Week 43: Isolation in Christchurch

Christchurch, Friday, 23 October 2020

I am currently in quarantine in Christchurch. We arrived on 12 October and are completing our managed isolation which is required by the New Zealand government, which means 14 days of isolation in the hotel room with at least two Covid tests on the 3rd and 12th day. Our group includes people aiming at McMurdo Sund and South Pole. We will either have our ice flight on the 27th or move to another hotel where we wait for the flight (because of the weather and the operational readiness of the C-17 aircraft). I assume that we will initially spend a few days in the hotel. For the flight from McMurdo to the South Pole, 10 November is currently intended. So it will still be a while before we make it to the South Pole. Until then, we will continue to be in isolation. I hope once we are at the McMurdo Station, the situation will improve a little. I've been in isolation with Josh, the second IceCube Winterover, for exactly a month. It's bearable, but being able to do some sport would be nice. Outside the hotel, there is a small parking lot where we can go laps under supervision. The place is very small, but you can take ten thousand steps if you do lots of laps ...

11 October 2020: Arrival in Christchurch, the next quarantine awaits us ...