Tuesday 17 January 2017

Made it!

I made it to the South Pole - the 6th solo woman in world history to do so. So this journey had its challenges and disappointments but more it gave me freedom like no other experience, challenge and a solo journey that extended, confirmed and enhanced who I am.

 

After 46 days you would think that I would be ready to come back inside, but I wasn't, so the last few days were spent dragging my skies, having half days and pigeon skiing until my food ran out. 

 

51 days of solitude has been an amazing experience and although there were times that I craved human contact, realising that I was far more social than I thought and wished I didnt have to ski....  but this gave me the opportunity to contemplate what I want my next chapter or phase in life to be like.

 

Although the biggest disappointment and knock during the journey was finding my fuel canister that held the majority of my fuel wasn't robust enough for the temperatures and sastrigi and thus resulted in the canister splitting and spilling its contents into my sled contaminating serveral days food -at this point the journey automatically became supported and unassisted. I know that above all else, this was the hardest moment of the journey and the point that I had my biggest mental battle in order to carry on. The disappointment was huge -it was at least 35yrs worth of dreaming with a 2 year dedicated focus and preparation, filled with hope and expectation perhaps 'disappointment' is not the correct term. Yes, it was big and yes I felt it to my core. Nonetheless, the process that I took myself on, whilst picking myself up was equally/ probably one of my finest moments of the journey too. Of course, it wasnt the only knock/challenge/bad luck/disappointment of the journey whether before or after, but hey, a smooth ride, plenty of luck wouldnt have given me half the challenge that I had to overcome on this journey and without there certainly wouldn't be a book or after dinner stories to come out of it either. 


In short, this journey had enough to break a person /me.... 


But it didnt. 
 
 
So, as I take a little time to rest and recover ..... I cant help look for my next challenge....... 


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