Not a lot of new concrete information, but it's looking like my redeployment date from the ice will be right around March first. Of course, that's highly subject to change and I could just as easily be heading back a week before I was originally supposed to (2/25.) The big issues right now are that the fuel tanker and cargo ship still haven't been able to make it into McMurdo (by now the tanker should have been offloaded and the cargo ship should have been getting just about done) because the icebreaker has a broken prop. Sounds like the breaker should be fixed by the end of the week, then either the cargo ship or the tanker will follow (the ordering seems to change about every 2 days.)

Been looking through travel books, talking with people who've been 'there,' daydreaming, etc. Not sure how much bike touring I'll be doing in the first part of the adventure, the current plan seems to be leaning towards backpacking/riding busses/hithhiking/working on farms and such. Also thinking about hopping over to Austrailia for a little bit before heading back to the states. With the way that my travel stuff works, I should be able to reticket to go through Sydney on the way back for something on the order of $30, so might as well do that and at least spend a few days in a different country. One of my good friends from work highly recommends going there and working out a way to get to the interior of the country for a little bit. Sounds a little more desert-y than my tastes usually swing, but I suppose there's a first time for everything!

Either way, it's going to be good times. Can't wait to see some new places!