Aurora pics

The post on Aurora australis has been updated. For outstanding pics of the aurora australis, visit http://imprintsonice.blogspot.com/2008/09/fireworks-in-polar-sky.html

My First Galley Duty at Maitri

Galley duties are one of the many unique experiences of an Antarctic expedition. During the ship journey to Antarctica, they were very benign being confined to just giving the cook a helping hand, particularly while making chappatis and paranthas. Many of us came up with ideas to make the galley duty experience unique in their own little way. Some improvised with the garnishing of food, some gave table service to all, and still others made a special dish or two.

We got a taste of real life during the summers, when we did galleys of the summer camp. This was mostly in the open in sub zero temperatures, at a time when we were not accustomed to the cold and the wind. During my first galley duty, it was very windy and, as a result, very cold. I was supposed to fetch water from the Priyadarshani lake for the refreshment hut, Annapurna. The lake had frozen at the edges. So I had to go a bit further into the lake to get water. I was scared of the ice breaking under my weight and my feet getting soaked with ice cold water. Hemraj Meena was my partner, and also my guide during my first galley. He told me to go inside as the ice wont break. I did as he said, trusting his experience. But he was grossly wrong. My foot went shin deep into the ice cold water, and froze inside my shoes. I was feeling miserable and cold. The cold was unbearable. I could feel no sensation in my feet. Meena got the water and I dashed off to my hut to change my shoes and socks and most importantly, warm my feet. My toes had turned an angry red. I wore a double layer of socks and continued with my galley. This involved cleaning Annapurna, fetching refreshments from the main station, disposing off the garbage, cleaning the bathroom and the toilets (this was another miserable task). We also had to burn the human waste and dispose off the ashes. It is usually not a difficult task, but under the conditions prevailing that day, I felt terrible working in the cold and wind. When the toilet burning was complete and I was going to disposing off the ashes, the wind blew the whole thing on my face. This was really disgusting. Even after one year, I feel the whole thing sticking on my face. Some experience, this…..

Priyadarshani Lake in Initial Stages of Freezing

Annapurna Hut

Bathing Complex

Toilet Complex of Summer Camp

More Things Change, More They Remain The Same

While in Antarctica, we used to dream about life back in Delhi. The things we did and the things we missed. It was a different world altogether and appeared to be more hospitable than the world we were in. I longed to get back home. I expected a whole new Delhi on my return- probably foolishly so.
When my longing was finally fulfilled, I am left shaking my head in frustration. The Delhi landscape has changed drastically. The old roads are no longer recognisable. Flyovers, metro, BRT, roads and many more projects are on their way to completion, supposedly to give us a better quality of life. The pleasant looking and slow moving low floor buses are a welcome change from the raging, blood spewing Bluelines. BRT appears to be a good project.
But the spirit of Delhi remains the same. The roads are more crowded than when I had left. Delhiites continue to be as rowdy and arrogant as ever. Road discipline is still abysmal, politeness and patience are unknown virtues meant for the weak, outsiders are still meant to be looted. It is a city on short fuse. I won’t be surprised if some survey shows Delhi to be the most inhospitable city in the country.
While in Antarctica, we had newspapers upto 5 years old in our stock to be used for various purposes. They helped us reminisce about life in Delhi. The latest newspapers carry the same stuff as those newspapers. Nothing has really changed. Delhi continues to be a city without a soul, and Delhiites contine to be a people without a sense of belonging. Antarctica was definitely more safe and hospitable.

Polarman Certificate

This is the certificate we all got at Maitri on 21st June 2008, which is also called the mid- winter day or the winter solistice. This is special for all of us because only those people who were present in Antarctica on this day are traditionally known as "Polarmen". Since it is not possible to travel to and from Antarctica during the winters, this privilege is exclusively reserved for winter teams.