Today we’re getting ready to leave Longyearbyen and, for the next few weeks, dry land. This podcast comes to you from a hanger at Longyearbyen Airport where we’re waiting for an Antonov 74 to take us to the Russian Ice Station at Barneo.
We are due to leave in the next few hours but we’ve been delayed slightly because the party that left ahead of us departed late. Then again, it had something of a VIP cargo on board because heading out to Barneo on that plane was Sir David Attenborough and a BBC film crew to make a new TV series called “Frozen Planet”.
The weather report is certainly causing some nerves for us and because the airline wanted to have our sledges packed into the plane early, it will also be our first time actually sleeping on ice. We had initially planned to sleep on the ice in Longyearbyen to get used to the cold conditions at night. Instead however, we slept above an aircraft hanger. The more comfortable night was certainly welcome but it will be interesting to see how we cope on the ice. The belief within the team however is that there’s little we can do about it and so the best way forward is just to get out there and do it.
We’re expected to be airborne shortly, so my next podcast will be from the ice, around 100 miles from the North Pole!
To listen to how we’re getting on, simply click the grey “Play” button at the bottom of this blog post.
Don’t forget that you can follow my progress at twitter.com/cn_northpole and at facebook.com/charitynorthpole.
If you would like to donate to either of my chosen charities, please visit:
http://www.justgiving.com/DavidNewmanNorthPoleRiders
http://www.justgiving.com/DavidNewmanNorthPoleBASIC
From Kay:
Good luck on your journey. Hope your sleeping bag is nice and thick for that first sleep on the ice.
Kay
From Jools Scholes:
Hi guys – Glad to hear you are up there and mixing with the great and the good! Wishing you all every success and luck in raising as much money for your respective charities. Also wishing you everything you hope for in fulfilling your ambitions on your trek to the North Pole. Please say hi to Mike and ‘Hempy’ and your fellow ‘trekkies’. Hope the hair straighteners are withstanding the arctic conditions….
Jools
From Vivienne Newman:
It was great to be able to hear your report David as well as read an up to date diary of your journey.
Keep safe if not warm!
Viv xx