Ice, White & Blue

Redhead Amok in Antarctica

Ruby & Me & Brad Make Three

I know, I know, I said I wanted to be alone.

My roomie, Brad, showed up last night at my backpackers, having just decanted from the cold place into green, humidity and darkness at night. I was so glad to see him, on impulse, I invited him to join me today when I got on the road south. We made such good roommates, I figure we'll be good travelling companions too. It saves on petrol costs. He's got no plans or intentions for travelling, so it fits with my wander south and check out whatever looks good mode. He's all geared up, so I don't need to take care of him.

I missed him. He's good company. And he doesn't take up a lot of space, mentally, like so many people do. He doesn't exhaust me.

I've told him if it gets too much I reserve the right to get rid of him through means less than murderous. He says he's fine with buses and trains.

Ruby is looking a tad dusty but sounds and feels healthier than I do. I still cough like I'm dying of emphysema, sniffle like the start of a bad head cold, but I am not made faint at the two block walk to the PO at this point. I'm quite well, this my 3rd day out of bed. Will fill 'er up with petrol, and be on my (our) way in a few hours.

I'm thinking Moeraki Boulders, Nugget Point, Balclutha, Stewart Island, Rob Roy Glacier...what do you think?

posted by: coldwish at 12:16 | link | comments (1) |
nz 2008

Ruby's On The Road Again

I, however, am not.

It is perhaps a good sign when the sound of one's cough shifts from that of a hacking up a wet sponge to the dry rattle of a seed pod. Right? At least I'm well beyond the cough so hard I vomit stage, or the break into a feverish sweat just upon blowing my nose.

Really, I am so much better today. But it's been a long sick. Too long and too expensive. Ruby is well again, however. She has had her transmission fixed and is on the way to me in Christchurch. I expect to be on the road with Ruby, iPod plugged in and blaring music, wind in my hair, all 4 windows down. South.

Just south, with vague ideas of when and where to stop. I need to be away from Christchurch. There are too many Ice People decanting into this city, and I need to flee before the last flight arrives on Saturday.

I just need to.

posted by: coldwish at 15:44 | link | comments (1) |
nz 2008

Oh Crud

I am still sick in Christchurch.

Ruby is sick with transmission troubles on her way here.

At this point, I'm glad she's been delayed, because I am so fucking miserable I wouldn't want to be responsible for parking/driving a car in Christchurch with the whopping crud I have. Lungs rattle and pain me something fierce when I cough. My sore throat has just faded, thank goodness. But the sinuses have jumped on board and I am achy and drippy.

Meanwhile Ruby is having her engine dropped out in some gorgeous small town in NZ to find out why the hell she's leaking transmission fluid.

I wish I could afford a mechanic to drop my lungs out and figure out why they are tight and paining me.

posted by: coldwish at 09:49 | link | comments (2) |
nz 2008

Antarctic Export

I have made it safely to Christchurch, NZ.

I got goosed again by the dog at customs, sniffing for imported food items. But that's not what I managed to export from Antarctica. I brought one very nasty case of the crud with me. The morning of my flight off-Ice I went to medical with a sore throat and the start of a productive achy cough. By the time I got to the plane at Pegasus my lungs were burning from the cold air and I was short of breath, even with the generic Claritin and Robitussin the doc gave me. By the time I hit the backpackers (I prefer Thomas's on Hereford, 03-379-9536) in Chch, I folded myself gently into the humidity as heavy as whipped egg whites, but it was too late to save me. I am sick. The warm air makes a huge difference to my breathing, and soothes my dry throat, but still I am sick. On my own dime.

Ruby, my Subaru Legacy I bought last year, will be arriving at the end of this week. I will spend the time until she arrives sick in bed, crawling out of it occasionally to do chores at the CDC (Clothing Distribution Centre of the US Antarctic Program out at Christchurch Airport). There I will sort through all the Ice crap I hauled off Ice (4 seasons worth of stuff) and the camping gear I had mailed to myself to await my redeployment from the Ice, see where I have duplicates and lacunae and make educated guesses as to what I can mail home while I still have access to the subsidized military mail system (APO address) and what I may need in the next few months in NZ.

Once I am shed of that and Ruby and I are reunited, I am outa heah! South. No destination, no goal, no deadline, no scheduled mealtimes, no need to eat if I don't want to, stopping off on the side of the road somewhere to sleep.

I feel a desperate need to shed the ties that bind, slip away from the bonds of people who know me, and slide into solitude again.

posted by: coldwish at 16:54 | link | comments (2) |
nz 2008

Act IV Scene V: Exit Genevieve, Stage Left

I'm off-Ice as of Monday, February 11th, and can I just say...

PHEW!!!

It's been a harsh season and I'm ready to be shut of it.

New Zealand, ready or not here I come. Gird your loins. I'm quite a bit rough-edged at this point and humidity, greenery, Kiwi friendliness and generosity may not be sufficient to pull me out of this one.

I'm seriously contemplating a year off or not coming back at all. Perhaps a few months driving Ruby around the South Island will soothe me back to shape, perhaps not.

posted by: coldwish at 12:27 | link | comments (4) |
fuels 2007-08, nz 2008