let me start by saying a belated MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR. My greatest wish is for each and every single one of you (yes you too you know who you are) a safe, healthy wealthy and most importantly happy new year. I’m going to digress a little for a moment then ill be back on track and I have mentioned this before in my Absolute Antarctica blog but if you come down here for the adventure, it’s been a place in your dreams, love the cold its a absolutely mind blowingly incredible place. If your intentions are however for personal development and growth then it’s the wrong reasons. That only comes as a by product of daily interaction with an amazing group of incredibly diverse and like minded people who I am so proud one of.
Being part of this did and has change my life from the moment I stepped foot on this incredible continent. It continues to allow me to grow in directions that I NEVER thought I would. Another of my wishes again for each and every one of you is to feel the same way about something, no anything even if it is something that anyone else would turn their nose up at. GET PASSIONATE about life and don’t waste it, LIVE IT TO THE FULLEST. My life before i begun work down here well, it was an existence and something I look back on now and think........................WHAT THE HELL WAS I DOING! I can’t imagine life now another way, I might not be an expiditioner forever however I now have a passion I didn't even know that I had.
Saying all that makes me feel like one of those motivation speakers but those of you who know me know that I can at times be opinionated. However if my little rant only makes one of you think for one millisecond that I'm right then without you changing a thing then my job is done, don't worry it wont stop me next time ill go for making 2 people ponder life.
Life down here gives you lots to think about and the infamous rule about not talking about religion and politics is out the window here. Mainly as we all have a mutual respect and tolerance for each other. Ive talked about that word before too tolerance and yep ill say it again it is the least most understood word. Down here we don't live harmoniously all the time, however if there is a problem and we discuss it then it makes you think more about your neighbour.
Just got back from dinner and a couple games of darts. We fill a lot of time in here with darts, 8 ball/pool, ping pong, read in the library, watch movies in the cinema, socialize at the bar or just sit around and talk in the luxurious living areas. Then again there is also relaxing in our rooms but there is one thing that I don't partake much in, reading newspapers.
After the game of darts I sat in the living area and was reading an ebook where I noticed a quote from an unknown author and it reads
" Wake up and stop falling prey to the conditioning of the media and society around you. It's only those who are awake that live in a state of constant amazement."
You know its not until you take away all the continual bombardment that the media in general that you realize the impact on your life. You are only open to the media through the Internet and the papers they print out for us and that's if you put yourself in a position to it. A majority of the time only scan the newspapers at lunch and look quickly at ninemsn when on the Internet. Its amazing how much depressing stuff there is out there and when your not confronted by it all the time the difference is very noticeable. The simple things but especially how disconnected you feel from family and friends is what I miss more than anything and when talking by phone or getting emails its the little things that when talking with people back in the real world.
By real world I mean that being so disconnected you start changing your priorities which is good and bad. Good as the there is nothing wrong with a change of priorities every now and again i think it makes you reassess the ones you had. However bad as its amazing how sometimes the small things that you normally wouldn't think twice about make you blow your top. That's where a backup system, namely your mates, comes into their own and a quiet word from them telling you to pull your head in works the charm.
Well that's enough of some of my more inner thoughts for this blog I'm thinking better get on with the topics at hand, Christmas/New Year and or course lets start with Christmas and a recap of the last 3 seasons.
My first season down south (63rd ANARE will talk about a little later too) and here is me and Rowdy sorry I mean Santa.............
Pic Michael Goldstein.
Second season (64th ANARE) and here is me (in my $5 suit) and Rowdy again this time Rowdy is exhibiting a unique hair style to signify his second time on the Antarctic continent............don't know about his apron though!!!!
Pic Michael Goldstein
And here we are current from left Rowdy, Major no i mean Private Ryan as he got a demotion when he left the ranks of General Trades and changed to an Aircraft Ground Support Officer) and me again in my $5 suit.
Pic Michael Goldstein
So onto the celebrations and the day was as you would normally expect back home.............. Beautifully set tables and decorations...............
Pic Louise Carrol
Santa arrives................and yes he has a very dodgy looking reindeer towing him and an elf that looks more like a court clown!
Pic Michael Goldstein
Here is a closer look at the reindeer...................
Pic Michael Goldstein
Presents were given out................Here is Brent another Gold Coaster to digress for one second this year there are more people from the Gold Coast than ever at 3 and a heap more from Qld in general............
Pic Michael Goldstein
Another Queendlander Ben, think he was so excited about seeing Santa his legs came off..............
Pic Michael Goldstein
Then after unwrapping them we has a play................
Pic Louise Carrol
Think Brent got a little too excited and poor old Dave..................well he took a couple but he was ok.......
Pic Louise Carrol
Ahhhhhhh Rowdy and bubbles think he has gone back to his childhood at that moment.............
Pic Michael Goldstein
Then the food came out.........................and what a feed it was!!!!!!!!
Pic Louise Carrol
And like you guys at home we had our own heat wave going on.... ...........if you look in the background you can see a TV with the current weather outside displayed...............
Pic Louise Carrol
Just in case you cant see it..............it reads Current wind WSW 10 knots Gusting to 11 knots current temp +2.7c Dew point -2.6c wind chill -3.2c and Barometer 986 hPa and it was 4:29pm.............
It is so amazing sitting there with some new and a lot of old friends eating Christmas lunch/dinner looking at the grounded ice burgs off the station. Missing family is always there in the back of your mind however tough it might be you are soon having far too much fun eating and carrying on with all the normal shenanigans to ponder too much. That is saved for phone calls and the emails of pictures of what the family got up to for Christmas.
New Years on the other hand well take a look at the pics for yourself and you judge...........................................................
Pic Greg Wilson
Pic Greg Wilson
Pic Greg Wilson
Pic Greg Wilson
Pic Greg Wilson
Pic Greg Wilson
Pic Greg Wilson
Pic Greg Wilson
Pic Greg Wilson
Pic Greg Wilson
Pic Greg Wilson
Pic Greg Wilson
Pic Greg Wilson
Ben the fairy..............he is such a show off!!
Pic Michael Goldstein
Pic Michael Goldstein
Pic Michael Goldstein
Pic Michael Goldstein
Pic Michael Goldstein
Pic Michael Goldstein
Pic Michael Goldstein
Pic Michael Goldstein
Pic Michael Goldstein
Pic Michael Goldstein
Pic Michael Goldstein
Pic Michael Goldstein
Pic Michael Goldstein
So there really isn't any need to elaborate too much on those pics as I'm sure you all can fill in the gaps........................was a big night! The only think i haven't got any pictures of and probably a good thing too and that was the second costume i wore. At 12 o'clock changed i got changed into what can only be described as something quite disturbing, naked man. It was a Lycra skin coloured suit with felt nipples and leaves down there AND believe me I got the desired reactions. Mind you i personally don't think it was as bad as last years costume.
Anyway all in all I'm still having a ball down here only hoping that the Ice blows away soon so we can put the IRB's into the water and cruise some ice burgs.
Hope everyone has recovered from their New Years parties and e prosperity has already begun for them in what is going to be a wicked year!!!!
Michael
P.S...........................May all your troubles last as long as your New Year's resolutions!
Joey Adams
Joey Adams
and as it is new years here is another...........................
..............................An optimist stays up until midnight to see the New Year in. A pessimist stays up to
make sure the old year leaves.
Bill Vaughan
Nice photograph of Christmas and New Year. The guys are shown in the pictures I think they are very happy for celebrating the Christmas and New Year event in Antarctica. Antarctica is only one place that people like to celebrate the Christmas and New Year event.
ReplyDeleteAntarctica Cruise
Thanks chilsonmixon for the comment.........You ae right Antactica is a very special place but its at this time of the year that we that are here really miss home. But that soon passes as WE ARE IN ANTARCTICA!!!
ReplyDeleteliked the link to the cruises s that what you do??