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Felicity Aston: Conversations with the Sun and Little Men on Mini

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Felicity Aston: Conversations with the Sun and Little Men on Mini FA: Wow—this question has me the Sun as I got out of my tent at the start of during whiteouts. On one of Conversations with the Sun and Little Men on Mini-Triceratops Dinosaurs stumped. I have thought about it long and each day—but this quickly developed into those vacuous days, out from hard. I’m proud of each and every one of talking to the Sun as I skied along. The wor- the disorienting blankness, by Moki Kokoris my expeditions because they have all taken rying part was when the Sun began to talk a small bald-headed so much effort and determination and be- back, in my head. It turned out that the Sun man emerged from elicity Aston is the first woman in Sahara.” As of the printing of lief to pull together. I’m also proud of the was a rather difficult character. I began to his hiding place, the world to cross Antarctica… this publication, along with two books I’ve written—I still get a swell of believe that it was necessary to flatter and evidently alone. two teammates, Gisli Jonsson pride every time I see my name on a spine compliment the Sun, otherwise I risked the disturbed by FOnly two other people had accom- and Manu Palomeque, Fe- in a bookshop. But perhaps what I’m most Sun refusing to turn up the following day! the cavalier plished the same feat before her, both of licity has embarked on a new proud of is the fact that I’ve managed to It is difficult to decide on a single most passerby. No them Norwegian men. It was on January endeavor called the “Pole of make a living out of doing what I love. It precious item—I adored my stove, the noise sooner 22, 2012, that Felicity’s arrival in Hercules Cold: Winter Expedition”—a hasn’t been easy—and it’s still not a given— it makes when you light it, that reassuring was he Inlet brought the 34-year old British ex- three-month, 3,000-kilometer but I’m very proud of myself for not giving roar that tells you that you will be warm in gone plorer’s 59-day, 1,744 kilometer journey to journey that will chase winter up, for fighting to carve out a life for myself a matter of moments—I adored my down a close… a journey during which she expe- across northern Europe and that is unique to me. gilet that I wore nearly all the time and the rienced what she calls “a whole new league into Siberia toward Oymyakon TPT: Did you bring a good luck charm down booties that were so deliciously warm of aloneness.” (population 475) in the Sakha (lucky socks) with you on your trek across as they slid onto my weary feet at the end A candy originally named “Opal Fruits,” Republic of Russia, also known Antarctica? Were there any superstitions that of each day—but above all, perhaps my now known as “Starburst,” was the reward as the Pole of Cold—the cold- developed during your journey? What was most precious items were baby wipes with which Felicity’s parents bribed her up est inhabited place in the your most precious item that you had with and moisturizer. I had a daily ration STON Helvellyn Mountain in England’s Lake Dis- world. The expedition can be A you (not counting your sat-phone connec- of a single baby-wipe that I’d use trict at the age of nine. With that achieve- followed on its dedicated web- ELICITY tion)? to wipe my face free of all the : © F ment (if even tempered by misty rain) began site, http://poleofcold.com/ HOTO FA: Weight is so critical that I am very grease and sweat of the day P her impressive career as an adventurer, cli- While many of Felicity As- Felicity Aston brandishing the national flag of the United Kingdom strict with myself in cutting out all non-es- and to have a very perfunc- mate scientist, physicist, polar explorer, ex- ton’s experiences are described upon her arrival at the Geographic South Pole. sential items, including books, journals, tory wash. It was psychological pedition leader, public speaker and freelance in her books (Call of the White: lucky mascots and treat ... but ... I did wear more than anything else—it made me writer. Taking the World to the South Pole [Sum- thought of taking on the challenge of crossing a stone from New Zealand around my neck feel human again! After receiving a Masters Degree in mersdale, 2011] and Alone in Antarctica Antarctica alone entered your mind? Was it a that has come with me on all my expedi- Applied Meteorology from the Universi- [Summersdale, 2013]) and in many articles childhood dream? tions, a small locket my sister gave me as Ì Looking at the view from her tent on the Antarctic ty of Reading in the UK, Felicity accept- in which she has been featured, The Polar FA: The idea of crossing Antarctica alone I left, and a tiny St. Christopher from my Plateau. (PHOTO: © Felicity Aston) ed the position of Senior Meteorologist Times recently engaged her in a Skype in- has been in my head for so long that I’m not aunt. elicity is often an invited guest speak- with the British Antarctic Survey and terview during which some less common sure when or where it first appeared. Every I certainly developed plenty of supersti- Fer at conferences and corporate func- that another little figure appeared, this one spent three summers and two winters questions were posed for her to answer. We expedition I have put together has been a lit- tions during my journey. Every time I skied tions, and it is during these talks that she riding a tiny Triceratops dinosaur. More consecutively at Rothera Research Sta- are pleased to share portions of the inter- tle more challenging than the last in some away from any place I had camped, I made a lays bare her emotions that are frequently belligerent than the first, the second man tion on Adelaide Island off the Antarctic view here. way, so perhaps it was partly a natural pro- point of pausing to thank aloud the ground interspersed with humorous and entertain- shook his fist in annoyance at Felicity as he Peninsula. As her biography lists: “She gression—combined with curiosity. I want- and the space for looking after me so well. ing anecdotes about her experiences. The galloped off into the blizzard on his bonsai has also raced in the Canadian Arctic, Ì ed to know what it would feel like to be in Perhaps most significantly of all, I developed solo Antarctic crossing not only offered her Late Cretaceous “steed.” Paradoxically, led a team of women across the inland such a place completely alone, to have that a very real relationship with the Sun. It start- a new perspective from which to better un- these scenarios seemed perfectly normal, ice of Greenland, led a record-setting in- TPT: As a young elementary grade school vastness to myself. I was curious to know ed off by simply saying “good morning” to derstand the true definition and nuances even rational in the context of Antarctica’s ternational expedition to the South Pole, student, when asked what you wanted to be how I would react and whether I would or and variations of the term “alone,” but it re- isolation. Situation normal—likely a searched for meteorite craters in Que- when you grew up, what did you say? could cope. vealed the tricks an alone mind can play on reflection of the desire for companionship bec, skied along a frozen river in Sibe- FA: I went to a Roman Catholic school TPT: After the “Alone” expedition, is the its possessor. compounded by the profound level of ria, traversed the winter ice of Lake Bai- and we were taught that nuns were good concept of solitude more or less meaningful As she shares with her audiences, after exhaustion. kal, and completed the infamous Mar- people who helped others. On that basis to you? Did your sense of solitude evolve; in days of seeing a nearly identical landscape, Long after her return home, Felicity athon Des Sables across the Moroccan I decided I was going to be a nun when other words, is it now a friend or foe? and starved of data by the austere would feel a sense of guilt for not conversing I grew up. I soon realized there FA: I have always been very comfort- surroundings and the white noise of the with the Sun on a daily basis, and she ad- was more to it and that I proba- able in my own company, and that hasn’t wind, the brain begins to fill in the gaps mits that on occasion she still gives the Sun bly wasn’t suited. The only other changed—but I think that I now appreci- with hallucinations. In addition to open a quick covert wave to assure it she hasn’t profession I remember ever catch- ate the true meaning of isolation. I know conversations with the Sun, there could be forgotten its steadfast loyalty and protective ing my imagination was seeing how truly terrifying it can be and that it a distinct aroma of freshly baked bread that friendship. wing-walkers at an air show— changes the way we behave. This deeper would accompany her skiing for hours at a As Felicity and her Pole of Cold expedi- P HOTO ladies propped up on the upper understanding hasn’t made me fear being time, or there was a sensation of floating as tion team continue on their journey across CREDIT wing of biplanes doing aerobatics.
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