How did the conditions in the North Pole compare to other expeditions you’ve done?
The temperature was immensely cold. It was minus 50 degrees! That has a crazy effect on the body too. You have to stay focused because your mind slows down so much and your speech is slurred. But you become comfortable in it. It’s like a huge playground – an extremely hazardous playground, but a playground nevertheless! What is the coolest thing you’ve ever seen? In the South Pole there are these things called sundogs. You’ll have mirrored suns in the sky so sometimes they’ll be three or even four suns. They have these lovely rings and halos around them. No polar bears as of yet, but hopefully next time. Is it scary being alone? No, honestly there are just so many things to think about and keep track of when you’re in such extreme conditions that you don’t really have time to be scared. I’m thinking: am I too cold, do I need to put on a hat, do I need to stop and take a drink of water? I listen to a lot of audio books on my iPodwhen I’m out there too. You just have to strike fear out o
