To compensate for the extreme delay in posting this final entry, I present you with some photos from the russian Novolazarevskaya station from the flight out. Antarctica offers some interesting human landscapes as well.
There were some amazing vehicles lying around the "transit terminal" - the friendly tent camp where we were served excellent russian soup while waiting for our flight off the continent.
Monstertruck Breshnev-style.
(If anyone knows the history of this bubble-tyred snowmobile, please let me know!)
Funky skidoo.
Winter warrior.
The pet south polar skua in camp, regularly fed foodscraps by the russian crewmembers.
Not strictly in tune with environmental protocol, but who am I to pass judgement on russian station workers who in some cases have spent 10 (ten!) years - straight - on the ice. Domestifying a hungry bird for company can't be the worst outlet for that length of ice-solation.
At least these guys can go home next november.
This is the norwegian overwintering crew, picture taken on the day we flew out.
It's an impressive gang, and I wish them all the best in the cold and progressively darker months to come.
(from the left:)
Heidi, cook.
Sigurd, mechanic.
Annika, my excellent replacement, the overwintering doctor, gynecologist back home.
Geir, station technician, plumber back home.
Atle, station chief and research technician, travelling satelite antenna engineer back home.
Vidar, electrician.
Goodbye to Troll station and the Ice planet.
I could say a lot about what my stay at the station and the explorations of the surrounding icescapes meant to me - what a profound experience it was. Going through my blog, I realize it is all those little things I have written about along the way, combined, that best describe my love and enthusiasm for the place and the landscape, and for the people and creatures that make it their brief and permanent home.
