Monday and on to Wednesday 17–19 July

Woke this morning feeling extremely grotty. Checked on Google maps for location of a GP.  Rang the nearest and couldn’t get an appoint for two days. After ringing several more and being told I needed to go to the nearest GP and register for the NHS.

Gave that idea away, took my laptop out of my shoulder bag to lighten the load, and headed out for  SPRI. Just a 1/2 km I was at a corner, to the left was SPRI and to the right the Doctor.  I headed right with the intention of registering for the NHS and making an appointment. Eventually I got there, registered, and they took pity on me and I saw the doctor. He sent me off with letter to A&E at the local hospital and here I stayed until late Wednesday afternoon. Over the next few days I had ECGs, x-rays, a CAT scan, many blood tests, several sessions with a nebuliser, and lots of oxygen. Finally on Wednesday afternoon I went back to my digs with course of steroids and antibiotics.

Turned on my laptop to check my mail and I had one from my landlady, and one from the archivist at SPRI. They both were checking up on me. Curious, there were none from the kids at home. I skyped my daughter and although she had noticed I stopped writing my Blog, I think she thought I was being a bit lazy.  I did not have my laptop, mobile phone or my address book with during my hospital stay so I couldn’t contact anyone.

Once back at the digs I contacted my Travel Insurance people and sent off my discharge report and other items they needed. At that time I was looking at cutting the trip short and heading for home

No pictures this time but you got one of my Hospital wrist band in the last post. Not my ‘last post’ but the Blog’s.

Saturday and Sunday 15, 16 July

I am back to my Blog after over a week. Many things have happened since I last wrote and most have to do with the little band below.

But more of that later.

On Saturday I walked up to shopping area in the centre of Cambridge, about 3 km. Visited the permanent city market and went into Marks and Spence and got a couple of shirts. While there made good use of their Grocery Department and stocked up some food, especially pork pies.

Nothing really exciting happen, only the 6 km return journey and the additional walking around the town. I got very tied and woke Sunday feeling a bit the worse for the exercise, so spent most of the day reading, writing, and preparing for tomorrow’s visit to the SPRI.

Not very exciting weekend

Thursday 13 July

About 9 p.m. on Wednesday night I climbed into the Hotel’s shuttle and headed out to the airport. Dropped off at the Cathy Pacific check-in I got my boarding pass and proceeded through security. As I walked through the checking portal I was greeted by an alarm bell. My braces caught me out even though I had asked and been assured they would be OK.
Inside the departures I called into the Spaghetti House for meal and cold drink.  I needed the drink because of the high temperatures inside the terminal. The same man as last year showed me to my seat. He didn’t smile and still had the attitude of bored indifference. I had a pizza and cold drink which cooled me a little but I was amazed to see all the staff wearing jerseys.
Then off to gate 33. This part of the terminal was a long wide section, like an open tunnel with regularly spaced sets of small buildings housing toilets and air conditioning units. The direction sign read “Gates 20 to 80”. I had only 13 gates to go but with my bag on a small trolley, a bit like walking frame, and multiple moving walkways it was no trouble.
At 1:10 in the morning the AIRBUS A350-900 rose into the air for the 12 hours 35 minute flight to London Gatwick airport. The flight was uneventful as I slept most of the way until about 4 hours from landing. I checked the in-flight map to find we were somewhere over Russia. Landed about 6:20  a.m. British time and left for Cambridge on the 9:25 a.m. National Express bus. Yes I did look for my hat that I left on their bus back in February 2016 and no it was not there. The bus trip included all the London airport terminals. From Gatwick South Terminal to the North terminal, then Heathrow Terminal 2, across to terminal 4, and around the airport to Heathrow central bus station. Fromt here to Stanstead airport and on to Cambridge. The bus finally stopped in Cambridge at Parker’s Piece a large park area boarded by Parkside and Gonville Place. A short walk along Parkside and Mill Road then a right into Mawson Road then down to number 112 and I was at my digs--the Annexe that I booked through the Internet site Airbnb. The footpath was narrow most of the way but once in Mawson Road it was not much wider than my suitcase. Several times I had to go onto the road, about one car wide, to pass the occasional rubbish bin or parked bicycle.
My accommodation is good and in easy walking distance to the shops and SPRI. The landlady had stocked the unit with fruit, apples and pears, and in the fridge milk, orange juice, butter, honey, and bagels.


The front door into the Annexe with side board including fridge, coffee and tea making facilities, and TV. Then around to French doors opening onto a garden and a the view of neighbours.

Inside again and small two-seater table, the bed and one of the two easy chairs. The bottom section of the bed pulls out to form a double. Continuing around is the door into a bathroom with a shower wash basin and toilet. To finish is a double size wardrobe with a full length mirror.
Tomorrow I start work!

Friday, 14 July

My first full day in Cambridge and my first day in the archive reading room at Scott Polar Research Institute, and my first day, for a long time, sitting at a desk writing for seven hours.

Woke early, beating the alarm, had breakfast, showered and then had to fill in some time before leaving. The walk took me twenty minutes and I soon learnt that cycles were the danger here. Everyone seems to ride bikes or catch buses. Bikes are like mobility scooters back in my retirement village—you can’t hear them coming.

The reading room hours are from 9:30 a.m.  to 1 pm and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. with a compulsory break for morning and afternoon tea. During the hour for lunch I walked down to the corner of Lensfield Road and Regent Street to a Chinese restaurant for meal of stewed pork belly and rice. Next week I will venture further up Regent Street and try  Italian, Greek, Thai or an English pub meal.

Today I went through two of Campbell's field note books extracting some of his survey data. Each day, either at lunch time or at their camp at night, he took a round-of-angles to local features. These angles fixed their position and will allow me to plot their route during their sledging in South Victoria Land.

After sitting all day I got a sore bum and was glad when the bell tolled 5 p.m. Yes the bell did toll on the reading room clock at 5 p.m. and every hour and half-hour. On the walk home I called into Tesco Express and bought some beer, a bottle of Dr. Pepper and some fruit. Before going to my Annexe I called into the owners and got the WIFI password. Now I am connected to the world.

Since leaving home I have had some communication problems. I forgot to buy my mobile roaming before leaving and had not been able get it as all the WIFI connections were unsecured and Spark won’t let you purchase items over an unsecured network. Also since arriving in Cambridge I couldn’t connected with the WIFI in my accommodation. Now that all is rectified, the connection is secure, and Spark will sell me my roaming. These problems have resulted in the Blog posts jumping from Wednesday to Friday. Thursday will turn up sometime, possibly over the weekend.

Now all is well, I am connected to the world and after one day at work I have the weekend free.

Wednesday, 11 July

Arrived at 7.30 a.m. (11.30 NZT). A quick trip through emigration and customs then a long walk to terminal 2, bay 29 where my hotel transport was located. An easy walk as terminal 2 was down two levels and the route I took was a gentle downward slope. No stairs!
The Novotel Citygate  being just outside the airport as was there and checked in by 9 a.m. Unfortunately my room was not ready until 11. Soup the escalator for a coffee and a look at the shops in the Citygate complex. Yes to the coffee but no to the shops. I forgot nothing starts in Hong Kong until after 10 a.m.
Citygate  a large multi-storied complex across the main highway into Hong Kong and joint to the Hotel by large shop lined enclosed bridge. The photo is of the section of the walkway over the highway.
At eleven I got into my room, medium size and standard layout with the bathroom on the right and wardrobe on the left as you walk in. However the bathroom is different. The wash basin and mirror are open to the room with two doors leading to the loo and shower.

Starting my Cambridge and Kingston 2017 trip

Monday 10 July

The start of my 2017 overseas trip. A couple of weeks in Cambridge, UK, to finish collecting data for Scott’s Northern Party’s sledging in South Victoria Land, Antarctica. Then a time visiting  friends in Kingston, Canada. Both being in the Northern Hemisphere gives me a chance to escape from some of our Kiwi winter.

Jane arrived at 3 p.m. to take me to the airport for my connecting flight to Auckland. Just before she arrived there was hard rain downpour and while listening to the rain on the roof I checked the weather on my mobile. Yes it was raining in Auckland and in Hong Kong, my next stop. However I noted the temperature there was 32⁰C. A bit warmer than our current 12⁰.

My check-in using one of those automated kiosks was flawless. Easy as pie, especially when the nice lady operated the machine and all I had to do was answerer her questions. All this while Jane parked her car. While waiting she took this photo of me showing that I am bit older and heavier than my last trip. I guess it doesn’t matter much as these modern planes can carry extraordinarily heavy loads!




Finally it was time to go and Jane took this last photo of me going through the doors to my aircraft.



In Auckland,  after a 6 hour wait, I flew by Air New Zealand to Hong Kong. The wait was too far too long but I couldn’t do much about it as I had taken the last plane out of Palmerston North and the Hong Kong flight flew out at midnight.

I finished my book on the Kindle and got three-quarters the way through the next one. Watched the waiting passengers - a lot of Britishers going home after the rugby series. Eventually I boarded, got settled down and the trip had started.

The End of the Heroic Era-day 3

Sunday 26 March 2017
Sundays programme:
1000  Commemorative Service, St Christopher’s Navy Chapel
1100 Walking tour of the Naval Base; includes US National Science Foundation Antarctic Research Vessel Nathaniel B. Palmer in the historic Calliope Dry Dock 1200  Lunch, Vince McGlone Galley
1250 Introduction
1300  “In Shackleton’s Footsteps, Weddell Sea Party 1914-16” – Dick Reaney 1345 “Scott’s Changing Image” – Lesley McTurk
1420 Afternoon Tea
1440  “In the footsteps of Mortimer & Tim McCarthy, Irish seafaring bothers” –Peter McCarthy
1525 “Scott – a personal reflection” – Dan Asquith
Dog Watch Drinks:
1610 Social gathering, “Wine in the Wardroom”, Officers Mess, HMNZS PHILOMEL
Sunday memorial service at the chapel at HMNZS Philomel at the St. Christopher’s Chapel. The chapel was divided in half with 5 foot screens. One end a conventional church, the other end had a small stage, kitchen and set up for the afternoon session of the conference. After a short me memorial service we headed off on walking tour of the Base.

Lesley McTurk speaking  at the Memorial service with the Chaplain seated.

 

Getting our instructions for the walking tour.

 

During the walking tour of the base we saw the US National Science Foundation Antarctic Research Vessel Nathaniel B. Palmer in the historic Calliope Dry Dock.  A repair facility first built in the late 1800s and still in use today. Although with some mods especially to the doors that keep out the sea.

 

The delegates in front of the Nathaniel B. Palmer  and the dry dock.

The Nathaniel B. Palmer  in the dry dock.

 

We all retired to the mess hall a very good lunch. Sailors are very well catered for these days. I had bacon and egg pie and some excellent chips.

Queuing for lunch in the Vince McGlone Galley

 

After lunch we returned to the chapel and finished the last four papers. One given by the grandson one of Scott's Terra Nova sailors whom I met at Scott Base in 1963 (the grandfather that is .

At the end we had our dog watch drinks. These were going to be in the Officer's Mess but as it was raining so the drinks were brought over to the chapel. Near the end there was only the organising committee and 3 of us who had been in the Antarctic in the early 1960s.

 

The stayers.

 

Then realising we were late for our dinner booking we rushed off to the Dixie Restaurant were another from the 1963 winter party joined us. The evening ended with all of us running (walking fast) through torrential rain.