subject: The Icy Kingdom Of The King Penguin [print this page] Of all the sights he has seen visiting all seven continents, this gentleman remembers the sight of the sun rising over the Antarctica plains the most. It was a moment in his life when he thought of God. The 53 year old from Texas explained that he felt God was there. The chance to see this large landmass made of nothing but volcanic ash and ice is something very few have ever enjoyed.
A hodgepodge of huts and concrete building, McMurdo station would be passed by most visitors to this area. This old military outpost, resembling a Western mining, is now administered and funded by the National Science Foundation.
Activities in this place are limited to card playing, working, and drinking. You would need to be fit and have thick layered clothes especially designed for polar areas to be able to stand the freezing temperatures outside. He appreciated the beauty of his surroundings despite the long hours of work in tracking satellites. The month of May is something he anticipates, as this is the time where he gets to enjoy four hour sunsets over the Royal Society Mountains.
Seeing the names of the 1908 Shackleton expedition members was one experience he cannot also forget. The men at McMurdo will forever remain in his memory, he says. Interesting biographies and first name relationships were among his experiences with them.
The terrain, no matter how threatening conditions may be, doesn't scare him. A 47 year old British civil employee did not also fear Antarctica and is known to have spent thousands of dollars to see the penguin breeding grounds. She said penguins are animals that have always fascinated her. Since I was a child, they had always been my favorites at the zoo. They are like small people. I think the word to describe is not cute, but attractive.
Glued to her memory is a scene from her trip to Antarctica. It was seeing a multitude of King Penguins gathering along the shores of a bay. It was an extraordinary scene, she says in describing it. You don't need to be given a pilot's license or an academic grant to be able to be in the Ice.
Those who don't like to join the modern day version of the Foreign Legion may consider doing something else. Ships from New Zealand charge around $3,000 for a trip to the continent. Taking a flight to the South Pole would be pricy. It's for anyone who wants to have an adventure and has lots of money to spend.
