Only A Week Left
Published on 18.01.2008 - Interchange Shakleton South Pole Expedition 2007
If nothing goes wrong, the members of the Interchange Shackleton South Pole Expedition should be arriving at the pole in approximately one week's time.
Richard and Doug have just crossed Degree 88. Proof that despite the unfavourable conditions (the wind is blowing incessantly and the sastrugis are ever-present), they're making good progress. It should be said that they are subject to the same constraints as the young Optical Express people, Cameron Hudson and John Huston: they have to arrive at the Amundsen Scott Station before 25 January. For more than a week, they've been progressing at a rate of just some thirty-odd kilometres per day. And up to now (10 January) they've covered 879 km in all.
Some information that has lifted their spirits: they have just received, via the satellite, news of their friend James Fox who had had to be evacuated (see our update). Back home, James had had to rest and to stay in bed but he was now much better. His doctor had diagnosed simple altitude sickness. He's in the process of recovering 20% of the weight that he lost when he was struggling away on the Antarctic icecap.
