It's been a while

Well I've finished the first aid, oil spill, food hygine, oil burner and reverse osmosis (turning sea water into drinking water) training.





I have had two days on a field training course in Derbyshire, what great fun! The weather was great for camping, nothing but sunshine, we did lots of activities such as absailing, jurmaring and orienteering. I must admit, I didn't like going over the crag edge! I found it hard to put my trust in a rope but managed to do it four times in the end. Jumaring is climbing back up the rope using mechanical means, I really banged my knees up doing this and used muscles I didn't realize I had.





Back in Cambridge on Wednesday 24th for another course on fire extinguishers, then off to Plymouth for an advanced first aid course on Monday 29th until the Wednesday 1st, should be interesting this time as we are looking at putting in stitches and intravenous drips among other things! Will write more about the course after it has happened.





Here are some of the photo's that I have been promising, they are in no particular order.





Thanks for the comments, NO I have not got cold feet at the moment (thanks Phil). I'm looking forward to the experience. Keep up the comments as I look forward to reading them.

Camping in Derbyshire

Girton College end of Conference doo!

First Aid training.

Field training in Derbyshire.

the next chapter

11/09/08


Well what can I say it’s been a busy two days. On Wednesday 10th we started with a look at the culture of the company, discussing what could happen and how to deal with certain situations. This was followed with more seminars. The Artists in the Artists and Writers Programme by far carried out the best seminar of the conference. I also found the inspirational moments very interesting as it showed other peoples perspective on life down south.

The seminars finished at lunchtime and then the training started. My first course was Fire extinguisher training, not a bad course but one that I have done before. I did get to play with the extinguishers though!

In the evening we had a BBQ followed by a Ceilidh (Scottish Dancing). All in it was a very good night and I got some good photos which I hope to add at some point.

Today we started first aid training which was quite intense, but I guess it has to be for the environment that we are going to work in. It’s a pity that we don’t receive a certificate for completing the course. We also gave blood so that they could find out our blood group.

I’ve got more first aid training for the next couple of days and then oil spill training which I’m looking forward to.
Hope to get the photos on soon!

first day

Tuesday 9^th September 2008

Where do I start? I suppose at the beginning, leaving home on the Sunday 7^th September to attend the Antarctic conference in Cambridge.

It took me about 2.5 hours to get to Cambridge, I had a good run and found the conference centre first time which was a surprise thought I might get lost! On arrival I checked in and got issued my room for the next 10 days, which was nice, spacious and had it own piano in (pity I don’t know how to play the thing).

After getting my room I was off to the Antarctic offices in Cambridge to check my kit bag. I had to try everything on to make sure it fitted, as I would be wearing these for the next 5 months on base. (Good job they all fitted).

Once I got back I had about an hour of free time before the conference started. I spent the time familiarising myself with the centre, calling loved ones and meeting some of the other people going south.

At the start it was just a welcome and a talk about the company. After dinner I meet some of the personal going to the same base as me. This meeting was also about the base and its surrounding area.

On the Monday it was a hectic day starting at 7:30 for breakfast, followed by seminars all morning. After lunch we had a base discussion followed by an overview of the sciences that are being carried out, before finishing with a talk on biological sciences, technology and engineering.

All in all it was a hectic but very informative day.

On Tuesday it carried on with more of the same, covering health and safety issues and talks about the two other sciences being carried out on base, geological science and physical science. I got issued with my training programme and departure date leaving me with three weeks rest before I actually leave to go south! Whoopee!!! I hope to add some photos of the conference centre but at a later date.