October 2nd

My first day of the Antarctic adventure. My most-gracious parents drove me to the airport, waited with me and said goodbye, my father's final advice being "don't do anything stupid", which upon reflection, seems to be excellent advice. On the plane to Dallas I met a medical doctor on his way to work in Antarctica doing telecommunications and a mechanic on his 8th trip to the ice.
After waiting long enough to realize a free hotel shuttle wasn't coming, I spent $33 to get a bus ride to the hotel, only later to learn there was indeed a free shuttle. Had a large cheese Papa John's pizza for dinner, called Alex and quickly drifted to sleep.