Enroute to Antarctica we pick up our Antarctic field clothing and then we stay at the Windsor Hotel on Armagh Street in Christchurch until our departure. (McLeod)

The Antarctic “departure gate” at the International Antarctic Centre. We travel South in our ECWs. (McLeod)

We travel South on US military aircraft or NZ Airforce Hercules aircraft. This is an LC130 on the tarmac at Christchurch airport. (McLeod)

On board a US Starlifter, packed in like sardines. (McLeod)

If we are lucky the plane is less packed and we have room to move around. (McLeod)

As we get closer to Antarctica blocks of sea ice come into view. (McLeod)

We then fly across Antarctica and can see mountains (nunataks) protruding above the ice. (McLeod)

On the ground at the ice airfield off Ross Island. (McLeod)

Our transport to Scott Base. (Aislabie)

Flags mark the road from the airfield to Ross Island. Mt Erebus is visible in the background. (McLeod)

View of Scott Base from the air. (McLeod)

Scott base mess at Christmas time. (McLeod)

Helicopter loaded up and ready to take us out in the field. (McLeod)

Refuelling at Marble Point enroute to the Dry Valleys. (Balks)

Camping in tents at Marble Point, ideally on snow patches to minimise impacts on soil. (Balks)

Alternatively we camp on sites where others have camped previously. Polar tents in Wright Valley. (McLeod)

Tent kitchen set up in a polar tent. (McLeod)

Field toilet at Marble Point with ice blocks to protect from the wind at other times we set it down behind large rocks. (Balks)

Field activities include: walking to determine the lay of the land. (McLeod)

Digging soil pits. (Balks)

Determining soil texture. (Balks)

Measuring soil bulk density. (Balks)

Soil sampling. (McLeod)

Writing description of the soils. (McLeod)

Sometimes we have company. (Balks)

Determining soil vulnerability to human activity. (Balks)

Processing soil data in the evening. (Balks)

Downloading climate stations which monitor soil and atmospheric conditions (e.g. temperature, moisture, wind speed and direction, humidity). (Balks)

Drilling 20-m boreholes for installation of instruments for measuring permafrost temperature and stability. (Balks)

We head home as we arrived - by helicopter to Scott Base. (McLeod)

From Scott Base to Christchurch by Terra bus and US military aircraft. (McLeod)

..and more nunataks enroute. (McLeod)