“Some of the last great untamed expanses…”
Published on 04.01.2010 - General Info
41 days already out on the ice, and counting. And as they go, the trio appears to be appreciating more and more the fact that they have embarked on a truly amazing adventure. Having said that they are also quite happy about the fact they are gradually nearing the Pole.
Larsen takes up the story: "In his book 'The Snow Leopard', the American writer Peter Mathiessen, (who also worked on the documentary 'Blue Water, White Death', the inspiration for Peter Benchley's famous 'Jaws') meets a Buddhist monk who is forced to stay in his monastery because he has become blind and is also now unable to walk. The author asks this monk: doesn't it frustrate you too much that you can't move from here? The holy man immediately answers: no, I like my monastery so much, I could never leave it..." Hence the reference to their adventure in the Antarctic: "That is exactly like our adventure," writes Larsen. "Although of course, unlike the monk, we chose to be here. But while the Pole is getting closer all the time and there will certainly still be difficulties ahead of us, it seems as though we are enjoying them more with each passing day. The mere fact of saying that we are travelling through some of the last great untamed expanses on our planet is exhilarating in itself."
While they are wondering what lessons they will take home from this adventure, the three men continue to make steady progress towards the Pole. And while others may be excited about the fact they are now so close to their goal, the men still have to contend with the cold, poor ice conditions and sastruggis. They believe that they should reach the South Pole on 2nd or 3rd January. But thus far, we have received no fresh news from the expedition.
