ6cGl_-6C1I0teEqFfvxnBG7xOeZ8-QuY62xLqNw/s200/IMG_0289.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kingdom Tower</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixo86GenYQ9ytZRKtrglwU8wxBQTzrIPV91tvxAt_apO81F_9pwCHk0mOTelKINsCTDwkyWVQEyKWPZvzG1LdmySNZRQN1rn6IIfXeQU-_yMlaCgtWdQDt2z4uznhEgxlWbtiBIxCOgHo/s1600/IMG_0290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixo86GenYQ9ytZRKtrglwU8wxBQTzrIPV91tvxAt_apO81F_9pwCHk0mOTelKINsCTDwkyWVQEyKWPZvzG1LdmySNZRQN1rn6IIfXeQU-_yMlaCgtWdQDt2z4uznhEgxlWbtiBIxCOgHo/s200/IMG_0290.JPG" width="141" /></a>From the Camel Souk we went on to the Kuwaiti Souk where I made the purchase of a set of 12 crystal cups and saucers. Intent on covering a lot of ground, Louise then whisked me over to Kingdom Mall, to the Ladies' Floor where we had coffee. I was very surprised to walk in and be met with a sign that requested all women remove their face covering whilst on the Ladies Floor, for security reasons. The reason being that we can then all be seen to be women. The face cover, or burka, is a traditional garment, and not a religious garment - a fact not well known amongst the majority of us. We met with Prayer time whilst in Kingdom Mall and everything closed up so used our time to head on up to Kingdom Tower to take a look at Riyahd from the Skywalk. From the ground it looks as though the tower is a much wider expanse than it actually is and we were across it in a flash. What a true engineering feat. Looking out and down on to the building's incredible curve was something else. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPOJQJhwpUER8Da6tFmEbTLjvI1f9i8lOpUHE36XkEw5-CmQACdikX6xkIVHFkVOYTQmXJM-Ocd32oU1_qDIG2qaTkuh3XOnKoceBpqYEILzqiQO1T9B46ph-IwxPFCTXa_TpUxxZYPQ8/s1600/IMG_0306.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPOJQJhwpUER8Da6tFmEbTLjvI1f9i8lOpUHE36XkEw5-CmQACdikX6xkIVHFkVOYTQmXJM-Ocd32oU1_qDIG2qaTkuh3XOnKoceBpqYEILzqiQO1T9B46ph-IwxPFCTXa_TpUxxZYPQ8/s320/IMG_0306.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">From there we headed on over to Louise's neighbourhood to a Turkish restaurant for lunch. Being women eating out we were to sit in the Family Area. Restaurants have two sections, one for men and another for families and women on their own. The Family Area consists of booths with high walls and heavy curtains, designed specifically so that no one can see the woman/women within. The curtain is closed and the waiters announce themselves in order to give the woman time to cover her head/face prior to the curtain being opened and food delivered to the table. Being the relaxed types were are, we left the curtain open. The bread was delivered to the table first and I have never seen anything like it! It was almost the length of the table. We also ordered a mezze plate with hommous, baba ganoush, tabbouleh, olives and other goodies. It was gooooooooood.... but there would have been three quarters of the bread left at the end, easily.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3-EPYcPQKRoyzK7ld32fXUSlkj5np8z8VGN3-CyNhkCDbECoNzWo7WwpiPjv74Tl9HU6d8IttVIwNsUo2P5SjjQR9rZUPwFkkitoIQEAzkMCkRGldd2lBjVXCZ_NTT4eWXr7Ii5utj9U/s1600/IMG_0328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3-EPYcPQKRoyzK7ld32fXUSlkj5np8z8VGN3-CyNhkCDbECoNzWo7WwpiPjv74Tl9HU6d8IttVIwNsUo2P5SjjQR9rZUPwFkkitoIQEAzkMCkRGldd2lBjVXCZ_NTT4eWXr7Ii5utj9U/s320/IMG_0328.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">My dream rug</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Louise works from 2pm-10pm so while she headed up to the clinic, I was 'returned' to the compound by Idris where I waited for Bronwyn and Brian to finish work. Then it was off to Deira Souk to pick up my kilim rug... yay!!! Excited! Bronwyn explained the sad side to all the gorgeous rugs we were pawing over in the shop. They are hand made heirlooms which can take literally months to create, every one unique. The way they come to be in the hands of our rug salesman is that the family need money so they sell these beauties to get it. A real shame. My wee rug makes me very happy though and every time I look it I discover something new. It is even crooked in several places, proof of the hand made. (The cat and dog have also fallen in love with it and it makes a great tunnel for them to play in.) Whilst at the rug shop I fell in love with another rug, twice to three times the size, that sadly also costs 5 times more than the one that made it home with me... something to save up for perhaps. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>From the souk, Bronwyn, Brian and I went and parked at Kingdom mall and made our way up to the Italian restaurant in the hotel above. We had a gorgeous meal but I have to say that it is really weird enjoying a such a good Italian meal without a nice glass of chianti, barolo or amarone... alcohol being banned in the Kingdom. The restaurant didn't seem to have a family section but there were curtained off booths for those that chose to use them. There were some young women enjoying a meal and as men arrived, only one covered up. I don't know... I guess some of the rules are flexible or maybe they are becoming more so with the younger generations. That would be nice.<br />
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Just one day to go guys, watch this space. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628540252424745869.post-79649451910097118372011-01-05T17:36:00.000+10:002011-01-05T17:36:27.145+10:00D-Day!!<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">December 25<sup>th</sup></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">Work started at around 6 o’clock.........I got stuck right in by making 40 large fresh English (breakfast) muffins, poached and refreshed 80 eggs, made about a litre of hollandaise, laid a couple of trays with sliced ham...........grabbed a coffee and got straight into blini making, cup cake icing.........etc, etc, etc, suffice it to say a lot was accomplished in a small amount of time. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;"></span><span style="color: #1f497d;">With all the planning and prep done over the previous days our Christmas menu went off almost like clock work. All was accomplished and everybody had a wonderful time. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">I’m glad its over................ next year it’ll just be a sandwich on the beach with my lovely wife!!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi1DJtw41PLMspkg3AubGKNFMDzW5MlnJPU_jzRtnut1UZYAXTHC3ghFvEdYfzE267d065-1kfFHMTd0ByeKARW9U8ICQyoRLYZcNoH41wzXqfe92JmKLSmr1bMNLeJuy5A2zeecdo61g/s1600/xmas_menu2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeT1c6rTYHxI2CtV6RiEMh4aYcn9ulcCZTBqbHGWmKzz3RAH9oj0YgLWyKiE18wLSc00xoIjTY0-_8A3Jvv0c7gtTC0sV0Hmi7Z-NJnAWZdPp7NpjcnCaH6BQT_HQBlbNsV8ZUiPZFmSQ/s1600/xmas_menu.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeT1c6rTYHxI2CtV6RiEMh4aYcn9ulcCZTBqbHGWmKzz3RAH9oj0YgLWyKiE18wLSc00xoIjTY0-_8A3Jvv0c7gtTC0sV0Hmi7Z-NJnAWZdPp7NpjcnCaH6BQT_HQBlbNsV8ZUiPZFmSQ/s640/xmas_menu.png" width="452" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi1DJtw41PLMspkg3AubGKNFMDzW5MlnJPU_jzRtnut1UZYAXTHC3ghFvEdYfzE267d065-1kfFHMTd0ByeKARW9U8ICQyoRLYZcNoH41wzXqfe92JmKLSmr1bMNLeJuy5A2zeecdo61g/s1600/xmas_menu2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi1DJtw41PLMspkg3AubGKNFMDzW5MlnJPU_jzRtnut1UZYAXTHC3ghFvEdYfzE267d065-1kfFHMTd0ByeKARW9U8ICQyoRLYZcNoH41wzXqfe92JmKLSmr1bMNLeJuy5A2zeecdo61g/s640/xmas_menu2.png" width="452" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628540252424745869.post-44105565777618793862011-01-05T07:17:00.001+10:002011-01-05T18:45:36.216+10:00A Saudi Christmas<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-nRSfWZtsWrS-SQ0hTbWd0wyR4QF6ppGeqRZIuouAAPzRP_hN5Y2_ip6fQFdylaYrEGuE4gfF2wcXYCgYsHYz2Thu-HIZfye4CG2C3qWVM56PWsbxts8ytptIEpYGURZy5VGPZSkJZk/s1600/DSCN0169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-nRSfWZtsWrS-SQ0hTbWd0wyR4QF6ppGeqRZIuouAAPzRP_hN5Y2_ip6fQFdylaYrEGuE4gfF2wcXYCgYsHYz2Thu-HIZfye4CG2C3qWVM56PWsbxts8ytptIEpYGURZy5VGPZSkJZk/s320/DSCN0169.JPG" width="157" /><span id="goog_1971511924"></span><span id="goog_1971511925"></span></a>Being a Christian ritual, the celebration of Christmas is absolutely forbidden in Saudi which means it is difficult to get anything like Christmas decorations and because they don't eat or sell pork you have to shop elsewhere. That means Christmas decoration and gift shopping in Dubai and crossing a border to purchase any 'unavailable' consumable goods required for the Christmas table. That was all done before I got there so when I arrived, the place already looked lovely and welcoming and the menu was planned. It should be noted that although celebrations are not allowed in Saudi, what happens on the compound is the business of noone outside the compound.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">We had done some of the prep the day before and I am happy to report that the cranberry stuffing that I made turned out beautifully although I was having my doubts at the sugar turning to toffee through the cooking process. As it happens, the juices from the cranberries break this down and you are left with a tart, full flavoured stuffing. YUM. Apart from dressing the table and helping Brian to move furniture around that was my only true contribution to the day. Bronwyn had everything in control in the kitchen and with the help of Josie, her house girl, things went to clock work and we were to enjoy a feast comprising 3 meats (including a handsome turkey), loads of vegetables, the afore mentioned stuffing and sauces. Bronwyn's Christmas pudding was to die for and after a sliver each of that and pavlova, had had more than my belly really wanted to handle. Curses for not stopping after the vegetables! </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUPzKg9hL2QaNIt86pyRAAD9wsCERFhSM9YLulZH17lsBafFtqn6tRG-4bzHyEuyoLTVWXKMT44uWZuZDK-6ASyUV4hT1nVxkz3ecCHqz-cN7q5qk86ep9uNPhMFxweaCgp0VxiHZGP_w/s1600/DSCN0170.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUPzKg9hL2QaNIt86pyRAAD9wsCERFhSM9YLulZH17lsBafFtqn6tRG-4bzHyEuyoLTVWXKMT44uWZuZDK-6ASyUV4hT1nVxkz3ecCHqz-cN7q5qk86ep9uNPhMFxweaCgp0VxiHZGP_w/s200/DSCN0170.JPG" width="190" /></a> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">From the festive table we adjourned outside to the courtyard area, under the warmth of outdoor heaters. People slowly started to leave until there were just four of us left, making cold turkey sandwiches as we got peckish again later in the evening. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Not being able to get used to how dry it was and constantly being in air conditioning, I was tired so used the opportunity to sneak upstairs for an early-ish night. And Josie had left almost almost no cleaning up to be done which was amazing... what a gem!</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbw8bwkrC-DYnfAtl1Prn4p6uzm5ntSpoUTLTJkPcscwn8lE8-xoIOyeGi-30PRLUXPCc7SUwKydEXMPCw4lbs3vADAWAJ7Yjx9xZvjleomOouwxvG-YG3Pee-McCVMkfDWFdAd2K58bo/s1600/IMG_0152b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbw8bwkrC-DYnfAtl1Prn4p6uzm5ntSpoUTLTJkPcscwn8lE8-xoIOyeGi-30PRLUXPCc7SUwKydEXMPCw4lbs3vADAWAJ7Yjx9xZvjleomOouwxvG-YG3Pee-McCVMkfDWFdAd2K58bo/s200/IMG_0152b.jpg" width="149" /></a>Boxing day started with breakfast and a not-so-early excursion to the Deira Souk where after walking up and down some laneways, looking at textiles, we actually found some Christmas decorations on a stand on the street - but they are not Christmas Decorations until a visitor calls them that. We were lured in to the store by the vendor where there was soooo much more on display. I could have looked for hours. It was a bit like a smaller version of the haberdashery shop at Kuwaiti Souk. Bronwyn bought some pashminas and I got two Christmas decorations to add to my international collection, and two bedouin masks (burka) heavily adorned with silver, chains and coins - which I just love. I plan to get them framed and hung as a pair.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1PJ9z9XnbcEC4WR0e5TKxe5tU2BCuJFbx0vX-r-AhIU9Gz63md_Km6MSvYmXb2bq9GREZCHzYslqCs78GfXoGyoJwLIziFXBv-t_QTz864yyFRk7m6r-Srxa3605EdtyfGcL4_nakRFk/s1600/IMG_0161a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1PJ9z9XnbcEC4WR0e5TKxe5tU2BCuJFbx0vX-r-AhIU9Gz63md_Km6MSvYmXb2bq9GREZCHzYslqCs78GfXoGyoJwLIziFXBv-t_QTz864yyFRk7m6r-Srxa3605EdtyfGcL4_nakRFk/s200/IMG_0161a.jpg" width="175" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Our' carpet vendor's store</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span id="goog_1870345059">Now, with 5 million people living in Riyadh, it is rare to just bang in to someone you know but it happened to me twice while I was there - well, not someone <u>I</u> knew specifically, but a friend of whoever I was with. In to this small store we were in, walked the Harris's - the New Zealand Ambassador, his wife and children. Of all the people, in all the tiny shops, it was a family that we had celebrated Christmas with the day before! From there we all went to the very popular carpet shop of Mirzah Mohammed, with the finest selection of the most beautiful rugs I have ever seen. Handpicked by the owners, and only the best brought back to Saudi, you are truly spoilt for choice. I determined my selection by price. Once we were looking in about the area of 'affordability' I looked until I found one I really loved. But as it approached prayer time, we left so that they could close up shop with a promise to return. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ868NO-bgHX6fsRfgcJQDjUN4iFGO7kh2xPPp8Dn5YASGstIwIvcM_O2RSs1z1ZxZXoVvTQQNwk_l0NFRoan-S3-XePsG5C3FhlOt1SxYjjJr0CYjssBW_YWU345rUsAAacotLGp2LyI/s1600/IMG_0197a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ868NO-bgHX6fsRfgcJQDjUN4iFGO7kh2xPPp8Dn5YASGstIwIvcM_O2RSs1z1ZxZXoVvTQQNwk_l0NFRoan-S3-XePsG5C3FhlOt1SxYjjJr0CYjssBW_YWU345rUsAAacotLGp2LyI/s200/IMG_0197a.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Globe</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span id="goog_1870345059">Leaving the souk, Bronwyn and I were 'Mutawa'ed' - my only time whilst in Riyadh and to be honest, I didn't even know it was happening! I missed the moment completely. Oh, I heard the "cover, cover, cover, cover, cover, cover" but didn't register that it was the Mutawa until too late and he had already swept past us.</span><br />
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<span id="goog_1870345059">To end a lovely couple of days, we were invited to have afternoon tea at the Globe, by Eric, friend of Brian and Bronwyn, and also a Christmas day guest. Eric is GM of a hotel in Riyahd and fairly well connected it would seem. We were given the royal treatment and had a magnificent afternoon tea, high up overlooking the Riyadh cityscape where I got some great photos. </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-wxhz231ThgGw3glKWiVXjTQJ1rSjIO-LpGE9sQnAFZivZ6aZ7Wf8pS45I2h8isQ1mHHM9o1oB_f8aZdjrCZQaDCXVO3SiZlxyMuSBVpo09SAbg5YxOwKmWdts-PoUiaTqqFQL1IUphw/s1600/IMG_0203a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-wxhz231ThgGw3glKWiVXjTQJ1rSjIO-LpGE9sQnAFZivZ6aZ7Wf8pS45I2h8isQ1mHHM9o1oB_f8aZdjrCZQaDCXVO3SiZlxyMuSBVpo09SAbg5YxOwKmWdts-PoUiaTqqFQL1IUphw/s320/IMG_0203a.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riyadh from The Globe</td></tr>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628540252424745869.post-65587504649427298202011-01-04T07:12:00.001+10:002011-01-04T14:03:31.047+10:00Thursday 23 December<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">It is my scheduled day off... a one hour sleep in leaves me a bit foggy around 6:30ish... by 7:30ish I’m making toast in the dining room, peanut butter on one slice and nutella on the other. I only eat toast on my days off and so far it's been this combination. Usually I snack on a bowl of cereal or porridge placed strategically between a mug of coffee and the paper towel dispenser on a shelf just above my chopping board in the kitchen. I get the news that I and five others will have been invited to the Russian station of ‘Progress’. The helicopter will depart the heli pad here at 9:30. So here we go again....................a quick shower, clean the teeth, splash on a little liquid metro, pack a bag with thermals and sun block, charge the camera, clean the lens, grab a hat and the next thing you know I’m at the door ready to head of to the heli hut. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">Ding, ding, frickin ding......the fire alarm goes off. Thankfully I’m not on the fire team this week but I do help the guys who are to suit up. The rest of the station gathers in the wallow and names are read off from a clip board. The alarm stops. We’re told to stand down. I find out later it was just a little battery issue (god knows how many fire alarms there are around the station but I would suggest somebody at HQ has shares in Duracell).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">Well off we go, two squirrels flying through the Antarctic... destination Russia!! The Russian base is a stone's throw from the Chinese and as we make our approach we enter the outskirts of Peoples' Republic... do a wide arc... and settle down on one side of the locals helipad. The next chopper lands on the other side, the blades slow down, systems are checked, the engines stop and the blades come to a stop. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSE6vpo6Ulsg3rP59JP7MqZ-IdTRrAQz89MwiP9A03hCyn5bNVM4bMhAo-5_HxNhyR9J9iu8DnBipr7aOfJkeeJg4YMVH7-8EpABoLdQ5oiovF0PKydQYObnbyeaIz3GXfHQwqXu4exmg/s1600/russia15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSE6vpo6Ulsg3rP59JP7MqZ-IdTRrAQz89MwiP9A03hCyn5bNVM4bMhAo-5_HxNhyR9J9iu8DnBipr7aOfJkeeJg4YMVH7-8EpABoLdQ5oiovF0PKydQYObnbyeaIz3GXfHQwqXu4exmg/s200/russia15.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #1f497d;">As we exit our transport we’re greeted with the familiar faces of Serge (Station Leader) and a local tradie/interpreter whose name I never heard the first time... nor this... nice guy anyway. We’re taken on a tour of the base, shown through the two main buildings which are still under construction on the inside, around the workshops, out into the backyard (well it looks like one) and finally into a pokey diner looking establishment where we’re fed dried bread, potato and meat soup, sliced cold cuts and pickles. We have a little toast to friendship/Christmas/future (the poor chefs here are working in an out of date under equipped kitchen so I was very thankful for the food we received). I end up choosing brandy over vodka for the toasts............what could I do? Its 1pm and I’m having shots of brandy? My body was not designed for this... but hey anyway. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO04odvpfrj4BU1ggbBiU73K6aJZmJxKbW-67A7UkzIqylBIhoW-rjNYraBhTlzMRS4QJFeNdI62igBNepJGI5RPPn7E85GSFe4hj2yS3uzV0eDj9reZGttJvseEuTwKqPga8hnZYoYNQ/s1600/russia17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO04odvpfrj4BU1ggbBiU73K6aJZmJxKbW-67A7UkzIqylBIhoW-rjNYraBhTlzMRS4QJFeNdI62igBNepJGI5RPPn7E85GSFe4hj2yS3uzV0eDj9reZGttJvseEuTwKqPga8hnZYoYNQ/s200/russia17.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">After a bit of present swapping we make preparations to head off. It was decided that we would walk over the hills to Law Base and there the helos would pick us up. Well have you ever tried to scale a loose based rock hill after a couple of brandys whilst carrying a backpack filled with Antarctic clothing and juggling a camera between the hands that aren’t needed to steady your course. Well the view truly made up for the discomfort of the situation. Stunning!!! The placement of both the Chinese and Russian stations set them up for superb perspectives in relation to the size of the glaciers and our humble foot prints.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Law Base</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">Half an hour later we reach Law Base. It a combination of apples, melons and a hut. Look at the photos and I’m sure you’ll work out what's what. We stayed here for an hour or so just looking around... Ali (our Station Leader) is a geologist by trade and was lost in thoughts and ramblings for the entire time. It's nice to see people enjoy and share their expert knowledge down here, and Ali was no exception to this as she got excited about what I could only see as different coloured rocks. I listened and tried to take as much in as I could but wow does she know her stuff. If I retained even 1% of what she told me I’ll be a happy guy. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">By the time we jumped in the helicopter I had a huge headache from the little tipple earlier and forgetting to drink water on our hike. So I thought I’d have a little nap on the way home. It was not to be. With a lot of different cloud cover the landscape made for some magnificent views, and with the random seals, emperor penguins, adelies and giant ice bergs..............A lot of unique photos as well. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjkRcwK64S-nrSykfvXRMxZKd8smUMvjkSzd1vq13AhPX33-B1TUwnLI9p9kpW5DPj4WM15atjrWNrraGfYgjDZhyAZHuhItxVRUnHzGcATOoEou59TZ2-EhfQJ6YAPKhHiNc3hK1ePj8/s1600/wayback19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjkRcwK64S-nrSykfvXRMxZKd8smUMvjkSzd1vq13AhPX33-B1TUwnLI9p9kpW5DPj4WM15atjrWNrraGfYgjDZhyAZHuhItxVRUnHzGcATOoEou59TZ2-EhfQJ6YAPKhHiNc3hK1ePj8/s320/wayback19.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">View from chopper on way home</span></td></tr>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628540252424745869.post-75257847654653277402011-01-04T07:06:00.003+10:002011-01-04T07:14:45.198+10:00Days 3 and 4 in Saudi<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">My second full day in Riyahd was mostly about things to do for Christmas so Brian, Bronwyn and I jumped in the car and went out shopping. Due to Riyadh being such a huge, spread out city and its incredibly busy roads (read crazy drivers here), it can take while to get things done. We headed out early enough to get to the shops we needed to prior to prayers. With 5 prayers per day, and everything ceasing to function for the duration, shopping trips need to be well timed so that you are done and on the way home when the midday-ish prayer begins. (The times change daily according to the moon phases, and are based on your longitude and latitude as far as I can work out.) Most shops will stay closed after that prayer and reopen around 4pm, following the next prayer. I watched workers in market stalls and malls packing everything up, putting it all away and making everything secure after being open around 2 hours, only to have to open up and set things up again a few hours later. The shops then stay open til 10pm and the evening is when the shops are at their busiest, with all the locals out and about. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkgorHo2njhAFZpgusaQY7EEijo1t9M-x3FvoxvzQjyWt75GQN2HnKN3MqMsgE0ijizWxi_MvVtEbLZwP7q6sLphLCzqToO5B6oWiCFj8CLrmBYITptJPsIoS3KpSFKkhe68CwU_U7Apg/s1600/j0_bronwyn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkgorHo2njhAFZpgusaQY7EEijo1t9M-x3FvoxvzQjyWt75GQN2HnKN3MqMsgE0ijizWxi_MvVtEbLZwP7q6sLphLCzqToO5B6oWiCFj8CLrmBYITptJPsIoS3KpSFKkhe68CwU_U7Apg/s200/j0_bronwyn.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Being driven from shop to shop</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The first port of call was the Port Store for inserts for the bain marie set up for our Christmas Feast. The store was huge and there was plenty to look at so we had a good wander around and Brian caught up with an exuberant acquaintance, Mohammed, from the Egyptian embassy who was also shopping. The boat shaped bain maries and cold service counters had us all a little amused to say the least.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">From there we headed out to the flower market but the variety was poor and Bronwyn had little to choose from. She settled for chrysanthemums and the few lilies that looked like they would be open for Christmas day. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz9jXPKkgjGcFPsjQbmsivjFcHFGOHVpJUxJMRQcy-hP_Cmat90pGDCfo69hvT95nAtB_H7fcVb3O3TqXELRUeuSR8LCOMOep4tLfWMh2mbQmf7pOzoxwo14Fxc4ptls6XmBSkd0brYmI/s1600/Louise_saudi_tent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz9jXPKkgjGcFPsjQbmsivjFcHFGOHVpJUxJMRQcy-hP_Cmat90pGDCfo69hvT95nAtB_H7fcVb3O3TqXELRUeuSR8LCOMOep4tLfWMh2mbQmf7pOzoxwo14Fxc4ptls6XmBSkd0brYmI/s200/Louise_saudi_tent.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Saudi Tent</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">That evening we went to a friend's apartment to enjoy a rooftop bbq in her Saudi tent. Well, the bbq was outside but we lounged in the comfort of the tent. What a fantastic set up. Because my camera is new and I haven't had a lot of time to check it out properly yet, there are not many photos of that evening but this one gives a good idea of the tent.</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcsfoJg0PBBe-Mqdt8gBjsXlbofa4rPPrWF98Ty0MuO7Dyy4TFUwU0a-RgavsO5zZQRPDWcZ8q9WugmRsDqpKYPMXrxa3llfDZGVg-z-7CZ2NKfspkorgUeMVpGXyzRam1GhaIg6-uJhU/s1600/Riyadh_at_night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcsfoJg0PBBe-Mqdt8gBjsXlbofa4rPPrWF98Ty0MuO7Dyy4TFUwU0a-RgavsO5zZQRPDWcZ8q9WugmRsDqpKYPMXrxa3llfDZGVg-z-7CZ2NKfspkorgUeMVpGXyzRam1GhaIg6-uJhU/s320/Riyadh_at_night.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Riyadh from the rooftop</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The food was fantastic. I got my first taste of fresh dates stuffed with cheddar cheese and loved them! (I did the same, as well as some stuffed with Swiss chocolate, for dessert/cheeseboard on New Year's eve.) We finished the meal with pavlova, a yule log and mint tea which I have fallen in love with. No commercial mint teabags in site. Just a lightly dunked black teabag and a sprig of mint. Very refreshing. I must also admit to investing in a set of the tiny crystal cups and saucers that Louise serves her mint tea in, as well as beautiful crystal detailed teaspoons. Many a cup of mint tea will be enjoyed in them here in Australia too.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifV0Cvu1Chmcxxb6dx1Dn6KgfBol1Ed4ZZtYfTIJff2sfvDZ4t3K6hb2CiDs8PF1z0f6AVCe4hZIepa25pjjLq1jtWNpETRTTUgCzp9DCkmt95qdaGLlfx0TwP5LY3_Piei5B3CBBEvLk/s1600/DSCN0142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifV0Cvu1Chmcxxb6dx1Dn6KgfBol1Ed4ZZtYfTIJff2sfvDZ4t3K6hb2CiDs8PF1z0f6AVCe4hZIepa25pjjLq1jtWNpETRTTUgCzp9DCkmt95qdaGLlfx0TwP5LY3_Piei5B3CBBEvLk/s320/DSCN0142.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Snaking camel trail</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">A large part of Christmas Eve day was spent in the car, heading out to the desert to check out an ancient camel trail and also driving around Wadi Hanifah, a beautiful new park/scenic development on the outskirts of Riyadh which hundreds of locals were making the most of with their picnics and portable barbecues. It is interesting to note that the colour of the photo (right) of the camel trail is pretty much the colour of all the buildings in Riyahd. As new developments are going ahead there is a little more sheen and metallic emerging but the houses and apartment buildings..... sand coloured. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">We rounded off the afternoon with a very hospitable and social afternoon at Vernice and Graeme's, on the compound. Perfect... not far to walk home. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628540252424745869.post-8145474473435300492011-01-02T21:40:00.000+10:002011-01-02T21:40:30.966+10:00Four days to go<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Tuesday 21st December..... </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">With the menu finalized for Christmas it’s now time for the gathering of ingredients, writing of comprehensive prep lists with time lines, ascertaining the whereabouts of display racks etc... and generally pulling the finger out and getting stuck into all that will be Christmas.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">First of all I grab the ute and head off to the green store and proceed to accumulate a stack of boxes containing frozen meats and seafood....... from there I head off to the refers (refrigerated containers) located just down the slope from the LQ and right next to the smokers hut. Filled with citrus, apples and melons in one and potatoes, carrots onions etc in another, I gather half a dozen new boxes to add to the already ladened 4x4 and with tunes blaring (music pumped out around the station via fm from a tune heavy computer located in the wallow) I set off back to the kitchen.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihE2tuAtCCCq6xq-Hnp1svRrNxk-zx8AefTQ5BKgWQ_RV5JOiHNtklqF79wAB7ifvdEg9TIhyphenhyphenAyUUVdpNyIwfbmnptBbgpWc59BRPq9LdJ4PpzDsfhlM7hz7nfOANV45R80Qegekp057c/s1600/view_everyday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihE2tuAtCCCq6xq-Hnp1svRrNxk-zx8AefTQ5BKgWQ_RV5JOiHNtklqF79wAB7ifvdEg9TIhyphenhyphenAyUUVdpNyIwfbmnptBbgpWc59BRPq9LdJ4PpzDsfhlM7hz7nfOANV45R80Qegekp057c/s1600/view_everyday.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">View from kitchen</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Its 9am and the temperature is already 2 degrees above 0. Summer is slowly taking hold in the hills around my new home. Looking out to the encroaching ocean all I can see is white........... not the white I was met with on arrival aboard the Aurora Australis, but more mid tones. Lots of brownie-creams created from the dust that now competes successfully for space previously occupied by snow and ice. Also, shades of gray are beginning to erode the once pristine field of frozen water... not only in ever widening cracks but also in growing pools of slushy mush that are now giving the landscape a pattern referred to in military circles as arctic camouflage. Mottled greys, large splotches of white and darker shadows cast from a low sun looking upon an uneven surface, all paint a picture of a rapidly decaying bay of crystallised water. Only a few titans of ice hold this now fragile formation in suspension. I keep looking out at the horizon.... now bored with the same old vista... a good part of me is wanting the dispersion of the same ole, same ole. But hey, soon enough I know I'll be wishing for the blues of our ocean to be sucked of colour so I can feel more Antarctic and clean again. Life outside of Davis changes fast... but it’s sometimes too subtle to appreciate on a daily basis.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhiDR8pzdD7EdCRZzaQ_bcOhyzP8nKQUuDkzmgSRQ3A2bwjHgx4kpbR8nVsB0tkeeEv53JPc_8uQkqWdSUMaU_qwjD5GfEt7EV2L_7PcaPKA94HLsLyq7BzrUnJdhQQTm0W6ZGBtFIwEg/s1600/chinese.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhiDR8pzdD7EdCRZzaQ_bcOhyzP8nKQUuDkzmgSRQ3A2bwjHgx4kpbR8nVsB0tkeeEv53JPc_8uQkqWdSUMaU_qwjD5GfEt7EV2L_7PcaPKA94HLsLyq7BzrUnJdhQQTm0W6ZGBtFIwEg/s320/chinese.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Chinese delegation</span></td></tr>
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Getting a visit by a Chinese delegation comprising of the director of the Chinese Antarctic programme, deputies, both the ingoing and outgoing station leaders and some other top officials help keep the monotony on the inside of Davis from ever leaving the start line. I play this day very much like the day before......though I leave the beer tasting alone out of respect for the positions held by our Asian tourists. I snapped again some photos of their transport, this time it’s a Chinese made, French designed "dauphin". The tail rotors encircled by a fibreglass casing ensure the noise levels are kept right down.... as these puppies spin close to the speed of sound, only a high pitch whistly whine can be heard... very cool to observe. I just couldn't resist a traveller's shot in front of the helicopter just moments before its departure.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628540252424745869.post-67992076368388308322011-01-02T10:42:00.002+10:002011-01-03T08:41:52.392+10:00Change of scenery<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Amidst all the madness that was the week leading up to an Antarctic Christmas, I was where they don't celebrate Christmas, in Saudi Arabia, discovering all that is Riyahd and the people that live there. After two long flights (leaving Australia 6pm Monday and arriving in Saudi 7pm Tuesday 21st) and a 6 hour stopover in Singapore I finally arrived but my flight was so early that there was noone there to meet me. Thanks to the wonderful Sinagpore Airlines employee that I got the attention of prior to Immigration and who escorted me through to the luggage hall where Justin's Dad, Brian met up with us. Minor freak out over, we headed out of the airport and in to Riyahd, albeit it in a 3-tonne armoured vehicle. A unique experience in itself. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Brian and Bronwyn (Justin's Mum) had been invited out that evening, and the invitation had been extended to include me also. I perfected a quick change, slapped on some make up and we were back out the door to Jim and Jenny Tanner's. Jim is Head of the Brits in the Saudi National Guard. We stayed for a couple of hours, chatted to some very interesting people and enjoyed some good food. The Tanners were the perfect hosts and everyone looked to be having a great evening. After the two hours though things were starting to get very hazy for me as the jetlag started to kick in so we called it a night and returned to the compound.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I slept like a baby and after starting the day with an email to Justin, was collected by Idris, an embasssy driver, and taken to pick up Louise, a long time resident of Riyadh and close friend of The Chambers'. She had offered to act as tour guide which I can't thank her enough for - who wouldn't know that the places she took me existed or that as a 'tourist' you could go there. It's hard to know what you can and can't do as a woman... but I did learn straight up that you can't drive and you must wear an abaya in public. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTZ747xvMJ9RlY3ZuWvigMlTBU3bqztS_CDusk1l5cb93SYwVjUVTFH-umbzODqOXkMngvYLt78VzEyXW-wPfyQYfnjwhyguri0nl40i07xnqadjlqasF3UsUG17ECb7Vv195KUopnh7o/s1600/haberdashery_Kuwaiti_souk2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTZ747xvMJ9RlY3ZuWvigMlTBU3bqztS_CDusk1l5cb93SYwVjUVTFH-umbzODqOXkMngvYLt78VzEyXW-wPfyQYfnjwhyguri0nl40i07xnqadjlqasF3UsUG17ECb7Vv195KUopnh7o/s200/haberdashery_Kuwaiti_souk2.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Louise and I headed first to the Kuwaiti Souk where we spent a long time in the most wonderful Aladdin's cave of Haberdashery shops! The place was a crafter's dream. Wall to wall, floor to ceiling, room by room, every imaginable item you could think of was crammed in to this shop. I could have walked out of there absolutely weighed down by all things beautiful but took the approach of if I didn't know there and then what I would do with it, then I wouldn't buy it. It staved off all purchases, knowing I already have boxes of things I bought for that 'maybe one day' use.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">We also visited a couple of abaya shops at the souk where I found one that I liked and purchased. I know I was only there for a week but decided that if I had to wear one, it might as well be one that I felt good wearing. And hey, it doesn't matter what you wear underneath so no staring in to the depths of the wardrobe for hours contemplating the day's attire. We didn't wear the hijab (head scarf) to cover our heads, but we did have them draped around our necks in case we encountered the Mutawa, Religious Police, who would insist we 'cover, cover, cover, cover'. (The Mutawa's role is 'the propagation of virtue and the prevention of vice'.)</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsMwDsajPPTn0vGpJQpm8VLRLpzf6R6Q8zKTFOpteX8R6cVTk5FNLtUBxuantGie10vPlEm6N4aXRSxXgRgZnQ46OabOBHy-jvoGZCxJyhk9CdWDl8oK10IRhVEry2f1coPfRuCCYx-TE/s1600/fabric_shop4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsMwDsajPPTn0vGpJQpm8VLRLpzf6R6Q8zKTFOpteX8R6cVTk5FNLtUBxuantGie10vPlEm6N4aXRSxXgRgZnQ46OabOBHy-jvoGZCxJyhk9CdWDl8oK10IRhVEry2f1coPfRuCCYx-TE/s320/fabric_shop4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Fabrics, Royal Mall, Riyahd</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">From the souk we headed over to the Royal Mall where the locals go to buy fabrics for the over-the-top ornate dresses that they wear to Saudi weddings. And yes, they do get to be seen as the men and women separate after the ceremony and therefore the Abaya's are checked at the door, so to speak. The range of colours, designs, fabrics and decoration was quite mind blowing. The woman clearly go to a lot of trouble when it comes to dressing for an important occasion.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">From there we headed back to Louise's part of town and her hair salon. It is open from 12pm-10pm and as soon as that roller door goes up, the local women are queueing up for their little piece of pampering. Due to the wearing of the abaya, it is important to the women to keep the things that can be seen beautiful... eye brows and nails, and to have only the best in bags and shoes. We had a hair wash and blow dry - those girls know what they are doing - and then we were back on the street and straight on to the chicken shop, purveyors of excellent chicken and rice. We took that back to Louise's apartment and enjoyed a tasty lunch followed by tea and mini cupcakes - beautifully decorated and equally as yummy. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidY3LUcDfIxhhN3w10pkWLxIi5jV_-4D6OwJRtc7W8vmvoYxU-m23vHdzs5fryHXP5j3r9PLXbm-cPoUgL6fuPSQo8Nj8hGfA-YoDve7IEjL_MY5oZ0HpbUgbEGSWwtpJD20HgO3fgPpI/s1600/TAIC_Compound2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidY3LUcDfIxhhN3w10pkWLxIi5jV_-4D6OwJRtc7W8vmvoYxU-m23vHdzs5fryHXP5j3r9PLXbm-cPoUgL6fuPSQo8Nj8hGfA-YoDve7IEjL_MY5oZ0HpbUgbEGSWwtpJD20HgO3fgPpI/s200/TAIC_Compound2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Home Compound</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Louise went to work (2-10pm) and I was delivered to the NZ Embassy to drive home with Bronwyn and Brian. We had a quiet-ish night at home with fellow Embassy employee, Vernice and her husband Graeme, who also live on the compound - which is well cared for and security strong. (I'm talking vehicle checks, razor wire and machine guns.)</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
My education in Saudi has begun.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628540252424745869.post-24522994934905767912011-01-01T11:16:00.001+10:002011-01-01T11:18:44.713+10:00Monday 20 December<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">I rolled out breakfast, made up a small chafing dish of porridge, baked around 30 bread rolls and drank three cups of coffee all before starting the smoko of breakfast burritos. To make a breakfast burrito first scramble some eggs (plenty of cream and seasoning) add your favourite spicy tomato salsa and mix through, then proceed as you would with a burrito as in place the mix on a flour tortilla, add grated cheese, wrap, toast on both sides in a med to warm pan. Then serve with any number of tex mex accompaniments (sour cream, guacamole etc)........ or just as it is... plain. I made up around 60 plain ones. These were quickly demolished as were a few of the sweet slices made over the past 2 days.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">The Indians down the road decided to investigate Davis and see first hand how a small community exists in the Vestfolds. Two groups of around 25 each were to arrive and spend 2 hours looking around the station and chatting to the locals. To make life easy for all involved the groups would be staggered. First to arrive was the main Indian delegation consisting of the resupply Voyage leader, Medical officer, Lt. Commander, Petty officer, six scientists, five logistical personal, a few engineers, some construction crew, a 3<sup>rd</sup> mate and a cook. I was in the Green store grabbing some supplies for the next few days when I heard the tell tale signs of helicopters approaching. There was a small squirrel carrying 5 of the party followed by a Ka 28 (Helix-A) transporting the other 20 personnel. I placed my stores on the back of the kitchen ute and walked slowly towards the helipads. The Ka 28 was an amazing beast to watch land. With over 20,000 lb of weight being slowly lowered by two sets of counter rotating rotor blades chopping the air like a Chinese cleaver on a chicken bone, and sending out pulses of base in quick succession like a house party next door playing ‘doof doof’ music at full volume, the behemoth owned by the Indian tax payer spewed out spent air in great downward gusts creating circular plumes of dust that spread outward with gathering momentum as the hunk of metal lowered its self to the ground. I observed the spectacle whilst standing in front of the Mechanics workshop.......having a great helicopter setting down behind a large structure such as the workshop but in turn making it look only like a backyard tool shed was indeed something to behold.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIFAttGAJqYAr4GDKvNs23ZoDpHKzayWR2-5dHmRJn6sRKnZ4UgjTGfvqM-nIm8NFZruw-tGL-c5_qBGCzPxpNVZtLcI18OZzaoj2h5AiG_CbwHaVHpHy1dWOuZg_Ou5tgcCqrvcTq2N4/s1600/heli3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIFAttGAJqYAr4GDKvNs23ZoDpHKzayWR2-5dHmRJn6sRKnZ4UgjTGfvqM-nIm8NFZruw-tGL-c5_qBGCzPxpNVZtLcI18OZzaoj2h5AiG_CbwHaVHpHy1dWOuZg_Ou5tgcCqrvcTq2N4/s320/heli3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">I drove back down to the kitchen and proceeded to produce lunch for the working station crew. At around 2 o’clock I put up an assortment of nibbles for our guests including the toffee apples and slices, nuts and dried fruits and some tasty cheese Doritos. When the delegation arrived in the dining room after having spent the last hour or so looking around the station I proceeded to greet the familiar faces, and offer a warm welcome to those I hadn’t met on my visit to their station. I thought it fitting to offer our local home brew for their tasting................they all gave it a try. Questions were raised about the alcohol percentage, age of brew and amount drunk on base. I believe they didn’t fully understand the specialness of our liquid gold and the effort given to gain the end result. Fridgey Dave (we have a few Daves on station) volunteered in Hobart to become the brew master down here. Having over 20 years experience of home brewing in his backyard Dave spends a few hours a week with the help of volunteers to firstly make large containers of brew mix (as per the instructions of the Coopers company), cleans and sterilises used bottles, decants fermented broths into appropriate receptacles, sorts and maintains control over his stock and assets and generally does a first rate job with the help of many grateful and respectful workers. So when the beer seal is finally broken and judgement is passed over the effervescent concoction....... a lot of self pride and bias is placed in the equation.............thus it all usually tastes great. Bought for, made, and drunk by us............it’s always gonna be a winner. It’s hard to convey this to the Indians.............so hey they can at least tell their loved ones they came to an Aussie station ate a toffee apple and drank beer (I also explained the significance of the toffee apple in relation to our childhoods.........they had never seen one). </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">The next group to arrive was made mostly made up of Norwegian construction crew with a few managers thrown in for good measure. These boys appreciated both the food and also the free beer. For our Nordic cousins the liquid flowed and their tummies were filled with all that was offered. I managed to swap a glass of home brew for a can of one of their national brews “Kansa”. It now sits on a shelf in my bedroom next to a couple of bottles of Becks obtained from a German LIDAR scientist as payment for a short back and sides. I’ll see what sort of collection I can get down here of various beers and maybe take a night off to enjoy them sometime this coming winter. Oh and the cheese Doritos were a big hit with the Indians...........a western Bombay mix?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628540252424745869.post-62895834156178919512010-12-27T04:30:00.004+10:002010-12-31T12:58:54.932+10:00Time for a little baking<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Here we go again... same ole, same ole. It’s Friday the 17th and preparations for Christmas are well under way, well by the social committee anyway. Maybe not in the kitchen just yet. What Christmas means to most commercial operations is either a day or two off due to high operating costs and increased wages, oh and of course the fact that many mums and dads (wait staff) will be producing semi ridged smiles and expending precious goodwill that may better be concentrated on loved ones gathered around the Christmas tree. Christmas can also mean getting up really early, grabbing a few coffees in between slicing smoked salmon, poaching eggs or rolling out pastry ready for Danishes then feeling your way through a foggy and confusing day of good wishes and warm fuzzies from colleagues, then high expectations and time critical demands from the consumers. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
I’ve been placed in a rather unique position of having to cater to 73 plus expeditioners (consumers) who, on the flip side, are also the loved ones to whom I’ll stand side by side with whilst gorging on the excesses of the Christmas spirit. Either way I’ll win right? So let’s just take it easy and do the menu planning next week.......Hey the social committee needs a draft of the menu so they can get it approved and printed off... and they sorta need it now.? <br />
Well Tony and I merged grey matter and scribbled down in chefs’ hand ( very similar to Doctors handwriting) a simplistic menu of running salads, seafood buffet, old school roasts with accompaniments, dessert table (Christmas pudding included) and a cheese board.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
I’ll be able to update the blog with the exact menu after Christmas. Things can change for any reason down here.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
With the first version of the menu now making it’s way around our local intranet I felt a sense of calm and even a little energy. Baking!!<br />
I love finding time to bake extra goodies for the crew. It gives me a feeling of pride and satisfaction knowing people will soon discover tasty sweet morsels arranged on various platters dotted around the dining room. When I was a little kid I remembered coming home from school and opening the lid on our two toned brown Tupperware cookie container... looking in all I could see was darkness (this thing could act like the TARDIS sometimes). I knew the jar was empty yesterday, was it still today? I’d throw my arm up in the air, pull the sleeve up past my elbow and dive down inside. Just as a shag comes popping up from the oceans depths .......so too would my hand. Yes!! It’s loaded!! What have I scored? Fudge. Hmmmm, I’d have removed that lid at least 3 more times before my sister got home. Then I was the self-appointed guardian of the jar. I loved my mother’s baking ,who doesn’t?</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmj9gqOavZXgPZm-2gvCXoydFqmfZrK10BT4AnKdPIpt4XocW_B-X0zR_ITO1mmp2khcWnccXhn75BegDtOLbUHciqKzDYh93LkBdkwfJ6c45FPbGXWhYf-UdpNx8Sw1bfyJglAUJFUWg/s1600/apricot_slice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmj9gqOavZXgPZm-2gvCXoydFqmfZrK10BT4AnKdPIpt4XocW_B-X0zR_ITO1mmp2khcWnccXhn75BegDtOLbUHciqKzDYh93LkBdkwfJ6c45FPbGXWhYf-UdpNx8Sw1bfyJglAUJFUWg/s200/apricot_slice.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Apricot Slice</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Well there was nothing holding me back. Armed with a 2006 edition of the Edmonds recipe book, (mini cooks bible... in N.Z anyway), memories of my childhood delicacies and a fully equipped kitchen I set about creating a pantry full of icing and coconut topped treats.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoTpI2Sam0UAM53j-l8uWnNOnvE1BzVe90T_vzNkc_kHxiwiR0mtxgJRdKSi8Tb24xwaJ9zoq6uK7AbSbDH-VpJpXLpBjrt9_rmGJNGKEn0pKIIHFTQQAFZVbIxB6AoKQjAFeU3PF3KnQ/s1600/ginger_crunch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoTpI2Sam0UAM53j-l8uWnNOnvE1BzVe90T_vzNkc_kHxiwiR0mtxgJRdKSi8Tb24xwaJ9zoq6uK7AbSbDH-VpJpXLpBjrt9_rmGJNGKEn0pKIIHFTQQAFZVbIxB6AoKQjAFeU3PF3KnQ/s200/ginger_crunch.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Ginger Crunch</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
A little baking on Saturday and a lot on Sunday left most of my stock containers in need of a topping up. Ginger crunch, hedgehog (fudge), jam slice, lemon and apricot slice, coconut brownie, caramel slice , Anzac biscuits and toffee apples. I thought this would last me a week (my mother probably thought the same back then). As it turned out we had a visit from the Indians on Monday, including their construction workers, and a Chinese delegation made an appearance on Tuesday. By Wednesday my goodies were all gone.<br />
It still felt nice making them.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0HtkzOfZ1IQt73-F64N2ey0dS-mLuC7MBlO6kMLxUPuNO7FsiNOgJR415Ehg4myg6ZJPCUKjZRmRHAhzIuH9pfplr5JknsaSP3yDEV1I7tmkMAkFQKagmaNYmffs3eVQCnAP7mFTMW_c/s1600/toffee_apples.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0HtkzOfZ1IQt73-F64N2ey0dS-mLuC7MBlO6kMLxUPuNO7FsiNOgJR415Ehg4myg6ZJPCUKjZRmRHAhzIuH9pfplr5JknsaSP3yDEV1I7tmkMAkFQKagmaNYmffs3eVQCnAP7mFTMW_c/s320/toffee_apples.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; display: none; font-size: 12pt;">Here we go again... same ole, same ole. It’s Friday the 17th and preparations for Christmas are well under way, well by the social committee anyway. Maybe not in the kitchen just yet. What Christmas means to most commercial operations is either a day or two off due to high operating costs and increased wages, oh and of course the fact that many mums and dads (wait staff) will be producing semi ridged smiles and expending precious goodwill that may better be concentrated on loved ones gathered around the Christmas tree. Christmas can also mean getting up really early, grabbing a few coffees in between slicing smoked salmon, poaching eggs or rolling out pastry ready for Danishes then feeling your way through a foggy and confusing day of good wishes and warm fuzzies from colleagues, then high expectations and time critical demands from the consumers.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; display: none; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
I’ve been placed in a rather unique position of having to cater to 73 plus expeditioners (consumers) who, on the flip side, are also the loved ones to whom I’ll stand side by side with whilst gorging on the excesses of the Christmas spirit. Either way I’ll win right? So let’s just take it easy and do the menu planning next week.......</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; display: none; font-size: 12pt;">Hey the social committee needs a draft of the menu so they can get it approved and printed off... and they sorta need it now.? <br />
Well Tony and I merged grey matter and scribbled down in chefs’ hand ( very similar to Doctors handwriting) a simplistic menu of running salads, seafood buffet, old school roasts with accompaniments, dessert table (Christmas pudding included) and a cheese board.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black; display: none; font-size: 12pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
I’ll be able to update the blog with the exact menu after Christmas. Things can change for any reason down here.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
With the first version of the menu now making it’s way around our local intranet I felt a sense of calm and even a little energy. Baking!!<br />
I love finding time to bake extra goodies for the crew. It gives me a feeling of pride and satisfaction knowing people will soon discover tasty sweet morsels arranged on various platters dotted around the dining room. When I was a little kid I remembered coming home from school and opening the lid on our two toned brown Tupperware cookie container... looking in all I could see was darkness (this thing could act like the TARDIS sometimes). I knew the jar was empty yesterday, was it still today? I’d throw my arm up in the air, pull the sleeve up past my elbow and dive down inside. Just as a shag comes popping up from the oceans depths .......so too would my hand. Yes!! It’s loaded!! What have I scored? Fudge. Hmmmm, I’d have removed that lid at least 3 more times before my sister got home. Then I was the self-appointed guardian of the jar. I loved my mother’s baking ,who doesn’t?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; display: none; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
Well there was nothing holding me back. Armed with a 2006 edition of the Edmonds recipe book, (mini cooks bible... in N.Z anyway), memories of my childhood delicacies and a fully equipped kitchen I set about creating a pantry full of icing and coconut topped treats.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; display: none; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
A little baking on Saturday and a lot on Sunday left most of my stock containers in need of a topping up. Ginger crunch, hedgehog (fudge), jam slice, lemon and apricot slice, coconut brownie, caramel slice , Anzac biscuits and toffee apples. I thought this would last me a week (my mother probably thought the same back then). As it turned out we had a visit from the Indians on Monday, including their construction workers, and a Chinese delegation made an appearance on Tuesday. By Wednesday my goodies were all gone.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; display: none; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
It still felt nice making them.</span></div><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Photos to follow.</span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628540252424745869.post-3585689113343208072010-12-17T07:30:00.001+10:002010-12-17T07:31:30.494+10:00Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies....YUM!<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;">Hazelnut chocolate brownies</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXb0QiKboDreOXzRTukXbBfbvkryg_3_oh9IHkSU24iMz0pUweUmRmdiaF3xnUUYSIOpJ9MDd8BJBGwy2f5EN7NOxLFoqjep-UTrtKCtnRJY7KemuPOnFsRXbrtWiTAw4uBLCspirCPb8/s1600/brownie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXb0QiKboDreOXzRTukXbBfbvkryg_3_oh9IHkSU24iMz0pUweUmRmdiaF3xnUUYSIOpJ9MDd8BJBGwy2f5EN7NOxLFoqjep-UTrtKCtnRJY7KemuPOnFsRXbrtWiTAw4uBLCspirCPb8/s200/brownie.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;">(Yield 2 small roasting trays or one normal gastro tray.)</span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;">500g melted butter cooled</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;">800g Caster sugar</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;">8 eggs</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;">4 tsp vanilla</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;">180 g flour</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;">4 tsp baking powder</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;">1 cup cocoa powder</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;">600g choc bits</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;">200g roasted chopped nuts</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;">Whisk butter and sugar. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;">Gradually add the eggs and vanilla. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;">Fold in the flour and baking powder.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;">Fold in the chocolate chips, pour into lined tray and bake until done</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;">Fan forced 160 degrees for around 35 minutes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;">The skewer should come out cleanish when done maybe with just a little cooked batter left on to ensure they are gorgeous and moist.</span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628540252424745869.post-49519941848008318042010-12-16T09:01:00.003+10:002010-12-16T18:14:30.843+10:00Adventures abound and not without being poetic<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqF_KXQ2jpM2bWFvAvIl-55y-D0eXKG5kCyxzYVZjOyWlnHUP1OquZ-bddYi_IXQvumoeDP7Bx2uVAJ1tDhNTIU38L07v-di-LpGzbz8lmprlN6l6BI-yYpiZVpW4Skm8i24sOSNzNHcs/s1600/MAWSON_DAY_NEARHOME5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqF_KXQ2jpM2bWFvAvIl-55y-D0eXKG5kCyxzYVZjOyWlnHUP1OquZ-bddYi_IXQvumoeDP7Bx2uVAJ1tDhNTIU38L07v-di-LpGzbz8lmprlN6l6BI-yYpiZVpW4Skm8i24sOSNzNHcs/s320/MAWSON_DAY_NEARHOME5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: #1f497d;">Friday the tenth day of December............. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">I started work in the kitchen at around 5:30am. Getting out of bed is becoming increasingly more difficult as my body becomes ever more in tune with the surroundings. I’m sleeping very well these days.......and its always day now. Pulling my curtains deprives about 99.9% of the light from making its way into my little kingdom, and makes for a peaceful rest. I’m still drinking about a litre of water a night...............I may just jimmy up a humidifier to be placed in front of my wall vent........................you know, a chux cloth, container of water and some thumb tacks. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">Anyway, making 10 loaves of wholemeal bread and 24 white rolls kick started my day also with the addition of a double strength long black made fresh from a well maintained ranchillo coffee machine. Breakfast for the station consists of large bowls of fresh tinned fruit, freshly made yogurt, toasted muesli, 11 different cereals , porridge, dried fruits, toast with all the conserves you can think of, plus at least another 10 you can’t.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><span style="color: #1f497d;"> Basically you can call this a continental breakfast ..............and for chefs .......we live for it. What it means is about ½ an hour of setting up and 10 minutes of putting away, as opposed to a full cooked breakfast which will basically be cooked during the entire length of the scheduled breakfast eating times and slow down the prep for lunch etc.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">So on this Friday I prepared a lunch of beef stroganoff, rice, penne pasta with sundried tomatoes, tuna bake, chicken satay, spinach and vegetable soup, full lunch salad buffet and various condiments..............oh, then I decided to make one of the most delicious hazelnut chocolate brownies in the world for my much loved extended family...............</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><span style="color: #1f497d;"> and as it turned out the brownies ended up topping off another unique and surreal day down here in the Antarctic.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">As Australia has 5 main stations during summer, so does it also have five main chefs. From time to time we chat with each other or email requests etc. With science and personnel flights between stations occurring at various times throughout the summer period opportunities are seized and equipment and or supplies’ are transferred where necessary. I just happened to be able to fulfil another request from the Mawson Chef Maria for supplies of differing meats and cuts and also rolled oats, juice and a few other odds ands ends. In return I asked for some candles (to make special occasions more so), spray oil (as our supply has run out and the AAD are fazing it out) and a sieve to replace the usual semi rusty and hole-ridden ones found in most kitchens around the world. As DSL I was asked to make a return flight to Mawson and make a transfer of special cargo. As the chef I was stoked to be able accompany Maria's supplies and hand deliver it to her................and of course put a face to the emails and phone calls.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIU16-ZxPUey_s401FtJArIUEYs9QpBDm7oBNDoNhl4Sh-t_eHey8p6Er6LWhju36CyBZ0UaIJUhLvGDPo9gwRl6w9z9cFPgTDhoKwytdxFwbCutCuG0lClu8huqcQczJP7NrMsSgRCUo/s1600/MAWSON_DAY_PLANE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIU16-ZxPUey_s401FtJArIUEYs9QpBDm7oBNDoNhl4Sh-t_eHey8p6Er6LWhju36CyBZ0UaIJUhLvGDPo9gwRl6w9z9cFPgTDhoKwytdxFwbCutCuG0lClu8huqcQczJP7NrMsSgRCUo/s200/MAWSON_DAY_PLANE.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #1f497d;">So at around 1230 I grabbed a quick three minute shower (we are on water restrictions at the moment anyway), packed a survival bag (needed on all flights around the Antarctic), donned my Antarctic field gear and grabbed the camera and all the bits and bobs that go with it. I met up with one of the fly boys in front of the LQ at around 1300, jumped into a golf buggy and proceeded to make our way over the ice to the skiway and the awaiting plane. As it turned out I managed to experience a little rain on my face as we neared the Casa. First of all rain down here in the Antarctic is virtually unheard of ................maybe a few times a year if you're lucky, and secondly Casa is the type of plane leased by the AAD for summers. The one I’m about to fly on is a C212 call sign Snowbird 2, operated by skytraders Pty Ltd. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">I was given a safety briefing and a small rundown of what to expect during take off......for instance the cockpit stall warning alarm will come on during the take off due to altitude being needed before speed. Cool.... so now I sign a piece of paper of understanding or basically allowing the pilots to bypass some of the protocols enforced in Australia. Hey we are all down here to do the best job we can with the best equipment and brains around. The Antarctic poses a few challenges for most....you can just imagine what these flyboys come up against.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">Well I was very comfortable with the level of professionalism shown by the crew and had no problems giving my john hancock.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">The engines roared and noise cancelling headsets were donned (expensive Bose ones), pre-flight checks carried out by the pilots, location, destination and route were radioed to Davis comms.........then woosh.....we were off skidding over ice for about what seemed only 20-30 metres before the alarms sounded as we became airborne. The forward thrust kicked in and we began to ascend into a cloud filled sky. The alarms stopped and all that could be heard was the distant roar of the engines outside and the humming vibrations of the interior. Soon enough we were at six thousand feet and levelling off . The noises eased and communications were established by all on board.... and when I say communication I mean school boy banter.... and boy are those guys witty.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZlxYG3yxXxRml_GG8exRDZBj1apYsmBL5BzvIx8dD2BzuTxKjgj3zpCF8z2gHG5a4_5zbr1IqmV22s-x3ZhYmTWxu4Hxs_pnprr0YKgedo6GgcW_cn7vOqU9hUDSkktCDwfmE-apt4Uc/s1600/MAWSON_DAY_WAY_HOME2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZlxYG3yxXxRml_GG8exRDZBj1apYsmBL5BzvIx8dD2BzuTxKjgj3zpCF8z2gHG5a4_5zbr1IqmV22s-x3ZhYmTWxu4Hxs_pnprr0YKgedo6GgcW_cn7vOqU9hUDSkktCDwfmE-apt4Uc/s200/MAWSON_DAY_WAY_HOME2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="color: #1f497d;">So there I was cruising at 6 thousand feet, listening to wise cracks between the pilots and staring out of the window in absolute awe of the world below.... surreal again. The cloud cleared about half an hour into the journey revealing some stunning landscapes of crushed ice and weathered rock. Soon enough we were over the ocean and looking down at various stages of ice development and deterioration. As far as the eye could see were blocks of ice slowly bumping one another and all the time shaping themselves into various geometrics so as to give the impression of a jigsaw being recently tipped out onto a dark blue table. Dotted amongst these seemingly repetitious ice fields were ice bergs. Gigantic when close these great floating chunks of ancient ice seemed only to impress me with there sharp and out of place shadows, and by the deep aqua shades of blue given out by the caves and crevices adorning them and not by their relative size. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWG6tNGbJKAr34qq_KCpHEAXHOIQb-mMiNPjzC4On0NiWaBudf3ZJY-OqUVPepA0nWWrmDgpfdtDumdfa5E-QIEBkRw6W_oxLdEY8QMOGJHwcptvA3MMT3dFaEzdU21z7mHlhTsyStM-I/s1600/MAWSON_DAY_NEARHOME4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWG6tNGbJKAr34qq_KCpHEAXHOIQb-mMiNPjzC4On0NiWaBudf3ZJY-OqUVPepA0nWWrmDgpfdtDumdfa5E-QIEBkRw6W_oxLdEY8QMOGJHwcptvA3MMT3dFaEzdU21z7mHlhTsyStM-I/s200/MAWSON_DAY_NEARHOME4.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #1f497d;">Unlike the helicopter ride last week to India and China, I was now seeing the Antarctic from a very special position, high above all else that resides down here and in the comfort of a heated plane cabin. I couldn’t help but just stare out of the window in amazement.... "If you could see what I see". A still or video camera would have a hard time capturing the images that were crawling beneath the plane and the complexity of emotions that come from seeing first hand these sights. Unbelievable!!!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">I’m still stoked as I’m writing this blog entry about the opportunity that was given to me and the memories I now have burned permanently into my brain..............Once in a lifetime!!!</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO8we9NOldklE0z820zxHpbqoxRoeyCXi1x5k175cvtABzb9loDquznFCAobwwxtpILvYeYnJG1st5OP1c_-z8JOZu2iwIXBgcG9Jf_9rHlgnDzeb5NKuWPW6M-OUUcLinAPOqnRC3CMc/s1600/MAWSON_DAY_MONOLITHEDGE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO8we9NOldklE0z820zxHpbqoxRoeyCXi1x5k175cvtABzb9loDquznFCAobwwxtpILvYeYnJG1st5OP1c_-z8JOZu2iwIXBgcG9Jf_9rHlgnDzeb5NKuWPW6M-OUUcLinAPOqnRC3CMc/s320/MAWSON_DAY_MONOLITHEDGE.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: #1f497d;">Anyway as part of the flight we made a detour to capture images and do a rough head count of any penguins living on or near to two monoliths. The first monolith Murray (had to be an Aussie who came up with that one) was a huge piece of rock forced out and up thousands of years ago. It definitely gave the appearance of something to be respected.............I’m not sure what it was......size, shape, location? I’m sure though that had there been any tribal people living in this environment...............Murray would have been declared a sacred place. We flew slowly around cameras clicking away.......the pilots taking advantage of their retractable windows and poking their lenses right out into the frigid air. Bird count around 50ish Adelie penguins. Next we flew on to Scullin Monolith.............whose presence seemed to mirror Murray's both in size and in spiritual reverence. The plane gracefully tacked its way around and over the wind polished and ice carved chunk of rock. This was another surreal moment, for want of a better word. Bird count, Adelies 50-100, Snow Petrels hundreds.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">From here we flew on to Mawson arriving around just before 3pm, making the flight time just over 2 and a half hours.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ8EZEFILmqcQKr7TzbaQ62bQAlRLMVAyPaUV_wUf4UV2pSGv674ArTptWu3GML_gKFQEBiK5wlMr2Vwh9FesQ5dwSXchtSms5eW1SATbeoySK9Rmuly6xX14lDCVZkIUwp34ao3jPJwo/s1600/MAWSON_DAY_MAWSONGOODBYE2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ8EZEFILmqcQKr7TzbaQ62bQAlRLMVAyPaUV_wUf4UV2pSGv674ArTptWu3GML_gKFQEBiK5wlMr2Vwh9FesQ5dwSXchtSms5eW1SATbeoySK9Rmuly6xX14lDCVZkIUwp34ao3jPJwo/s320/MAWSON_DAY_MAWSONGOODBYE2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: #1f497d;">There was a small greeting party gathered beside two very shiny looking Haggs at the end of the make shift ski way. Only 5-600 meters from the station we exchanged goods including the food provisions which Maria got to thank me for in person. I said a quick g’day to the crew which I knew half of already, took a couple of happy snaps, soaked up some of the unfiltered sun and then proceeded to strap myself into my allocated seat in preparation for our departure. In total 10 minutes were spent on the ground. Boy I hope another opportunity presents itself for me to come back to Mawson cause the asthetics of the 360 degrees surrounding the station offer another kind of wonder. Having the station juxtaposed against a picture perfect mountain rage flowing seamlessly into the melted marshmallow-looking glacier would not easily grow old in my book.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">The ice seemed even different again as we flew back, the sun coming from another direction gave colours and shapes not seen on the flight in. I grew a little tired as the heater beside me kicked in.......... then all of a sudden a choking sound was heard in the cabin. It was me.........I had woken myself up by snoring! Luckily only about 25 minutes had passed. As it turned out the guys up the front were getting ready for a little snack (care package) Maria had made us. So I gratefully accepted a strong brew of java’s finest, a ham and cheese sandwich .........................and a brownie.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivm-WNk_gQNoGtzvZLwQpH7_k-WFfxJI6BIojKdykBIMc05mNFrPFAS7VN9Xbnwdjzg7oPJ5q3-G_nq5YBzpJ2iAaggBYkUXajJqaeTOgxY6e7O7ndFWIIodz8eReVk5YOKadypamK0FQ/s1600/MAWSON_DAY_WHALEb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivm-WNk_gQNoGtzvZLwQpH7_k-WFfxJI6BIojKdykBIMc05mNFrPFAS7VN9Xbnwdjzg7oPJ5q3-G_nq5YBzpJ2iAaggBYkUXajJqaeTOgxY6e7O7ndFWIIodz8eReVk5YOKadypamK0FQ/s320/MAWSON_DAY_WHALEb.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: #1f497d;">The next thing you know the guys flying this tin can were singing the praises of Maria's chocolate delight. Now don’t get me wrong it was very nice, and I very much enjoyed every mouthful but hey could I let it go? Nup. The next thing you know I was big upping my very own creation waiting back at Davis and guaranteeing it's superiority against any other. This is what we chefs do sometimes. LOL. The boys promised to compare and offer a non biased judgement (yeah right, they were about to try my creation in my kitchen and offer a non biased opinion?)...... I had just guaranteed myself the icing on what has been another uniquely special day. As it turned out just 10 minutes or so after this conversation we spotted a whale next to the ice on the left hand side of the plane. I was sitting on the left so quickly grabbed my camera and snapped a few shots. From eight thousand feet we could just make out the shape and markings of an orca. Now that was the icing on the cake............</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">Chocolate Hazelnut Brownie recipe to follow.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628540252424745869.post-51308353838989864562010-12-12T20:28:00.006+10:002010-12-14T06:41:39.835+10:00Recipes galore<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTtYhWyETaWy79icwn1w61gsT4wWSYnDGmKblQvOSzBeFFaLhdvXr5Pf9IEqSbRVz8B_BG0gKs2MBF8s8xXQ0t5xo4aYEtkXSIBJnso6L43eEwdjwTqexCTeHcyrAu0ZeZ-74z-BxL8eI/s1600/XMAS_TREE_2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTtYhWyETaWy79icwn1w61gsT4wWSYnDGmKblQvOSzBeFFaLhdvXr5Pf9IEqSbRVz8B_BG0gKs2MBF8s8xXQ0t5xo4aYEtkXSIBJnso6L43eEwdjwTqexCTeHcyrAu0ZeZ-74z-BxL8eI/s320/XMAS_TREE_2010.jpg" width="184" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I admit I have slipped since I made the promise to try a new recipe every week so today, in a bid to make up for my lack of effort, I tried two. After installing Mum at the market in what can only be described as really crappy weather, I came home and made a large pot of Minestrone using fresh ingredients from my garden. I returned to the market in the afternoon, in the rain, to pack everything up and we came home, opened a bottle of bubbly and got to work decorating the Christmas tree. I started to feel a little sad that I wasn't doing it with Justin this year but pushed that right back on down and kept going until we had a beautiful tree, adorned with all the decorations that we have collected on our travels including the tapa angel on the top of the tree from Tonga, the moose from Helsinki, matryoshka dolls from Russia and a tiki from New Zealand. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Our neighbour's great niece, Julie who is visiting from the Netherlands, came over to use the internet and book some flights from Brisbane to Sydney on Xmas Day and stayed for a while sharing in our bubbly and nibbles while I made a batch of fresh pesto from the basil which is growing with great vigor. It is the second time that I have made pesto and neither time have I ended up with that bright, rich green of recipe book photos... more of a muddy colour but I am sure that over-roasting the pinenuts wouldn't have helped!</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhImq-iQ8IRbUhzRDtzIQ3104nxeWn2h9DIT_pBeMHQumG1eCUML4i7aLuT5lu5pBXMQgbahAcqqw6xmFpSTwFY1yD586G6WFDZEL1-CfQ-y-yB5flGVrPlx9k6EzCWFYEhQGuLK7tNeMc/s1600/MINESTRONE3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhImq-iQ8IRbUhzRDtzIQ3104nxeWn2h9DIT_pBeMHQumG1eCUML4i7aLuT5lu5pBXMQgbahAcqqw6xmFpSTwFY1yD586G6WFDZEL1-CfQ-y-yB5flGVrPlx9k6EzCWFYEhQGuLK7tNeMc/s320/MINESTRONE3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">My Minestrone (serves 6)</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">2 tsps olive oil</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">1 medium brown or red onion, chopped</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">2 cloves garlic, crushed<br />
8 slices bacon, cooked </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">(the actual recipe said proscuitto)</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
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1 celery stalk, trimmed and finely chopped</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">1 medim carrot, finely chopped</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">1 medium courgette, finely chopped</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">2 x 400g tins crushed tomatoes</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">1.5 litres chicken stock</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">1 medium potato, chopped finely</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">1 cup small pasta (shells or macaroni)</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">1 cup finely chopped cabbage</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">1 tin cannellini beans - drained and rinsed </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">1 cup mixed leafy greens (I used bok choy and silverbeet from my garden)</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">1 tablespoon finely shredded basil</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">1/2 grated parmesan</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Heat oil in large saucepan. Cook onion and garlic, stirring until onion softens.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Add bacon, celery, carrot and courgette. Cook, stirring, 5mins. Stir in tomatoes and stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer uncovered, 30mins.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Stir in potato and simmer uncovered, 15mins.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Add pasta, simmer uncovered about 10mins or until pasta is tender.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Just before serving stir in cabbage, beans, greens and basil. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Serve in bowls with cracked black pepper, a teaspoonful of pesto, a sprinke of grated parmesan and a side of toasted Turkish bread.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The second new recipe was communicated via facebook this week and is extremely dangerous... I mean, chocolate cake in approximately 5 mins! Called Chocolate Mug Cake... that's right, mug not mud, the ingredients are all put in to a coffee mug, mixed in there and then put in to the microwave. And it is not too shabby! We had it with vanilla icecream but I think that cream would have been the winner. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJr5-1I98RnWeGm60tKZG2vHnEq6bP1sGMH5edveHl1iUqO5RYs5W6qh8Ogeg_UC9QPcHOHHpzMtmUqgpHfvWgzu7RH3nVaCf394fOthny8S8jABsPqmnbPjbi-99QPtUvnqEajyeZJ0Y/s1600/CHOC_CAKE_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJr5-1I98RnWeGm60tKZG2vHnEq6bP1sGMH5edveHl1iUqO5RYs5W6qh8Ogeg_UC9QPcHOHHpzMtmUqgpHfvWgzu7RH3nVaCf394fOthny8S8jABsPqmnbPjbi-99QPtUvnqEajyeZJ0Y/s200/CHOC_CAKE_3.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkgmdn2n1hLeZ7GvZUkG0kFNyNfrNM6HURNlhD0LU_CEiVADklGzhQ_fmJST8ytweaauJcqg2fVsihZxzNgo0fSb7niJxpfKBpjNDdZSHQxiUI5LBi4gY_DLJV8KQzxv91TQQrXkzxaRk/s1600/CHOC_CAKE_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkgmdn2n1hLeZ7GvZUkG0kFNyNfrNM6HURNlhD0LU_CEiVADklGzhQ_fmJST8ytweaauJcqg2fVsihZxzNgo0fSb7niJxpfKBpjNDdZSHQxiUI5LBi4gY_DLJV8KQzxv91TQQrXkzxaRk/s200/CHOC_CAKE_2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">So hey, the weather may be really crappy and Noosa may be super sleepy but we are eating really well here!! </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628540252424745869.post-5952426694203700542010-12-11T19:45:00.005+10:002010-12-11T19:53:59.969+10:00Meanwhile back in sleepy Noosa<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The rain has been around for about two weeks now, which coincided great with me not feeling so crash hot, but after two days of great weather, I got stuck in to some much needed work around home. The floors are clean, the lawns are mowed, I have done some minor rearranging - the ugly arm chair from the lounge is now safely installed in the garage next door (and I took theirs to the dump) and the house in general is looking great. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBnJKRymyyDc3flJQeAMgTA7We8Q2FJOYhOaapGWkSnVEOFXSUj_CdB4ZhcxnBftwws0e2sgzfQnkZEjCpuS-sLRMKK0_GwvAnGBOU0gdlZyEdSblYmPRvd7dO_DMVQLwUrBm2iJEIxik/s1600/mini+scones2_pimms+day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBnJKRymyyDc3flJQeAMgTA7We8Q2FJOYhOaapGWkSnVEOFXSUj_CdB4ZhcxnBftwws0e2sgzfQnkZEjCpuS-sLRMKK0_GwvAnGBOU0gdlZyEdSblYmPRvd7dO_DMVQLwUrBm2iJEIxik/s200/mini+scones2_pimms+day.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">There have been a few spits of rain in the air today but I decided that that was not going to put a dampener on my Pimms afternoon. So I got stuck in and made mini cheese and chutney scones, roast beef and horseradish sandwiches and cucumber sandwiches ready for the ladies to arrive at 3pm. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">We were soooooo lucky with the weather - it held off until everyone left and I shot around the block with Mr Bear only for it to really start as we walked back down the driveway! You couldn't ask for better than that.<br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRtkrOvW_XsyD-01FW6dbl-xzmDRjt9cig-3s1ckYOJvO5zxM6pxPlZuMKp4-6RLdwbtMlsrM_4DgIuYjSZUgdazGy4JoH1HREAnynzpFmTxwXI5QbAQ5PoTWh4rEwCHwVMGVEIsSunYU/s1600/PIMMS1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRtkrOvW_XsyD-01FW6dbl-xzmDRjt9cig-3s1ckYOJvO5zxM6pxPlZuMKp4-6RLdwbtMlsrM_4DgIuYjSZUgdazGy4JoH1HREAnynzpFmTxwXI5QbAQ5PoTWh4rEwCHwVMGVEIsSunYU/s200/PIMMS1.jpg" width="188" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The Pimms looked great and went down a treat. <br />
(I stuck with a weakish mix so the drivers could enjoy a couple.) </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">My recipe consisted of:</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">200ml Pimms No.1</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">1.25 litre bottle lemonade - chilled</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">1 sliced orange</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">1/2 sliced cucumber</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">mint sprigs picked fresh from my garden</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Put all on top of a heap of ice in a large jug and serve. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
We got 3 large jugfuls from the one bottle of Pimms and I still have a little left to enjoy on a quiet afternoon on my own.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Thanks Jenny, Janette, Deb, Tess, Dor, Julie, Julie and of course, my Mum for making time to sit around on a lovely afternoon when everyone is crazy in the lead up til Christmas.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628540252424745869.post-79437636354467780112010-12-09T07:54:00.007+10:002010-12-16T18:12:11.657+10:00A day of many nations<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">"Friday the 3<sup>rd</sup> of December turned out to be one of the biggest days so far for me. I was asked to accompany a small delegation (as DSL) from Davis to visit the Indian station being built down the road, then fly on to the Chinese station for a catch up. Well I did a stint in the kitchen 5:30-11:30am took a brief shower, grabbed my camera and a few warm clothes and headed off to the heli hut. Having never been in a helicopter before I was quite excited. I was also excited by the prospect of meeting other people who call Antarctica their home. The flight from Davis took around 40mins. I was still very tired from the field training the day before and managed to squeeze out around 1000 yawns before touching down on a Russian supply ship......... so there you have it, just because you yawn doesn’t mean your neurons aren’t running around as fast as they can. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVL7guCEb5O6fUzH8HAQTr6JqRSkd9H7xlfqE1G27uN6b7sCBM34qkOE6LHu-K02rqNj2HUKSIaKxtbR1fCdlMlKHQAQs7E0bF9hzTl6aU7v3YCJ5tW_GbLOyjPc7RCpJvlTJcl5lZmjg/s1600/day_out1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVL7guCEb5O6fUzH8HAQTr6JqRSkd9H7xlfqE1G27uN6b7sCBM34qkOE6LHu-K02rqNj2HUKSIaKxtbR1fCdlMlKHQAQs7E0bF9hzTl6aU7v3YCJ5tW_GbLOyjPc7RCpJvlTJcl5lZmjg/s200/day_out1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glacier ice formations</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">The chopper flight was awe inspiring, flying over all sorts of rock and ice formations and colours not easily replicated on a paint palate. I finally saw the enormity of my surroundings..................absolutely astounding. Large ice fields as far as the eye can see were dwarfed only by the magnificent Amery Ice shelf in the distance as we made our way closer to the Indians.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKPYKIkm_-ofzisZ87Kd_xrJEBWFINt6NaF3lQ7tQ8nZrSjNxHO5TMsN7BDvxEhCANwRmuQlpNhiUUzUs4CllMYcreuxRflmD9lk6IC2F3cGfE7J6l16bhtOQCTbPBTutkOctI3JP9br4/s1600/DAY_OUT_LANDING_ON_SHIP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKPYKIkm_-ofzisZ87Kd_xrJEBWFINt6NaF3lQ7tQ8nZrSjNxHO5TMsN7BDvxEhCANwRmuQlpNhiUUzUs4CllMYcreuxRflmD9lk6IC2F3cGfE7J6l16bhtOQCTbPBTutkOctI3JP9br4/s200/DAY_OUT_LANDING_ON_SHIP.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Landing on the Russian Shi<span style="color: #1f497d;">p</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="color: #1f497d;">We landed on the back of the Ivan Papanin supply ship, disembarked the chopper, met up with the Indian station leader and made our way to the front of the ship and into a small meeting room. Once in the meeting room we were asked to sit around some tables facing outwards from the walls. There were chairs placed around the rest of the room facing us. It defiantly felt and looked like a political briefing or maybe the meeting of two prize fighters before a match, then the big cameras came out and I was almost ready to say “no comment”....................LOL.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjp2_-l6XDgyEw2jGoh1YHsv7pUvsGfDKP7WMG0LUbu2FYRftBY1zG0jogvlMfP16LvJCGawRPCrXd8sVrRHtTf90DgfwgMRfJuC4EQdKPykqFpS1B3zMvcW5ebsS8aLzWRgCAXgogegQ/s1600/DAY_OUT_INDIAN_STATION.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjp2_-l6XDgyEw2jGoh1YHsv7pUvsGfDKP7WMG0LUbu2FYRftBY1zG0jogvlMfP16LvJCGawRPCrXd8sVrRHtTf90DgfwgMRfJuC4EQdKPykqFpS1B3zMvcW5ebsS8aLzWRgCAXgogegQ/s200/DAY_OUT_INDIAN_STATION.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #1f497d;">We chatted amongst ourselves for about half an hour....................as the awkward pauses presented themselves more frequently it was decided to get off the ship and have a look around the Indian station (construction site). The station is set to be operational by the end of next summer. Wow, there is a lot of work to do. The Engineer of the project explained to us his vision and time lines for the base. It all seemed very impressive and looking at the sketch of the finished product, very pleasing on the eye (unlike a lot of buildings around the Antarctic).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">From on the ice next to the ship we said our goodbyes and took off in the helis headed for Zhongshan only ten minutes away.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">As we landed a couple of the Chinese expeditioners came to greet us and show us to their meeting room. The station leader came in and introduced himself to all of us .................we then sat down at a table ready to go through the motions all over again. A mass of people then entered the dining room across the hall from us. It was a Russian delegation from Prospect station (which is only one kilometre away from the Chinese). </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnsDCfw2CBcoZssdkMvN_-2iHsZ1XRKhooxbFMB0OgaxR_UpWryh2kTvXUonMkDz7pLGLjR6N_IVd50EpdPzimcOTXparIHTm9lyDTSXImG2jEyo0NKxyQT6m8iLwri2gXvQozARSxMjA/s1600/DAY_OUT_CHINESE_NEW_LQ.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnsDCfw2CBcoZssdkMvN_-2iHsZ1XRKhooxbFMB0OgaxR_UpWryh2kTvXUonMkDz7pLGLjR6N_IVd50EpdPzimcOTXparIHTm9lyDTSXImG2jEyo0NKxyQT6m8iLwri2gXvQozARSxMjA/s320/DAY_OUT_CHINESE_NEW_LQ.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New Chinese Living Quarters</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">Well from then on the mood was lifted and everybody became a little more social. A couple of the Chinese team gave us a tour of their station. There are a lot of new buildings being finished to modern standards......their new LQ (living quarters) is fantastic and very large .....I believe it is able to accommodate up to 150 people. It has a bank of offices up stairs, an extremely large kitchen with dining, wash up and storage all separate and a basket ball court just metres from all this. The kitchen the chef is using at the moment is about the size of my bedroom here...................not very big at all ...............poor bastard. When you watch the movies set in small villages or tight little back ally dwellings in china.............the camera always seems to pan around and into a tight little kitchen with one or maybe two people surrounded by woks, oil, food and 20 years of grime..............well this is the movie set for all those shots.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFrv6uDxLqYAA1lfRoAEIM7iPSoC4V9s1E7A3viqccy5leHIdAJoEOtQI9JkySAZh-jkcFQxIGXQLNgpOQWs8y_h2xxdSwzX5x_syoFHbgE24eJufHwNg00qbNL7_lLozNCv-ItPH8hNc/s1600/DAY_OUT_CHINESE_CHEF_AND_DSL.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFrv6uDxLqYAA1lfRoAEIM7iPSoC4V9s1E7A3viqccy5leHIdAJoEOtQI9JkySAZh-jkcFQxIGXQLNgpOQWs8y_h2xxdSwzX5x_syoFHbgE24eJufHwNg00qbNL7_lLozNCv-ItPH8hNc/s320/DAY_OUT_CHINESE_CHEF_AND_DSL.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chef, Justin and Chinese DSL</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="color: #1f497d;">Anyway after our tour of the station which took in the power house, Met building, the new atmospheric building and various other facilities we went back into the dining room ready for a late lunch.........early dinner (5:30pm). The food was laid out in chafing dishes inside the kitchen pass, and a table was filled with drinks in nice neat rows, Chinese red and white wine, Chinese rice wine, rice liquor (which smells and tastes like bile), sprite, coke, orange juice and of course, vodka. Speeches were made, gifts were handed out and food was consumed. We ate fresh omelette spring rolls, battered prawns with chilli sauce, a toasted sesame salad of rice noodles and bean shoots (the bean shoots are grown from seed in various jars around the kitchen and then cut when needed, these looked like pea shoots), roast duck, grilled corn and rice, pork dumpling and finally a non descript sweet savoury sort of mini pasty thingy. All very nice, I was starving so I went up for thirds...............just as well cause when I was on my way back to the table a couple of Russians pulled me to the side and asked me if I wanted a vodka...........................well? Hey you can’t say no for more than just diplomatic reasons, and so down the hatch it went. Two more glasses later I was feeling very good about my situation. The Russians drink orange juice slowly after they down a vodka in one hit. It’s not the vodka orange I’m used to but when in Rome. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWmQYyqejYw-K9ZKjPY8FKi2TVdpyucOcNEv7mOMNhIu9K9CWhphte6Kwbu2Ec0FFQtmA8-i8D9ofMW_kgedbi3qMccHG4lt623CO61TPi_qChSlkwkIhWEPSVRgMk5cTPCb-xclZJM0A/s1600/DAY_OUT_GOODBYE.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWmQYyqejYw-K9ZKjPY8FKi2TVdpyucOcNEv7mOMNhIu9K9CWhphte6Kwbu2Ec0FFQtmA8-i8D9ofMW_kgedbi3qMccHG4lt623CO61TPi_qChSlkwkIhWEPSVRgMk5cTPCb-xclZJM0A/s320/DAY_OUT_GOODBYE.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saying Goodbye</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="color: #1f497d;">By then end of our visit I had managed to down more vodka in two hours than I had in two years, also I had managed to drink a fermented rice paddy, half a bottle of rough red and two cups of coke (I needed something for the toasts and it’s all I could see), made friends with the DSL, Chef and a Chinese guy who was having his birthday on this very special day, danced in a circle with arms on shoulders shouting oye, oye, oye in a Cossack kind of chant while some guy screamed into the karaoke machine, and taken away a lot of very surreal memories.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">By the time we flew out I was ready for bed. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the chopper</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz-RCfdx6pR__DaLF66sLyML095bNdgxwv2iJoBMY_Sga6EhbQlRrZDdjlTMz7nZ_HNIDErG_mcpCWsJsMXc9-Giytp7MOFi2oRrEAk-EBHjSCTvzH7JARqZ_WCndD3j7vPKjMezLcVIw/s1600/DAY_OUT_HOME_SWEET_HOME.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz-RCfdx6pR__DaLF66sLyML095bNdgxwv2iJoBMY_Sga6EhbQlRrZDdjlTMz7nZ_HNIDErG_mcpCWsJsMXc9-Giytp7MOFi2oRrEAk-EBHjSCTvzH7JARqZ_WCndD3j7vPKjMezLcVIw/s400/DAY_OUT_HOME_SWEET_HOME.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Home Sweet Home</td></tr>
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<b><span style="color: #1f497d;">The flight home was even better than the flight there. I didn’t yawn and managed to get in a couple of happy snaps. Hope you enjoy them."</span></b></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628540252424745869.post-15558415944377553562010-12-06T07:45:00.005+10:002010-12-06T07:52:30.251+10:00Field training<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: small;">"As I write this it’s currently -2 deg and snowing with a 10-15 knot wind.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: small;">So after a very busy week again I was looking forward to 2 days off..................well........... to be able to venture out into the field everybody must be field trained. This is done by a Field Training Officer (maybe one of the best jobs in the world.......other than mine). So I needed to be trained. There goes the down time I needed to sort the ever growing pile of clothes and dust in my room.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: small;">First of all a small group of us was kitted out with the essentials like rucksack, bivvy bag, foam mat, sleeping bag, liner, pee bottle, chocolate, compass, map set, signal mirror, micro spikes, ice axe, and trow bag. At Kingston we were issued with clothing and to do this training we needed to bring our thermals, fleece, windproof jacket, beanie, neck gaiter, walking boots, sun hat, sunglasses, and lots of sunblock................in addition to this I also packed a camera, toothbrush (that never got used,) a small measure of Jack Daniels, tinned pies for the troops and some pancakes for brekkie along with some maple syrup.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwjTljmONYEfOUDzjuXKehUK89cdlZoP-9HHSIUzBDJ7mvOqm0LFOxnU_3xi4ZLPzRFYYc2B56DpkZUSjhLFwLHljngmZIH3ILhHIs0FY8EqLIlTQthKd_kWdiyGIOrH8k7oCSfMTPyPY/s1600/German_Basler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwjTljmONYEfOUDzjuXKehUK89cdlZoP-9HHSIUzBDJ7mvOqm0LFOxnU_3xi4ZLPzRFYYc2B56DpkZUSjhLFwLHljngmZIH3ILhHIs0FY8EqLIlTQthKd_kWdiyGIOrH8k7oCSfMTPyPY/s320/German_Basler.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">German Basler</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: small;"> The day we left a plane landed carrying some German scientists doing studies around the Antarctic. The plane is a Polar 5 AWI Basler.... it’s an old turbo-charged DC3......I took a quick snap before we left.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVfUWpSTr8k4t4GDJkhZXvcsGZmbq3T48cuHY1pe-iidb9r2Lcin_4OSUsxSiHctbLjnR7B732E90biJ6UCW72XDEgROiGLoc-QmvsxNbFMW_H0YPgYuxSRl-cqh_X5PEjt9eLhDFOLnI/s1600/FIELD_TRAINING1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVfUWpSTr8k4t4GDJkhZXvcsGZmbq3T48cuHY1pe-iidb9r2Lcin_4OSUsxSiHctbLjnR7B732E90biJ6UCW72XDEgROiGLoc-QmvsxNbFMW_H0YPgYuxSRl-cqh_X5PEjt9eLhDFOLnI/s320/FIELD_TRAINING1.jpg" width="293" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Justin on quad taking photos</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: small;">Our objectives were to ride out on quad bikes to Platcha Hut and spend a night there then proceed with field training for the rest of the day. All rugged up we took off from Davis riding over the sea ice on our quads. The scenery was spectacular, icebergs frozen, for a time trapped in metre thick ice just waiting to continue their journeys when the thaw comes. Fat slug-like seals could be seen every now and then sunning themselves on frozen snow under a cloudy sky, the fat’s there for a reason. We didn’t see any penguins on the first day but wow some of the ice and rock formations were just as cool. We arrived at our destination within two hours, went inside the hut and made ourselves a brew, warmed up a little then went back outside to unload the quads. Next we got busy with a little training, field rations, aka dehydes. Using our portable gas stove we proceeded to follow the instructions on things like Beef and black bean, Grilled beef stew, Himalayan chicken, Lamb and pasta etc....</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: small;">The wind was blowing a bit so it took some time for the snow to melt in order to add boiling water to our culinary delights. The stew I had was just fine and I could quite happily survive on it for a time. For most chefs, often in our down time food is only fuel in order to achieve the simple domestics in life. I must say though the cheese cake was a bit average....................I tried my best to jazz it up with half a packed of crushed shortbreads on top. The crew seemed to like this. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: small;">A few wines with dinner and some pre-sleep fun of sliding down the icy snow was undertaken by all.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8SltQIHoBp1Lkx9pRM0le97dxqdhR1eh3SWX3NE7LiOPaSrRv5a4dak1yLkWfYtx_AcHq4khujXev-4J9GV6CAJM3pGtNDrFMljBuWrFpESzCQr2nu3-CzF0CXNBPp_x6qYEfPLerFXo/s1600/Bivvy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8SltQIHoBp1Lkx9pRM0le97dxqdhR1eh3SWX3NE7LiOPaSrRv5a4dak1yLkWfYtx_AcHq4khujXev-4J9GV6CAJM3pGtNDrFMljBuWrFpESzCQr2nu3-CzF0CXNBPp_x6qYEfPLerFXo/s320/Bivvy.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">An icy coffin</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: small;">We dug ourselves into the snow........I dug a coffin shape about a foot deep. There we slept/stayed overnight by ourselves inside our bivvys. I must say I was warm enough inside my sleeping bag, but all the condensation from my breath formed ice inside over everything. As the wind picked up early morning it began to snow inside my bivvy. The tug by the wind on the canvas outer made all the iced up condensation above me fall like heavy snow. This lasted for about only 4-5 hours...............well until I got up.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: small;">The sun did set for about an hour but the sky never really darkens. Sleeping out like this is very interesting......well trying to block it out ended up being so. First I tried my neck gaiter, then a beanie, then a t-shirt (that became stiff with ice about midnight.....) finally I just got so tired I couldn’t give a rats about the light.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: small;">In the morning I heated up the pancakes for everybody and passed around the maple syrup. I think everybody was expecting to eat 2 minute noodles or some thing............so they were all very happy.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: small;">For the rest of the day we did various training involving both field equipment and quads.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: small;">Its fair to say I was very sore and tired when we finally got back to Davis at 7pm that night...........Yay, work in the morning."</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Watch this space. An update coming about Justin's helicopter day out to an Indian vessel and then on the the Chinese Antarctic base.</b></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628540252424745869.post-68052158942696870522010-12-01T17:29:00.003+10:002010-12-01T17:32:41.368+10:00A short but sweet update<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Yesterday was the first day since Justin arrived on base that we didn't get to talk on the phone. He was just too busy. Not just with the everyday cooking but plans are afoot for a big Christmas day that the boys need to start working on now. And for his two days off Justin is doing field training which means heading out on Quad bikes and sleeping in bivvy shelters under the stars and of course, eating dehydrated food, yum - and probably not a lot of sleep since there is only about two hours of darkness per night. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAWaIiBfETSih8gJNFH0ohT6LSFTPvMZxgaHegm0L8znaywkN7PFA0w5j9DmYkuP3Gz6IpRFQKk78nco7i0rmTAvpLkB-8HwHFdbfvXFYSUn4geFQeB6A7ZMucpU2usTLmBTPg3n2JwYE/s1600/Justin_and_Kim_handover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAWaIiBfETSih8gJNFH0ohT6LSFTPvMZxgaHegm0L8znaywkN7PFA0w5j9DmYkuP3Gz6IpRFQKk78nco7i0rmTAvpLkB-8HwHFdbfvXFYSUn4geFQeB6A7ZMucpU2usTLmBTPg3n2JwYE/s320/Justin_and_Kim_handover.jpg" width="320" /></a>Justin is also getting the opportunity to be flown by helicopter over to the Chinese base on Friday. I don't know a lot of the details but a small group have been invited. The base is Zhong Shan, established in 1989.<br />
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Details of Justin's visit to the base will be published as they come to hand.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">In the meantime, here is a photo of Justin and the 2009/10 chef, Kim, discussing the handover in the dining room on base. Kim was on the departing vessel last Saturday, returning to Australia.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628540252424745869.post-71602480580473165802010-11-29T06:59:00.000+10:002010-11-29T06:59:22.521+10:00Saturday night in Antarctica<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-AU</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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</style> <![endif]--> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;">"Saturday night went well...........</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;">Tony (Summering/sous chef and all round nice guy) and I spent the whole day getting ready for dinner with little interruptions such as breakfast, smoko and lunch getting in the way.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;">The dining room was converted into a restaurant style eatery. Blackout boards where put up to stop the sun coming through. White tablecloths, wine glasses, frilled napkins, candles, small cheese boards, mini bread rolls, butter and a whole lot of thought where placed upon the tables.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;">The kitchen was in full swing right up to and including the first half hour of dinner. Fillet of beef with peppered prawns, chicken stuffed with bacon and camembert , pumpkin risotto with pine nuts, parmesan and truffle oil, steamed asparagus with hollandaise, duchess potatoes and carrots filled the bain marie. Next to the hot food came mixed berry and chocolate mousse served in old school sundae glasses, mixed fruit sponge balls dipped in white chocolate encrusted with coconut and one of the best lemon meringue pies tasted on this earth.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;">Before the expeditioners tasted all this they had predinner drinks with nibbles (peanuts in the shell, corn chips etc....), so by the time dinner was in full swing ..............so were most peoples equilibriums. A good night was had by all............and well into the next morning.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;">I started today (Sunday) by making 100 english muffins ready for tomorrows smoko. Then I went on to make ham and cheese quiche, Spanish omelette, chicken filo pie, Moroccan bbq leg of lamb, beef stew, roast potatoes, fruit and herb cous cous, cauliflower, potato and leek soup (without the leek......none down here.............though it still tasted great) chocolate self saucing pudding and jelly. I also did confit of duck ready for Monday. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;">It was the first time I have made English muffins..... I was very stoked with the results. I’ll post a recipe as soon as I tweek it to what I’m gonna use for the rest of the year.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;">Its about 12 percent humidity inside the station....very dry............................great for meringue, bad for skin. I have done a couple of washes now and hung the clothes up in my room (donga), this has halved the amount of water I’m drinking at night. Now its only about 750mls."</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIMEFnNIxB_tiepojGXt3FuFjgGR0dQCEEZeSzxLkXoGa5HtiFpJfox9Bd5huJfacQNO-YilC_UpCz5dxeHzPbCt6FE0GgvH2PED94QE0T1dBgph78NI7IJq4pF5r7T8zQiJyemDPSDMc/s1600/first_excursion_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIMEFnNIxB_tiepojGXt3FuFjgGR0dQCEEZeSzxLkXoGa5HtiFpJfox9Bd5huJfacQNO-YilC_UpCz5dxeHzPbCt6FE0GgvH2PED94QE0T1dBgph78NI7IJq4pF5r7T8zQiJyemDPSDMc/s320/first_excursion_2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Justin's first Antarctic outing</span></td></tr>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628540252424745869.post-89925664580444595102010-11-26T07:00:00.003+10:002010-11-26T07:01:32.034+10:00Another big day<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">"The weather fined up and made the view from the dining room very pleasant indeed. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Part of my duties as chef on station is to maintain stock levels of essentials in the communal area such as breakfast cereals, preserves, coffee, biscuits, milk powder, spreads etc....<br />
In order to get these items, trips around the station to different containers are made once or twice a day. When the sky is blue and not a breeze blows these little outings can be a much needed energy boost.........trudging through ice or freshly laid snow, staring at ice bergs in the distance........all this for a box of apples...........yeah!!<br />
<br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Another essential to the expeditioners’ experience is having fresh bread baked for them every day. Different loaves and rolls are baked every day to varying recipes. This one is for a basic bread. If you want nuts, seeds or grains just add them. Also this recipe is for 12 loaves..........so if you only want one.....divide by 12."<br />
<br />
<b>Antarctic Bread</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">65g yeast<br />
250g sugar<br />
3 litres blood temp water ..................combine all three and put aside to ferment.<br />
<br />
Then add<br />
5kg flour<br />
200g gluten<br />
30g salt<br />
450g oil</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
Place all ingredients in a mixing machine with a dough paddle...........put on a slowish speed for 10 minutes.<br />
Clingfilm the bowl and allow dough to double in size.<br />
Knock bag and shape into:<br />
Rolls 120g<br />
Burger buns 150g<br />
Loaves 750g<br />
<br />
Bake rolls for 15 mins at around 185 deg c.<br />
Loaves for 30 mins at the same temperature.<br />
<br />
Note: Gluten makes the bread stronger.........more elastic.........this recipe can be made without it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628540252424745869.post-51893485125562438312010-11-25T07:47:00.002+10:002010-11-25T20:09:40.123+10:00A gorgeous shot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8gqJ2J89uWgD3kW8O_kUpVlRPYKTpvEJfuSLYfy6AuQSGI3hiGj2Lh_6mHkuwek_fPCV_aDLKn5WrEdgCfaoakdY4zpCgDt68I8ML8Ng9l-JPeU5Y1idE3bC8ZZziAWfo_6Z3CYcb6O8/s1600/penguinstone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8gqJ2J89uWgD3kW8O_kUpVlRPYKTpvEJfuSLYfy6AuQSGI3hiGj2Lh_6mHkuwek_fPCV_aDLKn5WrEdgCfaoakdY4zpCgDt68I8ML8Ng9l-JPeU5Y1idE3bC8ZZziAWfo_6Z3CYcb6O8/s320/penguinstone.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Justin took this photo when out for a 4 hour walk on Tuesday night. The penguin is collecting stones for his nest. (The sun is setting at around 10.50pm and rising again at around 12.45am.)</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwok_JNOHOebiPjtuU_UVdLaCy6Gmf9Y4a9hmJxRQ9JvPFr95daSKy51dLeukUZBNuMAohraCApwJdV5W9ec5_YeirfjngDMVqFhnom0U0TvYSB_srR5iIvuDkxt0MmybmG-kZcSWadXY/s1600/mars_bar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-size: 10pt;">"Well It's been a very busy week for the kitchen with the unloading of food containers and also cooking for unknown amounts of crew............ there could be anything between 50-90 during lunch and dinner services.<br />
The resupply went very well by everyone's standards and the ship managed to leave on Saturday just after lunch. It took quite a few hours to punch a way out of the bay and round the corner on her way back to Australia.<br />
Meal times have returned to normal now, 6-8:30 brekkie, 12:30-1:30 lunch and 6-7 for dinner with Saturdays being 7-late .........Saturdays are deemed special nights so in the kitchen we either cater to a theme or organise food around our skills.<br />
Last Friday we put on a bbq outside. Trestle tables were piled with salads, bread rolls and beer. Tony and I cooked from a shipping container (to keep the cold from slowing the process down). It ran for about an hour with people coming and going .......by the end most of the salads had frozen as with the sliced fruit and some of the rolls. Was a very strange experience. Though I will say the vista was absolutely amazing. Blue sky, frozen sea, islands and icebergs in the distance..............<br />
This Saturday we will be putting on a fine dining evening starting with nibbles and drinks in the wallow (communal area/bar) then into the dining room for a couple of fancy-ish dishes. Next week it's a cocktail evening with canapés all night.<br />
So far the meals have been varied both in style but also in fresh to frozen ratios. Hydroponics managed to get the last of their herbs to me before cleaning down for the new season. A large bag of basil which I use a little of in a lasagne, chives which have been put into a lot of dishes, parsley which has adorned a few plates and sage which went well in a chicken saltimboca .<br />
I made one of my favourite cheesecakes the other night.....and it seemed to go down very well with the captive audience."<br />
<br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Mars Bar Cheesecake</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Base</span></span></u></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I used chocolate flavoured biscuits blitzed. Flour and melted butter were added until I got a lightly wet sand appearance.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">You can substitute the base for any of your favourite cheesecake bases. </span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> I lined the tin first with baking paper then put the biscuit mix in to form a base.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> <u>Filling</u></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwok_JNOHOebiPjtuU_UVdLaCy6Gmf9Y4a9hmJxRQ9JvPFr95daSKy51dLeukUZBNuMAohraCApwJdV5W9ec5_YeirfjngDMVqFhnom0U0TvYSB_srR5iIvuDkxt0MmybmG-kZcSWadXY/s1600/mars_bar.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwok_JNOHOebiPjtuU_UVdLaCy6Gmf9Y4a9hmJxRQ9JvPFr95daSKy51dLeukUZBNuMAohraCApwJdV5W9ec5_YeirfjngDMVqFhnom0U0TvYSB_srR5iIvuDkxt0MmybmG-kZcSWadXY/s200/mars_bar.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">1kg cream cheese at room temp<br />
150g sugar<br />
5 eggs<br />
30g cocoa<br />
3 Mars bars sliced about 3-4mm thick</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Combine the first four ingredients and blitz in a food processor until combined.</span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> Fold in the mars and put into a prepared cake tin on top of the base.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The cheesecake can be cooked in a moderate to low oven until a skewer comes out clean. If the cake starts to get too dark in the oven place some foil over the top to complete the cooking.</span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> Cool the cake completely before putting in the fridge.</span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> I served this with large chocolate spikes and caramel sauce drizzled all over.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><b style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">If you have any questions for Justin, just use the 'comments' and they will be answered. </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Mars Bar photo credit talkingship.com </span><br />
<br />
</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628540252424745869.post-55629213144654633892010-11-22T14:30:00.000+10:002010-11-22T14:30:42.063+10:00Custard<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Ever wondered how to make custard when there is no fresh milk? Well to answer that question and also... how do you make custard without burning the milk? Apparently it's easy! To never burn the milk for custard again... USE MILK POWDER! Justin swears he will never make custard the conventional way again. When you boil the water before adding the milk powder, you can't burn the milk. Ingenious. Hey, and it still tastes great.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">And, it had to happen, the first penguin photo. Although not taken by Justin and the first of probably many, this is the first photo that I have been sent of penguins... the main wildlife down at Davis which is why there may be a few more come through.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBGnr6T8WMb5W_WKK4iAoPfqeOeUaLZRJCg1cHaLwnT2l6hYn1PwVB0w1Hs-3TCZwIKXHRnNp67BOy-dtue4sSR2QfP4qw1vQKLON_uKtSAPhdjX8DBvlx0yXmZR86OoYjDZH-ySvwpvw/s1600/ShaneMitchell+4penguins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBGnr6T8WMb5W_WKK4iAoPfqeOeUaLZRJCg1cHaLwnT2l6hYn1PwVB0w1Hs-3TCZwIKXHRnNp67BOy-dtue4sSR2QfP4qw1vQKLON_uKtSAPhdjX8DBvlx0yXmZR86OoYjDZH-ySvwpvw/s400/ShaneMitchell+4penguins.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Justin has moved to his new digs but got there late Saturday night so hasn't had much of a chance to sort all his belongings in to some semblance of order yet. His days are long, he has a lot to get used to in the new kitchen environment but has phoned everyday - there is a phone in the kitchen you know - and sounds really happy to be getting stuck in. He is also pretty chuffed he got the only double bed and plans to 'starfish' for a full 12 months!</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Feel free to ask Justin any questions. He will answer any sent through via comments. </b></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Photo credit Shane Mitchell.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628540252424745869.post-41767575217559708362010-11-19T08:40:00.003+10:002010-11-19T08:44:14.151+10:00Photos from V1<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdLxssrddcKcDfsi1ovOjjCRm7Yz25gDv77Eq4angDcdQ3JBGVqngSFWTAcu1LbAo99RPYgkeJnafZsWGCeScc43tj6dFUEDL9HdFTPoX0i-aSxR6ZY-JyjCZVLpaf6JHA6_5Scb3_47I/s1600/lastaustraliansunset211010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdLxssrddcKcDfsi1ovOjjCRm7Yz25gDv77Eq4angDcdQ3JBGVqngSFWTAcu1LbAo99RPYgkeJnafZsWGCeScc43tj6dFUEDL9HdFTPoX0i-aSxR6ZY-JyjCZVLpaf6JHA6_5Scb3_47I/s320/lastaustraliansunset211010.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The last Australian sunset from Aurora Australia V1</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1nN7cITiXtPVmtT9P6GcNNmR6TyXw5XQLzmKinAbx_20JkUQ7eL0nBHiYyK6p1VtbP7EWb2r5CmCS5PwRP-ex2qoCNViyJRyuyInLH5Br5TNrl16yVKCnsdbaiIwOOSNUJKrJyitdKcc/s1600/shipcoveredinice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1nN7cITiXtPVmtT9P6GcNNmR6TyXw5XQLzmKinAbx_20JkUQ7eL0nBHiYyK6p1VtbP7EWb2r5CmCS5PwRP-ex2qoCNViyJRyuyInLH5Br5TNrl16yVKCnsdbaiIwOOSNUJKrJyitdKcc/s200/shipcoveredinice.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ice forming on the ship </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table> Justin's voyage down to Antarctica was V1... the first of the new Antarctic year. He took plenty of photos on board the ship but with email restrictions of only 10k for the duration of the journey, he was unable to send them until he got to Davis. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">He has been extremely busy for the first couple of days and will be again today. The ship is scheduled to leave again on Saturday so things will start to settle down as that means that everything has been unloaded and delivered to base, and the departure of the 2009/10 wintering crew. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Fisiv0QlgPmO7u16ybo2Ae_88FFGnkTILSnPKkdK9KEiKhn1-Bo8s6_EuPvk8gdyZmK9ZkuIZxCnsPMZwSVKgJbJEuGDfx8gSii2T1CEmfuqqlnOdVcpDZYI2qm7mT_Kn4lSTdz5crI/s1600/Lookingthroughjustinseyes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Fisiv0QlgPmO7u16ybo2Ae_88FFGnkTILSnPKkdK9KEiKhn1-Bo8s6_EuPvk8gdyZmK9ZkuIZxCnsPMZwSVKgJbJEuGDfx8gSii2T1CEmfuqqlnOdVcpDZYI2qm7mT_Kn4lSTdz5crI/s320/Lookingthroughjustinseyes.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An iceberg seen through Justin's sunglasses</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
We have been able to have a couple of short but very clear phone conversations as the service from base is excellent. The signal from the ship was very up and down so we found it hard to talk. Yesterday it was a quick call before getting stuck in to preparing lunch. Schnitzel. Justin's menus will be posted as he gets in to a routine and has more time to sit down and get them sorted.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEissB-e3EH8R1g48DYSkjhrTLgbCRym0rOHYOEeorL172IaNFVd7myePrYSIkNus8G9OtcN1frooMIMckzLnkglRjqTalDFo5yQsw_CNRhFU9cBCRdEUayL9cwzo72OB_uzrUEzdx3l_D4/s1600/wavinggoodbyejo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEissB-e3EH8R1g48DYSkjhrTLgbCRym0rOHYOEeorL172IaNFVd7myePrYSIkNus8G9OtcN1frooMIMckzLnkglRjqTalDFo5yQsw_CNRhFU9cBCRdEUayL9cwzo72OB_uzrUEzdx3l_D4/s200/wavinggoodbyejo.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me on the wharf waving goodbye</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> It is hard to see me but right in the centre of the pictre, there I am, wrapped up warm - it was sunny but cold - waving to Justin. We spoke on the phone, waved and took photos of each other right up until the ship sailed out of sight.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Justin has one more night to spend in temporary accommodation before moving to his permanent room, as the previous chef moves out, which will be much bigger. He will be able to get unpacked and properly sorted. I can't wait for him to open his boxes and find all the wee bits and pieces that I stashed in there for him! </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">And, as declared, I have tried another new recipe this week and am still enjoying the results. I went for <a href="http://www.bewell.com.au/">Annie Clark's</a> Carob Date Slice from her book Muffin Magic...vegan, wheat free, dairy free, gluten free, sugar free, egg free and low fat!!! But don't turn your nose up... this is one mean slice that tastes decadent and naughty without the nasty side effects. I can't get enough. Check out <a href="http://www.facebook.com/jochambersdesigns#%21/pages/Cooroy-Australia/Lifestyle-Health-Retreats/156656767711106">Annie's facebook page</a>. <b>And I am sure if you would like it, Annie wouldn't mind me giving you the recipe. </b></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Recipe no. 2: Carob Date Slice... success!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628540252424745869.post-13347366645319755552010-11-17T09:12:00.003+10:002010-11-17T09:14:50.947+10:00The last sitrep for this journey<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Tuesday 16-Nov-2010</strong></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Report (sitrep) no. 126 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Universal time: 0700 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Australian Time: 1800 (Eastern Standard/Summer) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Position on Map: 68° 34' S, 77° 53' E (degrees latitude, longitude) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Heading: parked in ice </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Current speed: at Davis </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Distance in last 24 hours: 52.5 nm (nautical miles) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Distance to next waypoint: (nautical miles) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Weather conditions: 1/8 cloud cover, E’ly winds E’ly 10 knots </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Air temperature: 2 (degrees Celsius) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sea temperature: -1.7 (degrees Celsius) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sea conditions: Nil </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ice conditions: 10/10 fast-ice </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Remarks:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We arrived at station this morning and parked up in the ice. Lovely to see the snow-capped islands off Davis tinged with morning sun. The station leader and deputy came out to the ship and briefed everyone on board about station rules and procedures. After that, began the process of getting everyone ashore for station and vehicle inductions. We have gone from being a rowdy ship to extremely quiet, and vice versa for station! It is good to see some familiar faces of the wintering crew again. Refuelling and cargo operations commenced today amidst glorious blue sky and sunshine. We are hoping for similar conditions tomorrow. REGARDS: Karin, Sharon & Lance </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And the first email from Davis...</span> <br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span> <br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"Heya dear........big day as you may have expected. </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Have just got my email up and running, its now 10:30 at night and I’m knackered.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Will hopefully email you tomorrow with an update etc.........</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Love you very much"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">XXXOOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Well, that's the end of the sitreps for this year's summerers and winterers but of course, the Aurora Australis now has to refuel and do all that needs doing before bringing back the 2009/2010 winterers to Australian shores. As for Justin, the journey now begins. I can't wait to start receiving news of the base and what he is up to but I know that these first few days especially are going to be very busy for him.</span> <br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> <br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong>If you would like to send Justin a question, please do so in the comments.</strong></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0