It was dark when we got up, and breakfast was an "iffy" affair. Knowing my propensity for thinking the worst every time I fly, my tummy had more butterflies than the Butterfly enclosure are Melbourne zoo.
What if we crash into Mt Erebus? What if I get claustrophobia?
What if I actually have a great day?????
Off to the airport and there in plenty of time. Soon we saw the huge red bird coming in from Sydney - Wanala Dreaming - the great red Qantas 747 with the indigenous style paintings all over it. The excitement started to rise. And soon we were boarding.
We had first go at the window and next seat. We were able to watch the take off via the screen in the back of the seat in front which showed the vision from a camera in the plane nose. Typical Qantas friendly service all day included lunch at about 10am, snacks for over the ice and dinner after we left Antarctica, but I get ahead of myself.
We took off at 9am, and as we winged our way south, we could see the bright glare of the sunlight on Bass Strait as we approached Tasmania. By the time we were passing Hobart, the whole vista was covered by cloud - would we actually see anything but a very expensive view of the top of clouds?
I have to admit being amazed that Antarctica is so close to Australia! In under 4 hours we were staring out the window for our first glimpse of things Antarctic - through the mist we could see white - but here are there - whiter. A shout went up when we saw what we guessed was an iceberg!.
Thankfully our captain was most experienced flying in Antarctica, and we carried a meteorologist on board, as well as our expert who had wintered in the Antarctic wilds at least 3 winters. And so, gradually, the mist and clouds became intermittent, and our first view of Antarctica proper peeked through the clouds - the very tops of snow covered mountains - wondrous and mysterious - and more beautiful that I could ever have imagines.
Thus began for me, 1 ½ hours (my turn in the window) of the most memorable day of my life. Mountains, glaciers, ice, snow, rocks, shadows, and shades of white. Pristine and unspoilt. Unbridled beauty as far as the eye could see. Clear air uncluttered by any pollution - you could see forever. Our plane weaved its way in a series of figures of eight across the landscape - giving both sides of the plan incredible views of that wonderland. Out over the Ross sea - huge icebergs and ice floes having been calved off from the glaciers we had seen, and still could see protruding out to sea. Deep deep blue sea with the crisp sparkling white of the ice.
It was like a fairy-land. Magnificent and untouched. White and whiter. We were told we would never be able to make anyone else see it like we saw it, and that our photos were only serve as a reminder - that our memories would be the only true record of what it was really like, and they were right. Words cannot possible describe the beauty of the view.
All too soon it was over and we headed back to reality. And believe it or not, we arrived spot on 8pm as scheduled, back on the ground in Melbourne. The singularly most incredible day of my life.
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