Natures clock - Day 62

It took 3.5 hours to fly the 1150km back from the Pole to our base camp at Patriot Hills on the edge of the continent. I can't believe we were here 2 months ago. It was a crystal clear day and I stared out of the window the whole way looking for the teams that are still on the ice and struggling. From the altitude I really got a better perspective of how desolate and featureless the whole continent is, Pat commented, why would anyone ever want to spend 2 months skiing across this inhospitable landscape, I loved it, whilst tough at times, I wanted to be back down there feeling the tug of the harness against my chest, rather than in this cramped flying horse box.

We arrived back at the logistics base camp (from where the Illusyian will land and bring us back to Chile and finally onto solid earth) at 2.45am. The company that runs logistics here (ALE) had put on a wonderful celebration for us, food I had not seen but had dreamed of for months, chicken satay, fillet of beef and rhubarb tart, there was champagne, beer and wine - thank you ALE! Again a cornucopia of senses overload, I retired early to bed and left the others to party on - it was 530am.

Currently the katabatic winds that delayed our start of the expedition are now preventing our departure, we have conquered the Pole and now Antarctica doesn't want us to leave! We are sheltering from the weather in a poly-tunnel, reading, blogging and playing cards, every 30 seconds the wind rushes down off the Patriot Hills and threatens to sweep us all up off the ice, then as quickly as it started, it stops and the place is silent again, our conversation restarts and we have 30 seconds to say what we need to before the wind blows again. Incredible how you can set your watch to nature!

Now I have stopped hauling, my body and mind are starting to believe that they can come out of expedition mode and switch off. All those early mornings and long days need to be reimbursed, and I am now just wandering around in a jet-lagged stupor, looking for food and stimulating conversation (not that I am knocking my team mates but it is refreshing to talk to fresh blood!)