Holding Pattern in Christchurch

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Greetings from Christchurch!

I am writing from a very nice business hotel in downtown Christchurch. I am a sucker for hotels, as I rarely get to stay in them, and all the hotels I stayed at as a kid were those sketchy motel 6- types. So a nice hotel with comfy beds and room service is the way I pretend to be rich.

Why am I not in Antarctica? I underwent training and tried on all my cold weather clothes that the program issued me, and was supposed to fly out today. However I'm sipping tea in a hotel and procrastinating packing my suitcases so I can be moved later today to a new hotel. What's going on?

The answer is a Condition 1 storm on the continent. Flights have been cancelled and we are getting backed up. Once the storm is cleared and the runway is re-cleared of snow, flights will begin again, but that means I have to wait to fly until the delayed folks ahead of me have been safely delivered to Antarctica. I might be able to leave tomorrow or I might end up in New Zealand for two weeks. At this point, my plan is to go with the flow and enjoy being in New Zealand. It has so far been a wonderful place to be stranded. Also, this is not an uncommon occurrence. I was told many times before arriving in New Zealand that something like this might happen. Antarctica is not known for having predictable, cooperative weather.

So more on that Condition 1 storm. I have never personally experienced one (obviously) but here is a YouTube video I found that can visualize it best for everyone. My partner is from South Dakota so he was only somewhat impressed by Condition 1 storms.

Hopefully that film makes it abundantly obvious why flights are currently backed up.

I'm grateful that every precaution is taken to get everyone safely to McMurdo. 

Perhaps this will turn into a travel blog for New Zealand!




Comments

  1. Laura BolandOctober 10, 2018 at 1:00 PM

    WOah! That storm video is crazy. I am glad you are not on a plane down their in those conditions. Enjoy the last of the hotel life. :)

    ReplyDelete

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