Fresh fruit! hot shower!

Excitement! We are sitting down to Rick's special curry feast and I am
in the shop titivating when I hear a stampede to the front door - the
radio has spoken for the first time! and Antarctic Dream (who we were
expecting, hoping, would arrive tomorrow morning) is just anchoring in
the bay. We all rush out to look for her - we have been invited on board
for a shower and drink! Wonderful, ecstatic news! Finish eating, quick
wash up dishes, flapping around packing all that we will need, T-shirts
instead of thermals, shampoo, clean socks if I can find any. It is
snowing hard outside, we can't see anything but can hear the hum of
their generator, and the buzz of the approaching zodiac. We have
struggled into our immersion suits for the first time! I love them! they
are super snug with wellies attached to trousers, waterproof full length
zips, neoprene cuffs and hood - and metal hoops at the chest for lifting
us out of the water ....
And a quick hot shower, and up into the bar for presentation to the
viewing public - going to have to get used to being the focus of much
questioning - it's not so different to working at Black Sail really! My
first Pisco Sour, and the passengers present us with a couple of apples
and oranges each. We have many promises of bringing over bacon
sandwiches in the morning! Back to our little hut, bed at midnight after
a cuppa.

The next day, up quickly, no porridge in bed, our first shop. Surprising
how tiring it is on the brain - my adding up is getting noticeably
quicker fortunately. The whirlwind is over and they leave. A quick
lunch, cash up, Tudor and Rachel wrestle with boxes in the boat shed to
get the stock necessary for refilling the shelves. Then at about 3pm we
have National Geographic Endeavour on the horizon. The weather has
deteriorated significanltly - we wonder whether they will try to land
passengers at all. We have done our best to cut good steps in the snow
but the windy is gusty and strong. They make it ashore and we have
another busy couple of hours in the shop. Just beginning to cash up at
6pm, and think about restocking - we may have another ship first thing
in the morning - when the message comes to drop everything and pack
..... we are invited over for dinner and another shower!! Don't even
feel like I need another one for a couple of weeks now. So off we go -
the ride out there is very rough and bumpy, but soon we are in the warm
in someone's cabin, lent to us for showering. A wonderful meal, chats
and drinks, we see the Kapitan Klebnikov going backwards and forwards
through the window, sitting out the storm, we wonder if it will head off
or come in tomorrow to pick up Tudor and take him home as planned. The
weather gets wilder, I'm a bit worried about getting back, and quite
surprised that we came on board at all. But we are staying, the decision
has been made that it would be foolish to go out. A bit of reshuffling
and we are found beds in various cabins. I am the only one who has
brought their toothbrush! But no toothpaste so borrow some from my room
mate. Rachel and I stay up til past midnight exploring the ship and
visitng the bridge.

I am writing this a few days later - we have another ship due in soon,
got to go and tidy up. Thanks for the messages I have had from everyone
- sorry I am not able to spend the time replying individually - it's
been great to hear from home though. Missing my bike a bit! and a pint
of decent warm beer - most drinks are well chilled here! The penguins
have jsut started laying eggs - they have done an amazing job of melting
the snow back to bare rock for nesting on, by pooing on it and then
lying down, they are getting so filthy! It's great fun to see them
stealing pebbles from each other and beating each other up with their
wings, which creates a tremendous slapping sound as they go tumbling
down the snow in a whirl.

Right then, that's it for now, will complete the exciting Endeavour tale
soon! Byee