With plans to depart for the South Pole tomorrow around noon GMT, the team spent today visiting a glacier and some mountains 20 miles away from the Oasis. It took two hours to get there in the special vehicles but it was well worth the trip, with beautiful scenery and long hike including a 750 ft. ascent of a mountain.
When the team returned they enjoyed a long visit to the banya. The banya is quite impressive, especially for being at an Antarctic base. It measures approximately 15 ft. by 20 ft. with a separate dressing room and tea room.The basecamp manager, Vladamir, is a very gregarious and charismatic person who also happens to be a banya enthusiast (to say the least). This is, for all purposes, HIS banya, and he claims the title "Banya Sheriff". To demonstrate his banya authority he has a gun and a hat hanging on the front door of the banya.
Charles has a Finnish background and is a long-time enthusiast of the sauna. The sauna produces a "dry heat", while the Russian banya is based on a "wet heat". While in the banya this evening Charles suggested raising the temperature by 10 degrees. nyet!" This sparked discussion of a contest to see who can handle the hotter banya. We'll keep you posted.... and we'll try to post some pictures as well.
Hopefully the flight to the South Pole will depart tomorrow mid day. Check back tomorrow for another update from the ice!
