Who thought "lets go and put lots and lots of GPS stations around Greenland....yeah, that sounds like a good idea!"
It seemed a fine idea at the time. But then, at the time, I didn't have to get up at 4 am... 4am!! To get a taxi to an airfield to then get onto a noisy transport aircraft, to sit in webbing seats (not comfy) to fly to Greenland.
Am I excited?
Oh yes, definitely!
Am I dreading it?
Sort of... I've never been to Greenland, and my last experience in the Arctic was 11 years ago now, which seems like a lifetime.
And that time it rained.
And rained
And rained and rained and rained.
But at least there were no mosquitoes, I have been hearing horror stories about mosquitoes.
And seeing them too, Mosquitoes in Greenland. Looks like fun.
But this really could be a lot of fun. I mean everyone going seems to be a lot of fun. We're going to fun places, both scientifically and just for the sake of experiencing these new places. The science is "big astounding science" and it should really make a difference in... well more about that later when I am not so sleep deprived.
I guess I should introduce myself too.. My name is Mike Willis. I have been doing the bedrock GPS "stuff" about 10 years now. I should be getting a Doctorate in it at some point, if these fun interludes would just stop getting in the way. Anyway, again more about me in later messages.
I am new to this blogging lark and am not sure how it should flow, but I am so tired that I am not going to worry about it too much just now.
Now where was I? Oh yeah, I guess I am just a little worried about the contrasts with Antarctica. It sounds weird, but Antarctica is pretty normal to me now. I go there regularly, I know most of the characters I need to know to get things done. I understand the hoops that everyone needs to jump through and well, I guess I am just familiar with it.
Greenland? No idea. No clue. Not a scooby doo. I don't even have a good handle on what the weather is going to be like. I only know about the bugs...
I guess tomorrow will be a big adventure then! We fly from here, Schenectady, NY to Goose Bay, Labrador in Canada and then up to Kangerlussuaq on the western side of Greenland, about half way up. From there we will split in to three groups. One, will go north, one south and I will go east. Its going to be interesting.