Almost there!

It has been a crazy build up to my travel!

I have been really busy at work, trying to get as much as possible done before I head to Antarctica (but I did have a Christmas present with my Kmar paper being online this week).

A lot has happened in this time: medical exams, blood tests, dental exam, travel arrangements, and even a brief trip back home.

The physical approval part of the course involved VERY thorough medical examinations and I had to drive to Spokane (which is about 90 mins away from here) while fasting to have my blood work done. At least it wasn't snowing yet! I am usually really bad in the mornings, add that to not having my coffee and having to drive for that long while hungry, and that’s a recipe for a grumpy me! Anyway, that’s long gone and I know it’s totally worth it to go to Antarctica.

The other funny part of the physical exams was my visit to the dentist when I ended up having two fillings and a funnily numb mouth. Again, my addiction to coffee had me at the coffee shop (Roost) straight after the dentist, and for my disappointment I could not take the foam out of my lips. But that’s alright, I am resilient and I powered through the coffee and the building foam on my upper lip!

Having been physically approved for the travel was a huge relief and it led to the next step that was travel arrangements. As I expected, travelling from Pullman is not the most usual thing for the agency organizing my travel, and after several calls back and forth I will be leaving from Spokane on the 1st of January!

I am still deciding if I will do something (apart from freaking out a little) on New Year’s Eve, but probably not! Maybe I'll celebrate on Rio time with my family and go to bed at 9PM!

Cheers,

Luana