McMurdo Station is the largest US research station in Antarctica. It is located on Ross Island which some consider to be the one of the most beautiful parts of the continent with large barren stretches of shelf ice and large mountain ranges rising in several directions. McMurdo was built as part of Operation Deep Freeze back in the 50’s by the Navy and was run by the Navy until recently when the National Science Foundation took over. Now McMurdo’s main purpose is as a base for many different science projects including glaciology, biology, climatology, geology… the list goes on. Also, Mac Town, as some here call it, is the main hub for logistical support for many deep field science camps and for the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, which was named after Roald Amundsen, who was the ... read more

I arrived in New Zealand early in the morning on Sunday, January 23rd, after a long overnight flight from LA. When I arrived in Christchurch I checked into the Windsor Private Hotel, which is a turn of the century home that has been converted into a bed & breakfast, and then I went exploring. It was a beautiful day that I spent walking through the streets of Christchurch - I visited Cathedral Square with it’s large gothic church and stone walkways, I walked through the many parks along the Avon River watching the punts, which are similar to the gondolas in Venice, and the ducks go by, I learned the history of the surrounding region in the Canterbury Museum and I walked through the verdant forests and colorful fields of flowers and grass in the botanical ... read more