Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
reasonably new, and the trucks are in good condition. This is great for
me, because there are no detached vehicle parts or busted tyres lying
on the road ready to trip me up when I run in the dark.
december 20
With Karl Stefanovic taking his Christmas break (crewing on a yacht
in the Sydney to Hobart classic—some break!), Michael Usher inter-
viewed me for Channel Nine today. There was a chance there would
be a live cross on Christmas Day, but this has turned out to be impos-
sible, so we sent our Christmas message today to all those who have
followed and supported us since the North Pole.
I am having trouble getting my skis for the South Pole. Apparently
they are held up in customs in Santiago. I can't be preoccupied with
this stuff; I still have to do all the kilometres. It is frustrating leaving
these things to my crew to sort out, though, and then hearing from
them the tales of bureaucracy and red tape. I have asked Bernie to ask
the Austrade representative in Santiago to get to the bottom of the
problem.
The scenery got better and better today. It was a clear, sunny day,
and we were surrounded by fields of canola and maze, with their con-
trasting colours of yellow and green. We had clear views of the Andes,
with snow on the tops of the mountains.
Brooke and Dillon made me their trademark plate of pancakes
with bananas and strawberries to pump me up at the 50-kilometre
mark, and it worked a treat. Food is so important to me, not just
because I need the energy but because it stimulates my brain and gives
me something else to think about. Those pancakes took my mind back
to breakfast in bed on Father's Day, at home in Australia—I'm looking
forward to being at home for the next one.
december 21
Today I started at five in the morning and finished at five in the eve-
ning, early for me. What a spectacular day: clear blue skies, 35 degrees,
ever-present snow-capped Andes views, and the great news that my
skis have been released from customs and a courier is speeding them
to me on the road, in plenty of time for the Antarctic. This is a great
