documenting

I have a heap of arrival and departure cards to fill out on this grand trip I am taking. The first of which was an arrival card for New Zealand. Because Antarctica is not a country and we are technically carry a visitor's visa for New Zealand while we are in Antarctica, these cards can be a bit of a guessing game; but most people at customs know what we mean.

There are a few lines on the card that are very simple to fill out. In fact, they more-or-less capitalize on the things in Antarctica that we cannot do or see or enjoy; hiking, tramping, visiting a far, and such.

I have a lot of writing on my own to catch up on too. My journal pages this winter were a bit sparse, so I spent an hour at my favorite coffee shop, The Coffee House, in Christchurch the morning after I arrived to document my travels and experiences over coffee and a "morning glory muffin" which strangely tasted like the most wonderful carrot cake I have had (look out Mary Sikkenga)! The coffee pictured above is called "thunder thighs." You can see why it tastes so good and warrants the name. My favorite part is quite likely the sweet New Zealand marshmallows on the side! I also indulged in a Belgian Coffee in honor of my friend, Lucas, who also enjoys this little shop.