How does one pack for a year at the South Pole? Since there is little opportunity to get anything while there, you have to bring everything with you. And then you start to wonder, what does a year’s supply of shampoo look like? Of toothpaste? While it would be nice to bring an entire moving truck with all of your possessions, you only get a baggage allowance of 85lbs (though this year they are letting Polies bring an extra 15lbs bringing my weight allowance up to 100lbs). I tried to balance my packing between practical things and (theoretically) frivolous things, all work and no play is dull right?
There’s a year’s supply of toiletries (including LOTS of lotion because it’s so dry) and vitamins (Vitamin D for the sun-less winter!), (probably too many) clothes (with fuzzy socks, plenty of thermal base layers, and a swimsuit for the sauna), towels and sheets (I figure you send a third of your time in bed so it is worth it to be comfy), indoor shoes (outdoor shoes are included with the issued Extreme Cold Weather gear), snacks to get me through the year (peanut butter!), twinkle lights and decorations for my room (three sets of twinkle lights isn’t overkill, right?), electronics (laptop, iPad, Kindle, external hard drives with tv shows and movies, camera), around 10 sets of dice (you can never have to many dice!), humidifier (did I mention how dry is it?), and So. Much. Yarn. (I have so many projects planned for the year!)
In all honesty I probably brought too much of some things and not enough of some others. It simultaneously feels like too much and not nearly enough. Though I suppose maybe it could be just right, I guess only time will tell.