Packing for Antarctica: one day to go!

Plane ticket to Christchurch - tick

Passport - tick (I don't actually need it, but I'm hoping to get it stamped)

Sunscreen - tick

Sunglasses - tick

Camera - tick

Towel - tick (nearly forgot. Scott Base provides sheets and bedding for visitors, but it is BYOT)

Camera, phone and tablet all charged - tick

Spare batteries - tick (the cold temperatures means they get used up faster than usual)

Book to read on the flight south - tick

Maybe another book to read? (it's a 7 or 8 hour flight - and no inflight movies!)

Clean shoes - tick (you have to take care not to introduce any unwanted organic material on the soles of your shoes)

Lip balm - tick (you get dry lips because the air is so dry down there)

Handkerchiefs - tick (wouldn't have thought of this, but it's in the briefing materials. The air is so dry that people often get nose bleeds to start with, so a supply of handkerchiefs is recommended)

Pencils - tick (because the ink in pens might freeze outdoors - or so I've read??)

Notebook - several - tick

Removed all packaging - tick (so as not to take any rubbish down there)

Money to buy some souvenirs from the Scott Base shop - tick

Outdoor Antarctic clothing - no! Luckily, Antarctica NZ is going to give me everything I need, from head to toe!

Also taking lots of good wishes from family, friends, school teachers and librarians - thanks everyone for your support!

Antarctic Division Clothing Store showing tramping books and mukluks [what even are mukluks??] Photo by Chris Rudge
©Antarctica New Zealand Pictorial Collection  1988-1989; CC licence