Antarctica, Here We Come...Sort of.




Saturday turned out to be a rainy, cold day so we opted for an inside adventure. Jonny suggested the International Antarctic Center and we had a great time! Here are a few fun facts we learned while we were there:
1. Christchurch is only 2,377 miles (3825 km) from Antarctica
2. Emperor penguins are the tallest penguin and can grow as tall as Paige (around 4 feet tall)
3. Human hair can grow up to twice as fast in Antarctica
4. Winds can blow up to 180 km/hour (you do the conversion)
5. Antarctica is the coldest place on Earth and can reach temperatures of -89 degrees celsius
6. The first sighting of land in Antarctica was not until 1820
7. Since there is no government or one country that owns Antarctica, you do not need a passport to visit
8. There are actually 3 different South Poles--the ceremonial, geographical, and magnetic; the magnetic South Pole is actually out in the ocean somewhere
9. Only $15000 will get you a nice cruise to Antarctica

We went in a room that simulated the conditions when it is dark (which is 4 months out of the year) and extremely windy and they took the temperature down to -18 degrees. It was a very memorable experience. The site that this museum is on is actually the airport and preparation center that all the trips to Antarctica leave from. For any more information, you can go to www.iceberg.co.nz.