Imagine running out of toothpaste in the Antarctic.

From Helga do Rosario Gomes... en route to Antarctica.

In a bargain that I struck with FN, I will be sending 'regular' postings to the Goanet regaling Goans with stories of my second trip to the Antarctic continent. In return, FN sends me the Goa News Bytes which I can’t do without.

Unfortunately I will have to rely heavily on prose to describe my experiences as well as the beauty of this continent, as Raytheon, the company that provides logistics and support to the US Polar Program has limited the amount of email and the size of pictures that we can send. I am allowed a paltry 75kb a day of incoming and outgoing mail.

If you are looking for photos please visit the blog of our interns Kerra Gearinger and Stacey Keith at www.une.edu there is an icon on the left. Two scientists Wade Jeffrey www.pensacolanewsjournal.com (there should be a link on the front page, otherwise you have to go to the 'life' section of the paper) and Dave Kieber www.esf.edu/antarctica are also keeping blogs primarily for school kids in their states.

FN thinks my blog will have all of you enthralled but I wonder! With temperatures often dipping to -50oC many must be thinking -- thank God’s it is her out there and not me.

To start from the very beginning, our long and very tiring journey from Portland, Maine brought us via Los Angeles to Christchurch, New Zealand. A short ride deposited us in the picturesque port of Lyttelton from where most of the US Polar expeditions depart.

The Port of Lyttelton is almost perfect -- sitting in a circular crater and surrounded by volcanic hills dotted with neat cottages. The people are friendly and the pubs are busy.

All the pubs had signs welcoming us and the Irish one even had a barbeque for us! Yes we have big-time party animals in our group, one of who loves absinthe which is banned in the
USA! They forgot to do so in Little Lyttelton.

Our ship, the Nathaniel Palmer one of the most modern of ice breakers owned by the National Science Foundation is bustling with activity. For almost a week, we prepare for our trip and in the evenings explore Christchurch, its restaurants and do some last minute shopping. Imagine running out of toothpaste in the Antarctic.