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Nine months later this Arctic trip is no longer an embryo and is finally happening. I was awarded an UltraFeedback Earthwatch Fellowship back in December 2007 by a Melbourne based company doing research in primarily medical areas. So many friends have asked me "how was your trip to the Arctic" to which I reply, "I don't leave until October. Well I'm now in the air and I guess flying over part of Australia. It has been a very hectic past few months with trying to pay in advance for beds in Winnipeg and Churchill as part of the connections to my final destination, the research station called the Churchill Northern Studies Centre (CNSC) on the shore of Hudson Bay just below the Arctic Circle.
I scored a window seat on the Boeing 777 with two empty seats next to me. I had to check twice that I was in economy class as each seat is equipped with lap top power via a universal plug as well as USB power. How lucky am I. Max's Polar Bear was right at home and posed for several photographs on his own seat next to me as well as looking out the window. My fortune had to improve after the thorough screening I received by airport security as I passed through immigration and customs. My day pack was scanned twice. Next was the TRS (travellers refund scheme) where the very helpful lady suggested I should not just settle for the GST refund on items on the receipt I produced. I should go through my wallet and look for other receipts that may also be applicable. Unfortunately I had cleaned out my wallet yesterday. On leaving the TRS desk I was intercepted by two different airport security officers and checked for bomb residue using an electronic sniffer (theres a Chemistry lesson in there somewhere). They handed my a booklet outlining my rights and a summary in 6 languages on a laminated card. As I didn't have a huge amount of time to spare, I declined my rights to read the booklet and asked them to get on with the full body search. They electronically sniffed my fingers and palms of both hands then under my armpits. I was very relieved that I had showered at 5am this morning. Next was a sniff of the outside and inside of my day pack. I passed! I was very relieved that I hadn't made touch powder for my year 12 Chemistry class a few days earlier as requested for their farewell party. Don't know how I would have explained that one to the very serious security officers.
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