First Things First...!



Field Kitchen Fashsioned Out Of Ice Bricks.


One of the first things one needs to attend to on arriving at an Australian Antarctic base is to attend a number of survival training exercises. The first of these is how to survive a blizzard overnight, how to cook on fuel stoves in the Antarctic, basic navigation using the ol' compass  and GPS. Also sleeping in what is called a "chip" packet. This is basically a neoprene bag some 2 x 2 meters which you jump inside with all your sleeping gear. The principal on the "chip" packet is to merely shelter you from the wind, which it does. However, it does not mean you are going to get a good night sleep as the wind howling around you makes the bag your in sound like 50 chip packet being screwed up at the pictures. Also, all moisture inside the "chip" packet, including your breath, freezes on the inside, which in turn showers down on you each time it gets to heavy to withstand the winds shacking the hell out of the packet. However, you will survive, and is very warm, just bloody uncomfortable. O yes, don't do what I did and select firm snow, or near on ice to plonk your packet down. Nice soft powdery snow that will form to the shape of your body is the go...!