Wandering in search of......

Back in action!!!

2008-03-07T22:52:00.000-08:00

So I have been away from the blog for a while now!! I had a bit of a rough end to the season on the ice and it took a bit out of me!! It was a good life lesson and taught me to be even more patient then I already am!!

Well the season was a success and I have a contract for the next season already!! So time for fun!! The time off has started quite good! I went with two mates from the ice to Queenstown, being that we get in New Zealand it is pretty easy to play around the area for a bit before heading out to wherever!! So I went with 3 mates to go climbing in Queenstown and Wanaka! We had an awesome time doin all the climbs and the scenery in that area is outragouesly beautiful!!!! I got to cook for the first time in 6 months, which was great, even though it was camping food it turned out to be pretty darn good! The next place I head to was Auckland to visit my ol' roomie from college, Tom and his new wife Tracy!! I got to go mountain biking and went to the beach, nice and peaceful!! Then I just arrived in Australia!!

I am staying with some friends,Mike and Stacey, I met last year at the Blues Fest here! I am at their cool house in Wollongong! Last night I went with Mike to a meat raffle? I know sounds crazy right well I basically, it is exactly as it sounds!! They raffle off meat while people just enjoy themselves over a pint of beer or glass of wine, just a normal friday evening event!! Nuts right! Crazy Aussie's!!! Anyway, I leave on monday for Sydney and start 10 days of fun with friend from the ice!! well I am at a computer that does not work with my new camera!! I have a new toy, really cool pics so far!!But the pics will follow when I figure this thing out! Till the next time!

Eliotts Video

2008-01-17T16:11:00.000-08:00

World Below The Ice

2007-12-13T23:57:00.000-08:00

So one of the divers came back from the field and had taken many shots of the world underneath the ice! It is really hard to believe that there is so much underneath the ice. Ross Bay is virtually all covered in ice as far as the eye can see, it goes for about 50 miles right now. It recedes later in the season and will blow away out to see. The divers go out all around the bay to spots that are known to have certain types of life and then there is the random form of life unexpected. These pictures are amazing so much life and so much diversity for such a cold an barren place! There is also pictures of the ice that is semi-frozen, basically the whole bay would be frozen, the water is at 28.8 degrees, but the water is so saline that the salt prevents the sea from freezing. So sometimes the water semi freezes and forms these crystals that are beautiful! So enjoy the underwater world of Antarctica!!! It is quite the amazing place! All is well otherwise. Till the next time!!!

T-giving!!!

2007-11-27T07:01:00.000-08:00

Well once again it was holiday time this last weekend!! Gobble gobble, was the sound in the air but of course there were no live turkeys to be found but oh do we love that day where we eat like its the last meal that we will ever have!! It was a good meal but having all the ruckus go on made it hard to sleep before the meal so I was a bit groggy before but the people in my dorm were festive so that helped me wake up!! I was thinking of home during the meal though!! Dads turkey, Moms rolls the meal in general was good but of course not as good as home. That's ok though! It is what it is. Next comes X-mas and that should be another good meal. At least the two days off in a row is a nice break!

As for the other news in my life is the new girl that I have been enjoying my time with. This place down here is hard to identify what is what. Back home if you are dating someone, you will see them here and there, have your dates and enjoy the building of a relationship,but here it is quite different. I work with the person and eat with the person as well as do activities with her outside of work so it is hard to define what the relationship is!! Nonetheless, it is good and we are having a great time together. Amanda has a great smile and is hilarious. We both make each other laugh all the time. We took a hike the other day and the picture is from that! Anyway, time to run and go for a walk by myself!! Hard to get me time here! Ok, till the next time!!

TIme for my first girl talk!!

2007-11-13T06:33:00.000-08:00

So I have been seeing a girl down here and so far it has been good! She works with me, which is different for me cause I have never done the work and play in the same place!! But so far so good! She is a girl that is quite open and blunt, she definitly tells it how it is!! She and I have an agreement that we are going to try and remain anonymous about this amongst co-workers and the community. We want it just to be for us, at least for now! Her name is Amanda and I don't have any good pics yet but I will take one soon!! Well thats all for now, until the next time!!

THIS IS ANTARCTICA!!!

2007-11-07T02:15:00.000-08:00

Holy Guacamole, this is crazy, we are stuck in the middle of a herbie, which is a hurricane with snow!! The temps are not absolutly crazy low but are low enough, about -25 below, but the winds are up to about 100-130mph!!!!!!! Just nuts I tell ya, I feel like a kid in the first snow storm of the year but the wind makes it off the rocker!! I have seen some good stuff here but this takes the cake. I really just can't describe how amazing this is!! This for me is the closest I will ever be able to come to know what it was like for Shackelton, Ross and the many other hardened travelers of the old!!! The fact that I am wearing Mountain Hardwear gear and modern day insulation makes it a lot easier to bear, but nonetheless, it is a treat to experience this level of weather, which is truly found only on one place on the planet, Antarctica!!!!!!! There is the pics of the weather forcast on the computer here, pics of the storm coming into the runway, and a video of being right in the middle of it!!!!!!!!

Happy Little Trees!!

2007-10-29T04:49:00.000-07:00

So that time of year has come!! That time of course is the moment when everyone sheds their personalities and becomes anyone and everyone, you know what I'm talking about!! Halloween, ah so much fun! Last year if ya'll remember I was Richard Simmons, so once again I had to follow suit with another big costume, it was easy to make and required only a little ingenuity to make it happen!! Of course you know that I always start with the afro but this year required for me to grow more hair in another place, my face!!! Yup, I grew a beard, a pretty big one at that and for the first time ever I really look my father!! Dad, when I looked in the mirror, it was quite scary!! In a good way of course but that whole "you look more like your father every day!" Anyway, it was a fun party but once again no prizes for the costume and again everyone said I did a great job on it and should have won something!! But oh well, its all for the fun anyway!! So here are some of the pics, there is one pic of a friend who did a great job I thought, so also there wintery pics as well as from a very stormy day!!!

Tis a flyin right along!

2007-10-12T02:32:00.000-07:00

So the for the most part, the season has been a blast, a few ups and downs but that would be expected. I have joined a writing group, started taking guitar lessons, worked on my painting some more, started doing massage as a buisness, trying to learn Italian again as well as refreshing a bit of Spanish for my trip to South America, and basically just flexed my creative bone to the max!!! It feels great! I know that I have to slow down just a bit so I don't overextend myself but really in the end I know that it will be great for me! The life has just become that, the life, I truly have come to the conclusion that this is my place for now! I will relish it with all my desires, dreams and goals!! There is so much support and help to achieve ones dreams it is awe inspiring! So I set forth on this continued journey with a drive none like I have ever invoked within myself! Lately, I have been dealing with the large amounts of new people, one of the problems with that is I contracted a small form of laringitus/cold, and was sick for the last week, its been a bummer but I just got over it and feel back to normal! Very happy about that one! Well, for now that is what I have, just movin and groovin as they say, who ever they are! But anyways, we had a special evening the other night, we had a nacreous cloud appear, basically that is a cloud with ice crystals in it instead of water vapor, but if the sun reflects off of it it creates a beautiful scene!! So those are the pics for this time, I will have a couple more later but my friend will send those pics later!! Till the next time!

Movin right along!

2007-09-08T20:43:00.000-07:00

So the first 3 weeks are over and it feels like my body just got off the plane! Kinda hurtin still but it will subside, just the whole not workin for a long time thing! The life down here is great right now, very quiet and relaxing, we only have 348 people on station so meals are quiet and overall just mellow. The other night we went outside and watched the lunar eclipse and we were blessed have auroras at the same time! It was the most amazing celestial event I have ever witnessed! The viewing of two amazing parts of our nights sky was awesome and it was not that cold so we stayed out for two hours! The stars were out in full force too, with the moon eclipsing it was so dark that you could see everything, the milyway was so bright and beautiful! The evening was very special and I felt very lucky to be a witness.

As for the rest of my time so far beyond the night of the eclipse, it has been fun, just a bit hard to eat the same food again and again! After eating so much variety traveling in some of the best places to eat in the world, you get complacent a bit! Then you come back to McMurdo! At least we got smoked salmon for Sunday brunch today! I have been spicing it up a bit by bringing the olive oil that my family in Israel gave to me and boy let me tell you what everyone loves it and wants sooo much of it, so I share as much as I can without using it all up. Thanks again for the oil you guys! Well, I think Im done for today, gonna go read my book and cozy up in bed! Im gonna put a bunch of lunar eclipse pics and the auroras that were going on that night, plus there is a new feature for this site, video so ill put on the video that one of the guys down here put together. Enjoy! Till the next time!

Back in the saddle!

2007-08-25T20:12:00.000-07:00

Yup, tis that time again for me, it was an amazing summer of fun, went here went there went just about everywhere! I covered a lot of ground saw so many places, explored many different cultures, met so many people, made friends all over the place and now I am back home!! As weird as that sounds I am back in the place I can comfortably call home, for now at least! The trip down here to the ice was not so bad I had a little more of a layover\delay then I would have wanted (10hrs) but hey all for the experience right! It was great to see alot of my ice pals again, I felt as if I almost had never left, I came early this year so I hopefully will get to see some Aurora's, have seen the southern stars, which is always special, the Southern Cross, amazing!! Well, I have taken a couple of pics from getting here. Some sunsets\sunrise and the moon over Observation Hill, the light only comes out for five hours a day, pretty weird to have so little amount after being in the endless summer for the last five and having so much light! Anyhoo, bit tired right now and still need to unpack some more since I have worked quite a bit more than normal for the first week, we had an extra amount to deal with cause of the three flights we had to deal with, it was so fun to drive a tractor again!!! Ok ya'll till the next time!

Dead Sea and beyond!

2007-07-13T22:17:00.000-07:00

So I made it to the Dead Sea, ended up doing to some couchsurfing while I was there! It was a great couple Noam and Karen! Had one of the coolest houses I have ever seen, they lived in a place called a Kibutz, small community that is fairly isolated! Out in the middle of the desert. They showed me around the area, took me to the mountain side where the Dead Sea scrolls were found, and fed me great Israeli food! I hitchhiked one day to this very old mountaintop palace and fort. It was soo old it was amazing, the buildings had mostly fallen down but there still were remenants of the place! It had a great view of the Dead Sea and Jordan. After that I went and pampered myself a bit, Ive had a backpack on my back for almost 5 months, it hurts, so time to treat me! It was wonderful and refreshing. After that I hitched back to the Kibutz. One of the days we went to the Dead Sea and went floating in it, it would normally be swimming in it but this particular body of water is sooo salty that you literally float on top of the water! Very trippy feeling! The time spent there in the Dead Sea was some of the highlights of my trip so far! So it was time to head back to Tel Aviv and get ready for leaving for Spain again. I said my goodbyes to the family, it was soo nice to see them and they treated me well, like family! Next stop was Pamplona, and the Running of the Bulls!

I made it there just as the starting rocket went off for the festival, San Fermin is what the Spanish call it. I walked into the square where I was supposed meet my friend Keith from Antarctica. I looked around and there were probably 10, 000 people!! The population of Pamplona is roughly 160,000, for the festival there is an influx of roughly 2.5 million people, yeah, holy @(*$&Y$ is right batman! Soooooo many people I could not believe and most of them are dressed in the proper festival attire, white shirt and pants with a red sash and red hankerchief round the neck. I did a little bit of a revelry for the first night but I wanted to be fresh for the running of the bulls the next day! So, the morning arrived and it was time to run with the bulls! The day was 7-7-7 a very lucky day, hopefully to avoid a 3 thousand pound bull runnin at my ass! Well, the run was packed with people and it was filled with an air of excitement like no other I have witnessed before in my life! As the run was roughly 30 minutes from starting they clear the course, so my friend and I being in the middle of the course were kicked off! This was unacceptable for me and Jenna, so we double backed to the beginning of the course and made our way through the throngs of people and we were able to make it back to exactly where we had started! So the run was about to begin! The rocket shot off and people began to run we were on a blind corner so all we saw were people running and then of course all of a sudden the pack of bulls came a chargin through! WOW, talk about adrenaline and wow talk about train of momentum! The pack ran by without taking me or Jenna out, whew!! So after that you run behind the bulls and make it to the Plaza del Toro's, basically the stadium where they end up and the final part of the event takes place! They pack as many people as they can in the ring and then close the gates behind everyone, then after a couple of minutes they let out a juvenile bull with its horns capped, they do this 5 times!! So at first I was absolutely scared to death to get tossed by the bull but then I eased up and wanted to get in the action. So I got closer to where the bull was tossing people around and pummeling them with its body, at that point I have never had an adreneline rush that was that big!! It was crazy! People basically try and smack the bull in the ass and try and get away from it after that, sometimes it works out sometimes they get tossed like a rag doll or worse and get crushed to the ground! So for me I had to try this! So the first 3 bulls I smacked the ass without any tossing! Then ol' number 31 came out, he was a fiesty one! He was tossing people round left and right, pretty much putting people in the hurt locker! I was tentative on this guy but I had to get in on it, so I began approaching, and then all of a sudden he stopped and he did what I thought was only in the cartoons, he started to drag his front hoofs like, you know that one, like he was pawing at the dirt, the only thing missing was the smoke coming from his nose!!! He looked right at me, well there were other around but I swear he was looking right at me and charged, went to the left and then to the right, at that moment he was right next to me and basically, I stiff armed his horns, my little Heisman pose if you will, and then he just kept goin on and tossing others, so I got as close as 6 inches from getting tossed by a bull, but my swift moves saved my ass! Anyway it was an amazing experience one that will never be duplicated! I had a wonderful amazing time with my new friend, Jenna, a friend that knows my Antarctica buddy, Keith and Keith, Jenna and I all enjoyed the San Fermin festival to the highest level!! Very cool times with very cool people! Anyways, after the festival was done for us, it kept goin on for 8 more days, but we were done so Keith went and met up with his sweetie, Bluey in Balboa and then Jenna and me went to this city called Zaragosa where we enjoyed two wonderful days together relaxing and decompressing our time in Pamplona!!! A great way to end a wonderful journey! So after saying goodbye to my new friend Jenna I boarded a train to Madrid and 5 hours later I was flying over the Atlantic Ocean!! Now I am back home in America. Boulder, Colorado to be exact getting ready for some good ol' family fun, time to be Uncle Seth and then a bit more traveling in the US to see Grandma's then back to Denver for orientation for another season on the ice and then well, I guess a whole nother round of fun in the sun with the birds, bee's and soo many trees!!! Well the next blog with probably be when I get to Antarctica in 1 month from now! It was a trip of all trip but I plan to add more!!! Talk to ya'll later, and as I say, till the next time!!! The pics are in random order, they are the Dead Sea and then the Running of the Bulls!

A Jew, A Muslim, and A Christian walk into a bar!

2007-06-24T10:43:00.000-07:00

So I left Prague and headed to Barcelona for two days, wow, what a crazy country! The Spanish are full tilt man they do not rest at all, well for about 3-4 hrs in the middle of the day, Siesta!! But beyond that they are up at all hours, I was staying in a little apartment. On Las Ramblas in Barcelona and they did not sleep at all, the quiet came at about 8AM, serious! Very cool city, though I really liked it alot, had a lot of culture and cool modernism going on within it, went to the Picasso museum and was amazed by all the styles that he went through! The next stop was Madrid, but only for a day so really did not get the best feel for it, however, I did get to see Guernica by Picasso, and many other of his works! The Sophia Reina museum is very cool! I walked around Madrid and saw the interesting architechture and modern buildings, plus they had a "football" match, wow I thought Americans were a bit nuts for sports man I forgot how intense the rest of the world is for this very international sport. They were running through the Metro station hootin and hollerin their Madrid soccer team chants and just havin a blast, pretty cool to watch!! Well, I had to break down and get something besides the local fare for dinner and went to ol' faithful, yup, Chinese food!! Was pretty good, course twas not Gary Chu's, but what is! Then went to the airport just barely makin the flight, literally by ten minutes, nothin like makin it a bit interestin right!! So I was on my way to the oldest region of the world, least when it comes to civilization!! Arrived in Tel Aviv and went to the ol' cousins house! First impression, looks like America to me, but you have to remember that Tel Aviv is only about 60 years old! So I hung out for a couple days on the beach on the Med, Israel style, very chill, warm water and relaxed setting! Then it was time for some serious history! So yesterday and today I went to Jerusalem! Whew, talk about serious intesity, no messin around there! I always said that the three big religions were school yard buddies and each one took its turn at being the bully! After going to Jerusalem I realized its a bit different. The emotions I felt there, not because I'm Jewish, but the emotions I felt for the people who have been supressed and controled over the many years is everywhere, in the air, in the walls, I mean everywhere!! I have never felt anything like it before. When I went to the Wailing Wall and touched my hands and forehead on it, after a couple of minutes I began to feel this strong sense of release, not me pursay but all the thousands of others who have gone and done a pilgramage or whatever to get there have created this strong energy flowing through the air and bricks. It just felt very sureal and almost ghostly. After having my time there I went and walked around the rest of the old city, there are 4 quarters to the old city, a Jewish, a Christian, an Armenian, and a muslim quarter. They all have distinct characteristics but they all are so close it is very interesting to see the changes within a few hundred steps of the different lifestyles they all posess. I wanted to see a monument of the old city so I went and took a tour of the Citadel (King Davids tower). It was really enlightening and frightening at the same time. I asked a question to the tour guide of what Jerusalem stands for and he said that it stood for the city of peace, which is a hell of an irony since the city has been sacked 39 times over its existence. I was really able to get a better understanding of the history of the city from this tour and also a better understading of sense of hatred that all these peoples have for each other because of the constant changing of ruling over the city. Basically all three have had there fair share of intense brutal ruling over the people of the city. These days though it seems that it is relatively peaceful. I say relatively because there are still soldiers with machine guns walking around and you have to go through check points in each quarter!! There is a lot of check pointing goin on in this country, most folk just go with the flow but for me it was alarming to see so much security, don't get me wrong I am not ignorant to the fact that there is a constant threat of terrorism here but to see it first hand and feel it first hand was a whole other ball game, and the players in the game are not swingin bats but using guns instead!! Anyway, it still with all the intensity has been a great trip, and I have yet to go to the Dead Sea!!! Can't wait for that one, they say the average sea has about 6% percent salt in the water but the Dead Sea has about 30% so basically you literally float on top of the water! Hopefully I can get a pic or two of me floating! Ok time to run and eat some hummus, by the way the hummus here is not like the stuff back home, it feels like mortar for bricks and when it is in your stomach you feel like a brick is in there!!!! But it is absolutely delicious!!! Best kababs ever too!! Ok everyone miss ya'll and I'll be home very soon about 2 and1/2 weeks to go!! It has been a long 5 months!!! Till the next time! The pics are of Jerusalem, the old city and monuments within!

Bumblin around

2007-06-12T07:15:00.000-07:00

Well its been an interesting time since I left my mother on the 6th of June. I was able to hang out one more night with my cousin Jared in Lyon. After that I went up to Paris for a couple of nights where I stayed with the sister of a good friend of mine and old coworker, Marty! She hooked me up with her sister, Ellen and her family, Veit her husband and their daughter, Sophia Louise. She was a funny little one, she is 5 years old and of course speaks French, German and English. She took me right in and wanted to teach me how to speak French!! Funny little girl! So while they did their things during the day, I went to the Musee D'Orsay and the Louvre. Both of those museums are amazing and the Louvre is absoulutely enormous. I barely touched the surface in the 5 hrs that I was there. Interesting history in both but I really liked the Orsay, it has many impressionist paintings and that is what I like the most. After those two days of looking at paintings and having good food with them at night I headed out again. This time it was to Cologne, Germany to mainly see a band, Gov't Mule and of course the city as well. I really did not know what to expect when I arrived in Germany and boy what that a world apart, it was another one of those I cannot understand a lick of anything countries! I had a very, very fun first day. It was coincidence but there was a huge Protestant Evangelical festival when I was there so it was a huge crowd of religious folk but they all seemed a bit different than your normal run of the mill, Jesus lover! They had a street festival in one area and they had music, food, and stuff for the kids. Anyway, I had some really good German food for lunch and I wanted to wash it down with a tasty German brew! So I headed over to the beer stand, which was a kinda of makeshift bar, so I ordered a beer and was just checking the crowd out and next to me were these two black dudes speaking in some very cool language. The one facing me held his beer up and said, "Prost", which is cheers in German. So that was that and the next thing we know we are having a blast chattin about this and that, it turns out that they are from Mozambique in Africa, been in Germany for awhile and one spoke very good German, actually he spoke 4 different languages! He is an artist, his name is Kitu or Vasco, depending on which country he is in!! And his friend, is Adetito, A-ded-eee-to, both were great guys and really took me in. At one point when we were just chatting something very interesting happend on one of the stages in the street, mind you this is a Protestant event, some music came on and all of a sudden about 12 transvestites came on stage and pretty much put on a drag show!! It was very odd sight seeing all these family folks just jammin out dancing and singing with their kids, all the while these drag queens just singin away on stage, the only thing that came to mind was, "Only in Germany" So after many good beers we split up for a while and were to meet later for more chattin and what not. They met me again at the same place then they took me to their local bar, Klein Pub, which was not too German but more African, there were no Germans there only Africans!! Really cool scene and everyone was very nice to me as they obviously could see that I was an outsider, in many ways! So we had a blast all night hanging. So after a long night I went back to the hostel and then got ready for another day. So the next day I walked around Cologne and took some pics of the huge cathedral in the center of town and then I was to meet up with Adetito for some chiliin out! So I wanted to get a real German Bratwurst, so I headed to the festival and after getting the sausage of course I needed a good beer to wash it down and there at the beer stand was Vasco and Adetito again, funny stuff! So we just chatted there again for a long while and met this really nice girl Evelyn. So we all laughed and joked, then it was getting near the time for me to go the concert! So I said my goodbyes and took emails and was off! Then I went to the concert! The show was great it was actually four shows. Three openers then Gov't Mule. They played all good songs, kinda weird though not being able to talk with that many people cause they all spoke German!! Anyhoo, great tunes and a great night!! Then I headed to Munich the next day! I went to the Hoff Brau house at some sausages with sourkrout and had a liter of beer in the biggest stienglass!! After that I headed on a train to the small village called Bernried. I was there to meet up with a coworker from Antarctica. He was working a new job, I met up with him and his coworkers, they were all Brits, funny as hell guys! We all had a great time chattin it up over some pints! The next day I went on a bike ride to the next village and had lunch. After I sat down and started to look at the menu I realized that it was goin to a fun lunch, I could not read the menu, so I pointed and came up with what I thought was the coolest looking German cause at that point you might as well choose off of asthetics! So I was then delivered a tasty brew and a bowl that looked like soup but it was not steaming! It was lunch, jello soup with pork slices and an egg! YUMMM! So that was a fun one. So after a couple of days I headed to Geneva to suprise my dad, gotcha dad, stayed there for a day and some before heading off to Prague, which is where I am at right now! This town is great! Im here visiting my old boss from the Juvenile Center in Boulder, Kristine! So she has shown me what Prague has to offer. Pretty amazing architechture and old world feel! Plus, a very hip night scene!!! Lots of young people and beautiful woman on each corner! I just got my camera stolen a couple of days ago so I have no pics of anything before Prague! All's well ends well! Well folks till the next time!

Va Bene!

2007-06-02T09:41:00.000-07:00

The beginning of this grand time with mom began in London, both mom and I happy to see the cuz, Sasson and his wife Kissley. They were doing quite well and it was great to see them, they took us around and Kissley was a great tour guide. High tea was very fun. We filled are days with much and ate good English food, hahaha, no really it was good. Then mom and I took off to Neverneverland, seriously it feels like it for grown ups at least. Ok so here it is, im in Ittly as my grandma calls it and its been about two and half weeks and ill know is for the first time in my life ive got love handles, i know i know, i should not speak about such things being skinny and all but let me tell you, the amount of food that i have eaten is kinda gross. my madre and I have been eating our way across the country and it has been quite the adventure. I love pasta, i love tomatoes, i love basil, i love olive oil, i love balsamic vinegar,I love the wine, but most of all in the whole wide world I LOVE GELATO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This stuff is way too good, I remembered that I used to eat this stuff 5 times a day and now I realized why I did that. It is the best and normally I dont even like ice cream type of deserts but let me tell you it must be in the water or the cream or the way they mix it but its somethin! I have been goin head to head with mom on who can eat the most, i will have to say that lately she has been edging me out, she found the perfect combo, the nociolla (hazelnut) and super chocolate, i say super because they do not mess around with the coco content of the chocolate, has to be close to around 80-90 percent, which is obviously quite high!!!!! The journey was great from the beginning, we went went through Rome and saw all the sites and coincidentally were in Rome on a Sunday so we went to the Vatican square and the man with the plan came out and blessed us, so that has to be a good start to the journey. We then started driving from Rome to Tuscany, where we went to a few small villages, but first let me tell you something, so last blog I mentioned that the Vietnamese take the cake on crazy drivers, well they might have a run for there money, these Italians are nuttso!!! I see why they do so well in the racing circuits, its just like driving back home everyday!! I tightened my knuckles and bore down and did my best to not freak out, meanwhile, mother oh mother, she was lucky all she had to do was just look out at the beautiful Tuscan countryside and not have to pay attention at all, of course if she did she probably would have had a nervous breakdown!!! So we journeyed up to the first village\town called Montepulciano, where the whole city is walled and is completely old world, it has no modern look to it at all. So we went there and checked it out, ate our first oh my god meal and then drove around the countryside where we saw so much beautiful scenery that we just wanted go to the nearest realator and ask to buy a villa. Its interesting, Tuscany and Sonoma County are very similar in the environment aspect but in the man made aspect they are worlds apart. Sonoma County could have easily gone the old Italian way and made probably the best place in America but of course they sold out to the corpos and built, built, built and basically totally ruined it. The countryside was just blissful, then after doing the small towns of Pienza, San Gimangno, Montalcino, we went to Siena! Another beautiful spot in Tuscany. We ate well of course and saw the mighty Campo(center square) and watched all the festive Italians do there evening activities, which of course was eating on the square and drinking large amounts of wine!! Man I have had the best wine, every night we order a half caraff of the house red and are never let down! So after a day in Siena we contacted my old friend Giuseppe from Florence and wanted to meet up with him before he left out of town so we went to Florence for dinner (its only like 50 miles) and had a wonderful time. We met some of his friends Gene and his daughter who are from LA out here for fun as well. We all had a great time and enjoyed ourselves over good wine and really good food. Then we got lost on the way out of Florence, boy let me tell you how fun that was! Italy at night with crazy drivers all around oh and your lost, huh!! So, back to Siena for the day, then off the Florence. Back to where I studied for 3 months and man it was if I had not left at all, well maybe just a little, it had been ten years!! Holy moly, time flys when life moves and groves! So we wined and dined and checked out the birthplace of the Renaissance, ah what a city to be in! I could easily see myself living there!! Well after two and a half days there we went to Parma, where they specialize in Prosciutto di Parma (aged ham) mmmm.. The best dish they have is Prosciutto e Melone, which is the ham wrapped around cantelope. The sweet and salty mix is divine!! So after the night we went to Cinque Terre the next day, Five Villages, translated. Right on the coast and it was beautifull and quite stormy, they had waves crashing up on the coast bigger than I have ever seen. Had to be about 15-23 feet, no joke. We walked a couple of villages and then went to get gelato of course. After some yummies we headed back to Parma where we packed up and went to Venice, ah Venice the city of romance. Mom and I both had been there but this time was a bit different, a lot more people but we still had a great time. We walked alot there since it is the most confusing city on the planet, more twists turns and dead ends ever!!! But all in a days works,,,,,,, so you can eat gelato..... Ha, ok after we did the Venice thing we headed to Milan where we found the best little Italian restaurant, where all the patrons were Italian and the menu was in Italian, I say that because many place, while they may be delicious and wonderful, still have and English menu or French one cause of the language barrier, not the Osteria dell Oca Giulivia(Talking Geese). Totally Italian, ah the food was divine and wine was excellent. It was so good we ate there both nights in Milan. And the first night I tried this dish that was pasta but had saffron in it, normally you get saffron in rice not pasta but this was oh my god good! The second night after gorging ourselves once again there was a man behind us that mother was asking if they were speaking English, he was a black man but had a very interesting accent and also was speaking Italian. We began to speak and he was from Boston and worked with kids who are troubled a bit but had a talent for boxing. I told him about my experience with troubled kids and we hit off and began a really nice conversation, long story short, he himself was a boxer from the past, I thought I had recognized him but age had changed him a bit, but it was none other than Marvelous Marvin Hagler, the man who was the World Champion and fought Sugar Ray Leonard all those times and years!! Pretty funny! Anyways, we said good by and waddled home. We headed out to Lake Como, which is where we are today! To say the least this time with mom has been unforgetable and she has no idea how special it has been for me!!! Not too many kids get to travel with there moms without being annoyed with each other, not us, and to travel for so long was just as awesome!!! Anyway, the fingers are dead so time to run but the pics are from Italy of course, the special of all special pic is the pope blessing us!!! Till the next time!

Makin friends in all the right places!

2007-05-11T04:36:00.000-07:00

Ive left Thailand and am now in Vietnam, after leaving Ton Sai and Koh Phi Phi I met some really cool folks on the bus ride back up to Bangkok! A couple of Brits and two Dutch girls! We all had some fun together in Bangkok we went to Katchanburi for the day and saw the tiger temple where I was able to pet a tiger not a pup but a full grown beast o the jungle it was crazy cool after that we went back to Bangkok and did some dancing, playin round town and havin a couple of drinks here and there! We all then split our ways and then Kevin and I went to Vietnam together, we started in Hanoi where we met Hieu the local contact that my Halfmom, Ro connected me with. He was such a wonderful man and I was really lucky to have met him,

he showed us around and gave us many tips on where and what to do in the rest of Vietnam!! Quite the gentleman. Now Im in Nha Trang hangin out with two other Brit girls for the night and then I head to Saigon for the day then I leave for Bangkok again for the day. It is funny the time I have spent in Thailand showed me that Asian drivers can be a bit hairy and scary but here in Vietnam boy do they take the cake, I mean holly moly they really push the limit, passing with busses and trucks coming right at us and then going back into the proper lane. I am not that religious but man have I said my rossaries about every five minutes!!!!! Well its time to move on I fly to London outta Asia and into Euro land!! It should be great Ill be in London for two days and will see my cuz Sass and his wife Kissley, then I fly to Italy to hang with my ma for 3 weeks!!! How lucky am I to travel with my ma and how cool is she!!! Wish you were here pops!! Next year it will be you and me! Well I gotts to run now but till the next time!!! PS I have a new piece to my collection sorry mom and dad!! The pics are of my new collection, floating market, bridge over river Kwai, tiger temple, new friends, How Long Bay,Kevin me and Hieu, and a huge cave we went to.

Sweatin my booty off!

2007-04-26T03:33:00.000-07:00

Well well, I completely forgot how hot it is here in Thailand! Im drippin sweat so much I could give a bottle a day to a thirsty child in Africa! Im having soooo much fun though, so it ok to be totally and absolutely sweating at all moments of day and night! I was in Bangkok for a couple of days it was cool, I was able to see a couple of sights that i did not last year but all i was really thinking was of the crazy rocks i was about to go and climb!! I went back to Ton Sai beach like I did last year and once again I fell more in love with the place!! I will probably have to say that at this point this is my favorite place in the world for chilling out and doing some type of activity at the same time!! I think I will be making a pilgramage to this place as many times as I can during my life, its just too good! The rocks have treated me well no bumps or bruises yet! I have done lead climbing the whole time, which means that I have climbed up the rock clipping into bolts with the rope trailing me instead of a rope already up so I can climb up easier and safer. I know mother that you do not want to read this but I love it tooooooo much! I really have excelled in my climbing and feel very comfortable getting upside down and being inverted!! Haha, anyway that is what I have been doing since I left Australia, I just came over to Phi Phi, which is an island off of Ton Sai beach. It's actually where the movie the Beach was fimed! Actually its kinda the impetus for me to really want to come to Thailand years ago when the film came out! I mean I always wanted to come and eat all this good Thai food and see elephants and see the Budhist culture but that was the thing that really had pushed me over the top! So for now I've just been hanging out at the beach for the last few days with Kevin, my travel bro. And we picked up a fellow traveler from England, she quite lovely and we hit it off right off the bat! All is well here in Paradise! We went cliff jumping yesterday and jumped off 30,45, and 65-70 foot cliffs!! Once again mom do not read this! But all is safe and sound! We also went snorkelling after that and saw all the damage that the Tsunami had done underwater! This island actually got pounded by it so it is very interesting to see the rebuilding process! The Thai's seem to be doing a good job at getting it back to normal, they have pictures everywhere hanging up in shops so you can see what happened and also pics of before shots so you can see what it was like before! Anyhoo, gonna stay here a bit more then back to Ton Sai for a couple more days of climbing and then off to Hanoi, Vietnam!!! So that should be great! I have a local contact, which makes it all the more exciting! All right folks till the next time! Pics are of Ton Sai climbing, Kevin my travel bro and monkeys that stole our stuff!

Full Tilt Boogie

2007-04-11T06:59:00.000-07:00

Thats right folks, I said full tilt boogie!! I cannot believe the amount of fun i just had over the last few days. I started off by having the best time in Canberra where i first off hitchhiked over 600 kilometers in one day! From Melbourne to Canberra. The best part was that I received the rides from the least likely (demographically speaking) drivers. First, it was a woman who was driving with her ten year old daughter, that just never happens these days! Second, was a truck driver, which seems normal but here in Australia they just changed the insurance of the drivers so they get in huge trouble if they get caught with a passenger, so i was very lucky for that ride which ended up being the huge chunk of the day, for obvious reasons, one direction goin all the way! Lastly, I was dropped by the trucker at 9:00PM at the road to Canberra at a gas station. I got a water and was asking the attendant about the best place to stand for a ride and at that very second a woman was going to Canberra and needed someone to help her stay awake, I guess I look safe. Since i do not know any woman who would pick up a stranger in the middle of the night! So that was the beginning. I got there safe and sound. I was dropped off at my first couchsurfing gig, a very cool woman from Russia. Anna was amazing she went way out of her way and showed me the town, cooked me food and drove me to the airport. We had a blast together. I was supposed to switch up and stay with another fella from Canada who is going to University there but decided that it would be easier to stay with Anna. However, he really wanted to meet me and talk about Antarctica, so I agreed to have dinner with him and his "mates", who consisted of his roommates parents and there adult kids!!! WOW, total homecooking and a wonderful evening of conversation and good times. So then after dinner I went to a concert on campus to see Gomez, very cool band. Then the next day I left for Brisbane!
Next chapter, so I get into Brisbane and meet up with Maria from Antarctica (very good friend) then we drive our rental to Byron Bay for the 5 days of music and fun! We get there and I only have 3 of the 5 days so I go see a movie and scope out car camping spots while Maria is at the show. She has a blast and when I pick her up tells me all about the cool music and very cool people she meets in the show. Now since I have been hitching and I have a car of course I now pick up everyone I can. So there is a couple on the side of the road who are outside the festival. I pick them up and as we are talking we discuss the "where we are all from thing", I say Boulder and that I went to school there, the fella in the back say's "I went to Boulder a few years ago! And I studied..... Just then Maria blurts out "Electrical Engineering! So this couple is part of the group that she was hanging out with in the show!! How funny, so I ask where I need to take them. They tell me and we start driving towards there. As we drive I tell them our situation about car camping and just goin with the flow. Of course out of nowhere, Luke says, "stay with us, its cool we have a huge condo" HA, the universe is amazing in its many mysterious ways!! So we went from having to find car camping spots (mind you there are very few and the police are patrolling for car campers!!) to having a comfy roof over our head!! The best was that all the people that were staying there were awesome!! Funny thing also is that it rained cats and dogs the whole weekend and some!!! So talk about lucky! The shows were awesome. I really enjoyed Bo Diddly, Bonnie Raitt and Ozomatli. There were a bunch of aussie bands too and two of them that I really liked were the John Butler Trio, who plays in Boulder a lot so that will be cool to see him when I am home if he comes around there. The second that I really liked was Xavier Rudd, he plays the didjereedoo and steel guitar (at the same time) talk about talent!! Well that was my latest and greatest, I'm back in Sydney and leave today for Thailand! The second part of the world tour begins. So it will be interesting to go from a country where I can pretty much understand them to a country where I will be doing a lot of sign language!!! Oh well, all part of the journey. Well I miss everyone and think of all of you a lot!!! Till the next time! The pics are of me and Anna (couchsurfer), Canberra, and the show!

WWOOFin Away

2007-03-23T23:06:00.000-07:00

Hello all, so Im on chill mode these days, just workin at this caravan park doin odds and ends for some really cool people. This is the WWOOFing that I was talking about. The jobs are fairly easy (choppin wood, general maintainence) easy enough stuff. They let me stay in there caravan that they rent out, its a cool set up, works well. The park is very quiet, there a few people that come and go for a night or two, sometimes younger folk but mainly the older crowd. There are however three French kids backpacking and WWOOFing as well. So they stay in tents and use their van. They nice and we do dinners together here and there but they work alot, I've noticed that there are lot of Euro backpackers doing a working holiday type thing! They work in restaurants in Apollo Bay, which is where I am staying, about 3K from the center of town. My place is litterally twenty steps from the beach! I surf everyday in the afternoon and its soooo fun to play in the ocean! I've missed it living in Antarctica and Colorado! Surfing is very hard it kicks your butt! For the most part its safe as long as you dont let the board smack you but fortunately i have not had that happen to me yet, knock on wood! This place reminds me of Northern California, the highway that Apollo Bay is on is HWY 1 so stands to reason that it very much looks like HWY 1 in Nor Cal. A bit more tropical though, and its a lot warmer water! Overall, I've been really relaxing, reading my book (Hullucinating Foucallt),very good book and just kicking back on the beach making good camp dinners and enjoying the company of the nice hosts! The time to leave is one week so I have a bit more before the next stop, which is Canberra for two nights for a concert(Gomez) then off to Brisbane where I rent a car and go to Byron Bay for lots o' music! So for now time to keep chillin! Enjoy the pics of this place, Skenes Creek! Till the next time! Love ya'll

Off and Running with 30 years behind me!!!

2007-03-15T17:59:00.000-07:00

The days have crazy been let me tell ya! So far Ive been in New Zealand for a little bit. I was in Auckland but only for a few days. I stayed with Tom my old college roommate and his fiance. We had a great time, we camped out at the beach and surfed,we also went mountain bike riding! Then just we chilled when they were not working. After hangin with them for ten days I was off to Australia to hang with two of my mates from the ice, Jesse and Jeff. We rented a car and drove from Sydney to the Blue Mountains then down to Melbourne on the coastal road then down the Great Ocean Road then up the Grampian National Park. The whole time we camped out at the coolest and most oddest of places at times. I celebrated my 30th BD with them on the road as well! We were on the beach at Apollo Bay. We ate simple food camp food and had a really nice bottle of wine! It really was nice and peaceful for a BD celebration. Especially my 30th, it would have been nice to be back home in Colorado to celebrate it with the family and friends but hey this is a sacrifice that I can handle! On our road trip we saw kangaroo's, koala's, wallaby's, wombats, and many many colorful birds, oh and I cannot forget the snake that we saw that is one of the most deadly snakes in the world. The time so far has been magical, we really had a good time together, no problems or arguements, just easy travelin. But that is over now and the fellas are gone their own way to Tasmania for Jeff and back to the USA for Jesse. For me it is a big step, I am going to be doing this program for two weeks called WWOOFing (Willing Workers Of Organic Farmers), basically what I do is I joined up for 50$ and they gave me this book that has all these hosts that have farms and what not, I then contact them via email or by phone and see if it works out to come and work for them doing general maintanence, gardening, even babysitting if needed, I then work for 4-6 hrs a day then in exchange I receive food and housing!! The places I am looking at are near the ocean so that on my off time I can surf and play in the ocean but really in the end I just want to have a fun experience!! Alright I actually now need to go and try and contact these folks so time to run but I love ya'll and miss ya!! The pics that are here are from the trip so far! First is actually the last night in McMurdo I had this season! Then comes New Zealand surfing, Auckland, The Blue Mountains, Sydney(The Sydney Bridge and Opera House) , the road to Melbourne, many animals(Kangaroo's,Emu's, and a Koala and The Great Ocean Road!!!! Enjoy, and I'll talk to you later!!!! Till the next time!

So small not here, I spoke with a man about working at a farm stay at Apollo Bay where I had my BD!!! I'll be there for about 2 weeks then begins the music madness! First, off I see a band in Canberra for a night, Gomez, very big these days!! Then off to the very huge festival called the Blues and Roots Festival, I think I spoke about it earlier but nonetheless huge, Ben Harper, Bonnie Raitt, Bela Fleck and many more! So it should be a very good show!!! We shall see!! Anyhoo, the next couple of weeks should be very good, back to work as they say, but first two days of surfing all day and night!!! Yes, I'll be a pro in no time! Ciao again ya'll

Leavin On A Jet Plane, I Know When I'll Be Back Again!

2007-02-20T20:34:00.000-08:00

Well folks it's about that time again! I will be leaving the Antarctic Region once again! But I'll be back again for another season! I am so excited to see colors, have smells burst through my nose, sounds of human activity! It's funny that when you first come down here that you get this wonderful sense of quiet and solitude, but as the time goes on and you really almost forget what it is like to be up into the world of civilization! The thought of a baby crying or a dog barking seems almost otherworldly. The lack of sensation has reached a level that will come flowing into me like waves in the ocean!! Especially when I am in the ocean! I am really excited to see many new places and try many new things, one of them will be hitchhiking extensively! My roommate down here has been across the world doin it and has never had any problems so I know that I can do it as well!! It should quite the experience. Also, I will be using a new system of accomodation, couches! The same roommate who hitches also uses this online network of couchsurfers, hosts and surfers join each other around the world in this attempt to create a more warming community of humans! Basically, I just get online pick a city and a list pops up with profiles and pics of couches and other odds and ends! I already have a few lined up! The site is called couchsurfing.com I encourage ya'll to check it out and see for yourself how cool it is! Anyways, time to go eat my last cafeteria dinner! I will be continuing this blog around the world so keep in touch as well if you want to, the email address is almost the same as the blog, ninerdedhed@yahoo.com Be well everyone and I hope to see as many of you as I can soon enough!!!

goin down the road feelin good!!!

2007-02-10T10:53:00.000-08:00

Alright folks it’s go time! We are getting to the end; I can see it in sight. I leave on the 22nd of Feb, but alas I am sad for I have had a great season!! Most recently I was given the opportunity to go to the South Pole, that’s right I was at the most southern point on the planet earth!!! It was really an amazing experience! I felt very lucky to be selected. The funny thing about the whole situation is that about two weeks ago the other almost Seth Turer (Turner), remember the crazy coincidence, well on the flight manifest that they post for people to see it had my name on it and I started to really go crazy, jumpin up and down, huggin people all crazy, so my friend asked me “you didn’t know about this? You had not checked your email?” And of course I went straight to check my email and of course there was nothing about the trip to the South Pole. So of course I went and asked the passenger services rep and she checked in the computer and she looked at me with a frown and then I knew, “Stupid other Seth Turner”, haha, no I was so happy for him but I was pretty bummed out, then a couple of weeks later they put my name on the manifest and that’s when I knew it was for real!!! Yeahhhhhhhh! It’s pretty funny cause last year I sent my teddy down with a friend who was the baker sent to go help them down there and he took pics and I laughed cause my bear got to go but not me so, this year I took JB (JerrBear, my teddy) with me and we had a blast, froze our rear ends off!!! It was an interesting environment as you can see by the pics!!

The next big thing was that the ice blew out this season, it had not in the last few cause of the huge iceberg that was the size of Rhode Island in front of the Ross Sea entrance!!! Anyhoo, the iceberg blew out and now the ice can blow out to sea, and it did!! So, we were able to see open water and best of all, whales!! I was able to see some Minke whales and a couple of Orca’s (Killer Whales). It was a sight to see! (The pic’s are of Minke’s) The last few weeks have been a great way to end the season!! But alas it is that time only a couple more!! Last night we had a great almost sunset, you know cause it never really does, it was just the sun going very low and mixed with some cloud work, made for a pretty cool sight to see!!!

Well when I get off the ice as you know I plan on traveling round the world, so if you know anybody in Australia, South East Asia, Europe, and Israel let me know and I can visit them for you!! That is if ya’ll think I’m a good representative! Oh well, time to go now, I have to give a massage to someone, I have been using the massage table that the official massage therapists use to give back massage’s to friends in need! I think I could have been a masseuse in another life!!! Cheers to all and hopefully I will see you all soon enough! And remember that I’m gonna continue the blog along the road so check into to see the latest! Till the next time!

The pics are of Mt. Terror in "morning" light, whales, airplane ride to Pole, South Pole, sunset

Close Encounters Of A Penguini Kind

2007-01-07T13:24:00.000-08:00

So today was going to a very rough one, I woke up with the groggy's. Basically I just could not wake up. So I went to work and as I was walkin to work a friend walked by and said that there were a bunch of Adelie penguins really close and that they were walking right up to people so I thought well this sucks cause I have to go to work right now and I would love to see the penguins. So I decided to ask the boss for a chance to have a team moral trip, which we really do but we usally are so busy, but today was slow in the beginning so she said that would be fine. The team packed up in a van and headed to the point where they were. Mind you the pictures from my last blog entry are from the same place but this time it was quite different! As you can see an Adelie penguin came right up to me, I mean right up to me to the point that I could have kissed him! I took these pics and a little video unfortunately I cannot show the video so only the pics! There is no zooming involved here just point and shoot! Hope you enjoy! Till the next time!

Xmas, New Years and More!!!!!!

2007-01-06T11:11:00.000-08:00

Well the year is coming to an end. I went through the holidays unscathed in that I did not burst from all the food. My whole life I have made the dinner with the family and now that I’m here and I do not make the dinner so I eat way too much. Overall, the meals were fun and the conversation revolved around funny family stories, yes all the family was spoken about, but all in good taste. We some good food too, lobster as you can see in the pic. The next big to do is New Years, and let me tell you! Whew, we had a pretty darn good one this year. First and foremost we have an event called Icestock where they have music all day and the Chili Cookoff. I worked with my coworkers on the chili this year, last year it was all by myself. We went all out on the chili and costumes as well. Many folk said we had the best chili but we did not win, the judges did not eat enough only one bite was not enough, you had to eat multiple bits to get the flavor! Nonetheless, it was a blast I had a great time but stayed up late mind you I work nights now so I was up all day and then took a four hour nap before we began the actual New Years celebration. We started in a friends room and then moved to the “place” It was held in the oddest of odd places and quite befitting really since this place seems so industrial! So normally folks go to the coffee house or one of the bars but this year there was an “underground” event held in a decommissioned fuel tank, which is now a storage “building.” I really did not know what to expect but it turned out to be quite the setting and we all had a blast. One thing that was awesome about it was that there are wooden floors inside so while everyone was dancing it would bounce up and down! I got a small kiss but I would have loved of course to have a very nice long smooch! It really is funny, I saw so many people having a really intimate time, my roommate who has the worst body odor, breath and overall stink known to man throughout human history (so bad I had mom send a plug in air freshener) and he was able to be with a really beautiful woman, a Harvard Grad student of all things! It seems that this year is just another one where I have to hear the, “why aren’t you with someone” crappola. I really have gotten to the point where I just don’t know how to feel anymore, I feel like I could easily close off and just not allow anyone inside! I try to be me, I try to just allow life to take its course, I try I try, I also have not tried, and not tried to be or do anything. The women that I am good friends with down here are supportive; they remind of the goods things about being patient and what not. They tell me that I’m a catch and that some day I will make someone happy! We shall see!

So after New Years we all recovered slowly. My next day off I went to check this art project out. It consisted of all these big and small blue balls that were a representation of the stars above. They were laid out in the configuration of the constellations that are seen in this area, well at least when it’s dark! As we were checking it out we had a gentleman stop his ice road grader and had us take his picture since normally there is no one around to take it for him. As we were talking we began to get on the subject of penguins and like normal enthusiastic Antarctican travelers we would always jump at the opportunity to see some penguins. Down where I am located there are really only two species available to see, the Adelie and the Emperor penguin. I would say that you are almost guaranteed the chance to see an Adelie, which are small bouncy little penguins. They remind of a young juvenile kid with that curiosity and excitement. They bounce around and waddle over to you many times and look at you with this kind of look that only a curious kid could have. However, the Emperor penguin is quite different and you are extremely lucky to see an Emperor during a season. I would say maybe about 30 people out of the 800 or so get to see the Emperors, that is as long as you’re not a scientist who gets to go out and be near there nesting areas, which are very far away. So all that said, after finishing up with our discussion of the blue balls he asked us if we wanted to see a couple of Emperors that were out near the runway that is pretty far out from the station and we don’t go there for recreation but I work it for my job as a cargo handler. Nonetheless, I was working in town so I would not have able to see them. So we went out there and there they were. These two beautiful birds that were very stoic little creatures were just standing there without moving that whole time. They had that look of an old man just looking out onto the world! Well lets just say I truly could not believe that I reached my goal of seeing Emperors!!!! That was the highlight of my season so far!

So last year there was this event called MAAG (McMurdo Alternative Art Galley) and I submitted a bunch of paintings and I had a blast so this year I planned on doin the same. So they had posted a meeting for it on our general email system and I went to it with the intention to tell them I would submit something but after I sat down I realized it was not a artist meeting. What it actually turned out to be was the committee meeting for the organizers. Ooopps, so I sat there for awhile and there started talking about the roles that needed to be filled. Lighting, sound, set up and take down and of course food! Who do you think raised his hand and volunteered for that one! Yup, twas me! I decided to take on that huge role, a little responsibility never hurts right! So normally they do a meat and cheese tray and some chips and crackers. Well, once I got involved that was definitely not going to be the case. I decided that I would be adding to the menu. I thought about it for a while, looked at some recipes and came up with the idea that I would do three different other appetizers. They were a ginger grilled shrimp with a wasabi soy dip, chicken sate with peanut sauce and Indian style vegetarian samosas. Mind you this was not for 15-20 people it was for about 2-3 hundred people, can you say oi vey!!!!! Wow, I truly understand what mom and sister goes through when they are doing all those events that require massive planning!! So I did it and last night was the event and man with all the lack of mojo that I seem to not have for the woman, it at least filled my ego with many excellent comments on my efforts for the food! I really had a great time and was able to have it go off with virtually no bumps, I mean don’t get me wrong there were a few but no more than usual for such a big task!! The people were so happy that it was not just meat and cheese!!! So that is my life as of now, we are starting to get ready to leave and time is coming to an end and I have no feelings of “I want to get the heck off this island”, I am very happy about that!!!! Better yet I am getting that feeling of man I really truly love this place and all that it offers, everyday I find at least one moment where I say to myself, my oh my what a wonderful world. The elements of this outdoor world are just superb really just amazing and unparalleled!!!! So I will be coming back at this point again! But first travels oh travels. So look out friends, cousins, and random peoples for Mr. Seth AKA Hooch!

Here is a bunch of photos consisting of time spent on the runway, blue ball art project, penguins (both Adelie and Emperor), New Years festival they call Icestock, Christmas dinner. My pics from the art show will follow in the next blog entry.

Mid Season Bluenote!

2006-12-18T07:21:00.000-08:00

So it has been quite awhile for the bloggo but life has been here there and everywhere! So first off the life down here has just changed I am currently goin to the night shift and I have begun the shift to the other side of the moon! I still will be able to have my radio show at the same time slot and most of the other events I’ll be able to attend but it will just be my morning that’s all. So for the last few weeks life has been goin about its normal way. I had been really trying to keep my desire for this specific young girl at bay, and I was doing alright with it. She and I had a dinner a while back and I spoke of my desire of wanting to maybe seek a more intimate relationship. She had said that she was not ready and that the boyfriend that she had just broken up with was still in the back of her mind. I told her I understood and was excepting of that and would back off with those desires, we still kept have a good friendship but its still rought at times. On a lighter note here are some pics of two of my bosses, Mt. Erabus kickin some steam, Mt, Terror glacier, Castle Rock in the clouds & the Scott Base pressure ridges in morning light.

Been Treated

2006-12-02T23:46:00.000-08:00

So it has been a week and it has been a long one, it always seems that after a break from work that it becomes a longer week right after going back to work. I hope that everyone had a time for their breaks. Life for the last week has been good we opened a new runway that is in the middle of the ice shelf probably about 4-5 hundred feet thick. When I went to this place I ended up getting their first before any of the other co-workers and I ended up there for about 45 minutes all by myself. It was awesome; the feeling of being alone down here is a rarity. So much of the life here is all including other people so to have those moments alone was quite a treat. I wished I had an Emperor Penguin walk up but it did not! Oh well next time. So when the crew got their we set up the runway and then began putting things together in prep for that evenings flight a C-17, this runway is the other runway that they can land at and the C-130’s do not. The other runway is the Ice runway that I have pictured before. Nonetheless, it all went well and I came back later for the flight. I took a bunch of pics of the plane as well as some of the glaciers that are on the other side of the bay.

I received another treat a couple of days later. I got news that I was a winner in the drawing to see if I was picked to go to the “Pressure Ridges”, they are ridges created by the converging of the sea ice to the ice shelf and the pressure pushes the sea ice up and form these ridges, they are constantly moving as well. Plus, they are off limits to all of the American participants, the Kiwi’s are allowed. However, the Americans and Kiwi’s have agreed to allow 100 people to go through them, so they held this drawing and I won. So I went to the ridges today and it was amazing. I have always wanted to go through them and have thought at times maybe if I just ran other there quickly they would not see me, but of course I never did and just kept a wishin and it was filled today. Here are a few pics hope you might like. Overall all life is good, I have a cut finger so typing sucks otherwise I would do more so hopefully my finger will be better by the next time.

Gobble Gobble Gobble

2006-11-25T17:17:00.000-08:00

Well tis that time of year again when families get together to enjoy large sums of food and argue about the many idiosyncrasies of each member and what they should do about it! I find that in my family we are not secluded from this wonderful celebration but I believe that even within the "you need to do this" statements we have a blessed time of creating more and more of a solid family unit over the years. With that said it has been difficult for the last couple of years. Being in Antarctica has prevented me from giving thanks to my parents and family for all those little idoisyncrasies. It is copeable because so many of us are in the same boat so it feels like we all can comisserate, but no matter how much group misery we can offload of our conscience it still hurts at the end of the day. However, the one good thing that does come out of the the distance from our familial love is that when we do come home the family love seems to be that much more solidified and appreciated, at least that is what it feels like for me! The conversations here about life back home are always funny and interesting throughout the season but during the holidays it definitely seems to take on a more serious tone. In the end I just believe that being away from something that is such a tradition makes it harder to leave away from each and every year that this unique group of people make up! Well I hope all your family feasts were delicious and all the making funny of family members went well! Till the next time, Seth

Nothin but vinyl

2006-11-21T20:14:00.000-08:00

So for a while now it just seems like the time has been goin along and that everything is melding into one. It has been a great season so far, the way my relationships with friends and intimate ones have been quite satisfying. I like the dynamic group setting quite a bit and the setting that we are working in is perfect to play it out. I think that any job that needs some team building should send their employees to Antarctica and I know that they will come out that much stronger. The days are getting warmer and warmer is has been too warm to tell the truth, last season by this time we had already seen a couple of storms so with none so far it makes one think that the weather is really changing but this season isn’t over yet! It did snow today but only for the morning but that was very cool and the snow flakes were a good reminder that even in summer here it can get bad at any time! My life as a DJ came back in full swing as the pictures will show my vinyl tastes still goin strong. I was playing some Dead at that point. I’m devoting a whole show next week the ol’farts! I mix it up quite a bit from blues to modern rock to jazz to alternative. What ever sounds good is the idea. Today I did the complete show of the Grateful Dead, twas a success. Overall, everything is good, I’m definitely gonna miss the family on Thursday. It’s always hard to be so far away from everyone but at least I can commiserate with the rest of the familyless folk. Enjoy some of the more recent pics, some are from a couple of friends of mine who when just out off the station on moral trips, I myself probably will not get the opportunity this season to have one because of the lack of them for the cargo department, but you never know! Also there is a pic of some Emperor penguins that I unfortunately missed out on the runway it is kind of a hit or miss, I guess I missed nonetheless, still cool pics! A pic of Maria and Brian a hall mate!

the hum de dums of life

2006-11-19T01:21:00.000-08:00

So life has been just goin along here. I have been doin well at work and have been enjoying my social world as well. Within my world of romance I have been seemingly unable to make any sense of what it all means. I had my romance in Thailand and learned alot about myself and was doing great with how my ablility of "goin with the flow"-was goin, but as I have begun my time again back down here. I find myself questioning what I don't have again. I so want to be able to enjoy the company of another woman, one in particular, but just in general and as many times before they use the "I just got out of a relationship" card. This is quite understandable yet I find myself wondering why I do not get my fair share of seeing if I can make them happy. It seems as if that man before me has been my bridge and I do not even know him. Whether it be, he is too immature or he was a cheater or he is a violent man. All of these and many more reasons have been used upon me and myself. Why is it that woman see that in me, those potential qualities or elements, they seem to place all those burdons upon me and yet I have done nothing. I don't know, but the waiting game is all too excruciating sometimes. Sometimes it is fine and I am able to last those moments in between encounters but sometimes it ain't easy! Down here it seems that with the large population of beautiful, intelligent, kind, and amazing women, that I would have such luck, but in the end....... I don't know but I will seek that will and power to keep me goin along between encounters of the feminine kind! Till the next time!

Fun in the sun, I mean cold, I mean .........

2006-11-09T00:08:00.000-08:00

So I just went out on a trip last night we left at 6 and got back to McMurdo at midnight and yes the sun was still shining bright even at that time, oi vey. Anyhoo, we went to this place called Cape Evans, it was the shelter that Robert Falcon Scott used for his epic adventure to be the first to make it to the South Pole, of course he was eventually beaten by Admunsen the Norwegian. Nonetheless, it was an amazing place and the artifacts their are amazing, all completely preserved, mind you not by the museum curator but the bloody dry and cold environment. It seems as if we walked into history as we walked into the door way it really was quite amazing. They had pieces of seal blubber used for fuel to keep warm, condiments via 1910 I mean almost 100 years old still perfectly clear labels, many filled unused and mostly usable looking. One of the best the best was the bottle of Heinz ketchup, look at the label, one thing has changed in almost 100 years, there is no longer a pickle on the label but beyond that still the same. They also have pieces of science equipment and many other pieces of almost ancient looking ski's and other tools of the era. Their sleeping quarters are so tiny they all would have to be midgets to fit comfortably but they still perservered. You have to love the pinup of a lady for thier female homesickness, I put it in some clip art from my camera for fun. All in all in was one of those moments when I say to myself, this is one of the reasons I came to Antarctica, to see history in the raw, and I mean raw, no ropes, no guards, no buzzers for crossing the line but pure untouched history. While I was waiting to get into the shack I was looking around at the little islands out on the Ross Sea, there is Little and Big Razorback island, then there is Barne glacier with all its blue ice and the once again the views of Mt. Erabus but the closest I have been to it yet and of course the many shots, angles and pieces of the snow and ice world. I decided to do a mix of shots of all the snow and ice that I have and will see! I think it will be beautiful look and see at some of what I have already! Also here is a picture of the girl I am attempting to court, very cool, very down to earth, very funny, tis Maria! Ok I cannot type anymore for I have extremely cracked skin on my fingers and it hurts like hell to type but I had to enlighten ya'll on my most recent adventure, enjoy! Till the next time, ciao.

2006-11-04T23:53:00.000-08:00

Well it has been awhile, I did have a blog from a couple of days ago but the stupid site cut off and did not post the whole thing so Ill try and get everything out of the brain. To begin I guess I should say that it has been very, very busy. Assisting the airplanes has been fun and challenging, that’s where we work. Basically, there are two places to work, that is the airstrip and town. Hence, I have been working with the planes a lot, however, that just ended this week and now I will be working with in town doing a lot of pallet building and cargo deliveries, not as fun as the strip but a change. While I was out on the strip I was blessed with an amazing amount of views, whether they are landscapes or skyscapes or both. The atmosphere out there is much different than all that I had experienced last season. The only chances I had to be out of town were to clean the airstrip toilets, so now I just get to use them! Anyhoo, the time has been very good to me this time around, not as if that last was not it is just that I feel like I am getting the best of worlds, the outside and the culture. My goals are a little different this time around as well. I do not feel that need to separate myself from the groups as much, in that I was trying to go inwards and really look for some answers that seemed to have been eluding me. This time it is much more of enjoying the Antarctic lifestyle and experience that wild blue yonder, well wild white yonder as it is. The feeling of loneliness has not hit me yet, I know that it will, it hits us all everywhere and anywhere we are but for now I truly believe that my psyche is at an all time high, in that my self-esteem is really high and my ability to stay away from depression has been quite successful. My friendships here are doing great and I am making new ones everyday. I have been trying to get back into painting, if that’s what you call it, Eliott and I are about par, (Eliott for all you who do not know is my 4y/o nephew) still a lot of basic work to do but only practice will change that.

My crew mates are great we all meld quite well together, there is the young naïve 22y/o boy from Boulder, the 30 something funny as hell lesbian, the 42 y/o eclectic, the 30y/o other Seth, who is very cool and very articulate, and then the boss lady, 37 y/o Elizabeth, who has a lot to offer and is soooo funny and keeps us all happier than clams! Oh yeah and me as well, Hooch the guy who always has something to say and tries to employ comedy as much as possible! We make up a fun group of cats and are team name is something ya’ll gonna have to ask me personally on an email!

So last weekend was Halloween, or the party for it and it was quite a riot. My costume this year was one that I have worn before and brought it down from home to here. I had to shave my goatee to get truly into character and as my daddy always said “If you’re gonna do it, then do it right the first time” So I had to shave to make it work. My character was Richard Simmons and many a folk told me that it was scary how much I looked like him, you can judge for yourself. I actually got second in the costume contest, the winner was Groundskeeper Willie from the Simpson’s, and he actually shaved the middle of his hair to make that happen right, and he was my friend so I was ok with it but funny enough it is the second year in a row that I won by popular vote but lost by the judges (sound familiar). Last year it was the chili cook off and this year of course was Halloween. I guess I just have to know that I know what I’m doin, right! All in all it was a fun night and I was happy to make so many people laugh!

Since I have been down here there have been times where I thought that I was going to go crazy with the notion that I would have no physical contact with a woman, I’m too much of a person who relies on that contact to get by on a, say bi-yearly basis. I’m not saying that I have to be with a woman to enjoy being with a woman but I certainly enjoy the once in a while kiss and such. And so far it looks as if it will be quite awhile to have any contact with another. I guess sometimes that is just the way it is! We shall see, for now it will be just to enjoy the company of others. There one girl that I have been trying to find out what she is all about. I did find out from her co-worker that she has a thing for Jewish boys, score one for Seth! But as I said for now it is just to play it by ear and enjoy my time here! I do miss all you guys from back home, I was happy to have spent the time that I did with you! I promise to write individual emails and try and call you guys soon! Love ya, miss ya! Hooch is outta here. Till the next time!

Rollin' Along

2006-10-21T23:16:00.000-07:00

So this last week has been quite taxing, I started my shift work, which is 5:30-6:30, but I get Wed and Sat off and that helps alot. I was working from 6-6 before doin training and just getting used to the process. This job is a lot different than being a janitor last season. It requires a lot of team work and hardiness. It is so bloody cold out there and the wind is brutal. I do really enjoy driving the tractors, or loaders as we call them, very much. We use radios for communication and that is supprisingly fun as well. There is something reminiscent of Smokey and The Bandit for me, using call names and codes, such as "What's your twenty?", which is code for where are you right now. It's funny we all have nicknames on our crew, my co-worker Seth, whom I mentioned before, with the last name of Turner, he is Cargo Turner and I am Cargo Hooch. If anyone does not get the connection there was a film with Tom Hanks and his screen name is Scott Turner and this dog, Hooch so hence we are Turner and Hooch! Its ok with me that I get to be the slobbery dog, but hey he is a very smart dog in the movie so I got that goin for me. I have included some work pics one is of me waiting to unload a plane, which is nerve wracking and my coworker is unloading the plane, then I turned around and took a pic of the front of a C130 Hercules, pretty cool shot. The bosses say that if you hit a plane you are on one back to the States so of course we all are very delicate with plane approach and grabbing the cargo, however, imagine tryin to be delicate with a 5-ton loader handling fine china, suffice to say we do it and it so far has been going well and the bosses are all impressed with our work. One of the other pics is of a boss of mine, Bear, the pic explains itself. He is a very relaxed and cool boss and friend as well, with a great sense of humor. The other pics are of shots of the mountains and Mt. Erebus, the active volcano from the ice runway where I currently work. And last a shot of Erebus takin through my goggle lens to give it a tint pretty cool and my first hike of the year with a very cool woman I have gotten to know, Maria.

The day shift social life is quite nice as well. I was on nights last season so its good to be getting both sides of the coin. I feel like Im making a lot more friends than last season mainly because Im able to see that many more people during the day. I have been enjoying my roommates company as well, they are good guys. Ill tell more later about them when I take a pic of the three of them. I have met a few woman that I am interested as well but I am not trying to have anything in terms of a relationship at this point but we shall see, as most of you all know Im a hopeless romantic so it is difficult to supress the urge. Well time to run off and go listen to the science lecture about Penguins, Ciao till the next time

Full TIlt Boogie!

2006-10-16T01:35:00.000-07:00

So the weekend was awesome, (Dad, Mom and all who are older do not read any further). So I am the man of men supposedly. It started off with me getting a chance to cook for the 40-60 folk that attended the ATO department BBQ. I made steaks and chicken breasts or at least I marinated them and my boss and I cooked them. They were a hit and that kicked off the night, next was the cargo beer chuggin contest between the Kiwi's and the US teams, it constisted of two teams of five, the first four drink one beer then the anchor (me) drinks two then the other four drink one more. So of course the Kiwi's started off strong and were one man ahead goin on two, then it came to me, thank you high school for all those good years! Yup I drank two beers in ten seconds, it was pretty gross really but hey someone had to beat the Kiwi's! So I put em' down quick style brought us back and put us in the lead for good, yes we beat the Kiwi's! I got so many congratulations I felt like I was the quarterback who just won the game from behind, but in some sick and twisted way! The Americans nominated me for all beer drinkin contests in the future, we'll see. Anyway, after that I had to go home and shower for the big dance, 70's style, Oh Yeah, some of you have seen the outfit before some not, nonetheless, all I can say is polyester baby! The other fella is Mike my roomie and co-worker, very cool guy. So 10'oclock rolls and time to boogie, Mom and Dad you might have had me just about 10 years too late! According to the consensus of attendee's, I was the most in era goer! They said I was a genuine Travolta, sorry Dad have to say this one goes to Mom, my boogie down production goes to her and well maybe a little to you for style, but the rhythm, well nuff said. So it was a smashing success of a weekend and now I have become the talk of the town, but hey Im just bein me. So I feel I deserve I can strut my stuff. Anyhoo, that was the weekend and well let's just say Sunday was a very slow day! But hey I earned it once again in a sick and twisted way, now Mother this is a once in a blue moon occassion so do not worry! Now onwards!
So today was the first day of shifts, 6 to 6, could be rough at times but for the first day it was awesome. It was 30-45 below all day long and was so pumped to play in the tractors and get things moving I was not even cold at all. I get so clothed up every morning and have so many more clothes it would be hard to get completely frozen, just think the movie The Christmas Story, yup I'm the kid who's mom dresses him up in so many layers of clothes that my arms don't go down, but hey my ass is warm and that is what counts!
The morning started off beautiful, so I took a picture of the mountains and some of the dorms. Then after workin in the "yard", the place where we stage all the cargo before it goes on planes, I went to the runway to wait for a plane to come in it was even colder out there bout 50 below, oh yeah baby that's Antarctica for ya, nothin like freezin your snot as soon as it comes out the ol' noser! Soon I'll send some snotsicles pics but they were not the best today but still pretty crusty! Hope your all enjoyin the commentary but Antarctica is not for the weak in anyway, shape or form, even when it comes to dribblin snot down the face! Ok I'll stop now. So after gettin the plane in and on the ground it was go time for the cargo team, that's me and my crew, pics will soon follow, for now just know we kicked ass today, nice and smooth and most of all safe!!! It was sooooo exhilerating I can't even describe it. I was so pumped up the whole time getting things all set and ret! Just another day in paradise, FULL TILT BOOGIE style though that is what cargo is all about, not for the slow, lazy folk but the hard ass workin folk! So I feel bad ass right now sorry, but hey that is what I guess what comes with the territory! Anyhoo, this was just Monday wonder what Tuesday will be like! Till the next time, Ciao.

backwards and forwards!

2006-10-13T18:33:00.000-07:00

so here are some pics from the flight here and the first night here on the ice. As well as my toys that i play with everyday. I really feel like the big toys are becoming second nature to me. Im loving the fact that most of the training is over and now its time to go to work everyday and get'er done! So tonight is the 70's party, the shake yo booty and get freaky night, all's fun down here, as they say, work hard and play hard! Ciao

2006-10-13T00:11:00.000-07:00

So it has been about 8 days of being back on the ice. I feel like i completely have sunk into my normal usual self! That being the overtalkative, always happy and totally satisfied person that i would like to think that i have become! Not as if i ever was not that person before but down here i feel like i truly am seen through a pure set of eyes, i.e. no pre-conceived ideas about me. We all want to erase that self that seems to trail us forever. I have always been proud of who i have been throughout my life but it is that self that people seem to have this idea of who you are through those experiences you had with them and especially those self-conceived ideas that our personal culture places upon our psyche! I dont know all i feel is that too many times that i put this pressure as we all do upon my idea of who i am and what i have become, i guess it is that human nature part of what we create within ourselves. All said i do have this sense that every person here is really appreciating what i have to offer as a person and a friend and maybe one day as a lover! After my magical experience in Thailand with Katy I see the part of myself that i want to be in the forefront at all times, that self that see's the power, grace, charm, humility, passion and joy in life, others and of course most importantly myself! This is not to say that i was void of this before but she reminded me that it I need to make sure that is there all the time and that i want to always make sure that my happiness stays in a forward motion. That being said, we all know that we will have times of unhappiness and moments of despair that is when it is most important to remember these ideals.
Enough of the rant, so the basic idea of season so far is COLD,COLD,COLD, and EAT, EAT, EAT that is it. I have been feeling like a Hummer, i get nine miles to the stride. I eat so much food and then burn soooooo much more it is crazy. Last season I ate food cause I could, ya know the Turer way, now this year it is I have to eat to keep up with the cold and the burn o' calorie. I have just finished most of my training and it's full tilt boogie. I'll tell ya I love driving the big yellow tractors and to top it off I get to talk on the radio I'm the veritable Snowman talkin to the Bandit, of course we can't say" Breaker, breaker this is the Snowman what's your ten twenty", well that's fine with me cause just having the opportunity to do this in the first place is good enough for me!
Funny thing, I just took a break from this writing and went to watch a wonderful "local" blues man Toofless Sean, great guy and awesome blues guitarist, at the local smoking bar,yuck, but nonetheless it was a great show! However, I had my first taste of what the McMurdo bad side can be, I spoke with a friend earlier today about a young lady that is with us here and was inquiring about his intentions that could or could not be intimately based, simple questions, but I myself have grown fond of her. He had responded with vague answers and no straight shots. So I just figured that life would proceed and I would discover what they were in the somewhat near future. Later, when I went to the Toofless show I was questioned by the woman in question, she apparantly had learned about my questions to this "friend" and she made me feel kinda like a jerk for even asking them in the first place! I know that this is something I should not feel, I believed that I was speaking to him in confidence, I guess not! It goes to show that high can always be re-lived! That is aspect of this place that I wonder about. Why is it that when a man or woman for that matter is inquring to someone that they believe is in confidence that turns out to be not so true! Really in the end that is everywhere so it is not as if this place is unique in that sense I guess it just seems that everything here is highly sensitized, sometimes over sensitized.
So this is the end of my first big blog, I feel that I could keep writing and writing but I need to finish my wash and go to bed. On a happy note I just found out that the Daily Show and the Colbert Report is now shown down here, which is quite odd since both of these programs make a mockery of the very institiutions that are providing the programming, fine by me! Till the next time Ciao!

Time for round 2!

2006-10-06T02:44:00.000-07:00

so ive finnaly made it down to frozen world once again, i was able to have two free days in Christchurch, New Zealand that was a nice bonus. With those two days off i went with some new friends up to a ski hill in the mountains and was able to ski for the first time in almost two years! It was amazing! The first time to ski above tree line all day long!