This week at Mawson: 10 July 2025

To say that you get to know your co-expeditioners well during a stay in Antarctica is the understatement of the year…

In no particular order, below are some of the things you end up knowing (and sometimes wish you didn’t):

1. Whose beard grows faster than their hair;
2. Who, after 6 months on station, still hasn’t learnt how to close a door quietly (not for lack of practice);
3. Who is a morning bird and who a night owl;
4. Who goes to the gym regularly;
5. Who talks about going to the gym;
6. Who likes vegemite. A lot;
7. Who is competitive at darts. At pool. At table tennis. At crossword puzzles. In short, who is competitive;
8. Who is chatty. Too chatty??!
9. How many coffees it takes to wake someone up. And the utter chaos caused when talks of a shortage of beans are brought up;
10. People’s cheekiness levels;
11. People’s tolerance to above-mentioned cheekiness levels. Hint: it goes down with the amount of light…
12. How many km have been clocked on fancy stationary bikes brought all the way from Oz; and how many bikes have not seen much action (see #5 above);
13. What people are going to do and buy when they get back home;
14. Who will share a dessert with you (even if you will have a second half later cos’ it’s SO yummy);
15. Who’s good at photography and can guide you through all the settings for the PERFECT aurora picture;
16. Who disagrees heartily and recommends completely different settings. And finally gives up and offers their own awesome photos instead of your blurry, uninspired attempts at capturing the indescribable beauty of the Dragon’s Breath;
17. How much camouflage gear one person can own (answer: there are NO limits. Yes, even pyjamas);
18. Who regularly loses AAD-provided insert here: [beanie/neck warmer/gloves/sunnies/radio/etc];
19. The number of beverages it takes for someone to become a karaoke (self-proclaimed) legend. Who will hog the mic at parties, and never let go;
20. And finally, who will be there for you if you’re ever in real trouble. That one is easy to answer, I reckon EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM.

Thanks team, couldn’t have picked a better bunch to do time in the most awesome jail ever! Here is to another 9 months together!