After coming home, we received lots of congratulations for the achievements and encouragements about what we've been through. Personally I was very impressed about young Parker (15 year's old) who did the same thing on his own with his guide Doug. I'm happy to hear that also Doug experienced the conditions we traveled in as exceptional. Disappointed? Slightly, I need to admid this. But for sure happy and blessed to have witnessed the Arctic Ocean in all its aspects!
Parker Liautaud comes home from the expedition to the North Pole
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Friday, April 16, 2010
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Last of everything, now last degree
No more, "we still have to do this, we have to reorganize that", preps done and bed's waiting. Breakfast at 8am, flight at 10 am.
Follow our trip on www.thenorthboundquest.com on homepage for daily updates.
"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself", Franlink Roosevelt
Sweet dreams
Yesterday, the day started with good news: instead of leaving Friday at 4 am, our flight was rescheduled to 2pm. This gave me the opportunity of calling my daughter for her school results. She was soo happy with this news!
After our daily breakfast, we were expected in the warehouse to have the sleds weighted. The average weight is about 45 kilo's, fuel to cook and batteries for filming not included yet. The fuel will be added at Barneo station.
At 2pm, the director of the documentary arrived, and we went picking him up. Short drive to the airport where we say already our little plane that will bring us to the base station. Currently, the base station is located at 89 degrees 32 minutes, meaning that we will be dropped at 89 exact by a helicopter.
In the afternoon, an extra training was scheduled, a walk in the valley, to get used again on pulling the sled on skis. Wind was sharp, the underground was icy both humps of ice and difficult to get grip on it. But, being outside in the valley gave me an intense happy feeling. Breathing in the cold but fresh air provided me with lots of energy .
Shortly after kicking off, I started to suffer from pain in my hand. I lost a couple of times my balance by not being able to put pressure on my left hand. All of a sudden Dixie surpised us. "Hey guys, you now know how to walk, let's put up the tents in this nice windy weather". Good excercise! Ruud and I did pretty will, although the routine is not there yet. But that will come with the practice.
After this excercise, most of us felt extremely cold. No feeling in the fingers, some even experienced pain. But what was comforting was the fact that after 10 minutes of moving, the fingers warmed up.
Back in the lodge I realized I had to have my hand treated. We have the luck to have three doctors in the team, one of them specialized in bones (Doug's a spinal surgeon). Diagnose is clear - same as my doctor in Belgium -, inflamatory artosis, and Doug was willing to go with me to the hospital to give me an injection. After all, it's his specialization and have full confidence. Let's see how that works out.
After our daily breakfast, we were expected in the warehouse to have the sleds weighted. The average weight is about 45 kilo's, fuel to cook and batteries for filming not included yet. The fuel will be added at Barneo station.
At 2pm, the director of the documentary arrived, and we went picking him up. Short drive to the airport where we say already our little plane that will bring us to the base station. Currently, the base station is located at 89 degrees 32 minutes, meaning that we will be dropped at 89 exact by a helicopter.
In the afternoon, an extra training was scheduled, a walk in the valley, to get used again on pulling the sled on skis. Wind was sharp, the underground was icy both humps of ice and difficult to get grip on it. But, being outside in the valley gave me an intense happy feeling. Breathing in the cold but fresh air provided me with lots of energy .
Shortly after kicking off, I started to suffer from pain in my hand. I lost a couple of times my balance by not being able to put pressure on my left hand. All of a sudden Dixie surpised us. "Hey guys, you now know how to walk, let's put up the tents in this nice windy weather". Good excercise! Ruud and I did pretty will, although the routine is not there yet. But that will come with the practice.
After this excercise, most of us felt extremely cold. No feeling in the fingers, some even experienced pain. But what was comforting was the fact that after 10 minutes of moving, the fingers warmed up.
Back in the lodge I realized I had to have my hand treated. We have the luck to have three doctors in the team, one of them specialized in bones (Doug's a spinal surgeon). Diagnose is clear - same as my doctor in Belgium -, inflamatory artosis, and Doug was willing to go with me to the hospital to give me an injection. After all, it's his specialization and have full confidence. Let's see how that works out.
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