A Strathspey merry Christmas – from Antarctica!
"Day 39 Merry Christmas!" reports Ben Weber, on his epic solo trek to the South Pole.
"December 25, 2022 and the Carrbridge man is dwelling on happy memories.
"I always think about my mother a lot around Christmas. I am the last of seven kids and she would make these most amazing Christmas dinners for us all together with friends and extended family up in our house in the Orkneys. No idea how she managed everything!! No idea how she coped with us all either! Haha!
"For the last few years since leaving India, I have celebrated Christmas with one of my sisters, Sigrid, and her family. It’s always a massive amount of fun putting up the Christmas trees, playing Mario Kart on the Wii, feeding the Christmas cake with brandy, and of course plenty of movies!
"Like my mum, Sigrid is an amazing cook. There have often been around 10 of us at her house over this period, and again I have no idea how she manages!
"This year almost all of the family will be going over to her place – I think on Boxing Day there will be around 15 siblings, partners, nieces and nephews! Definitely strange not being there and I miss them.
"Have persuaded Sigrid to have a second Christmas once I am back!!! Good incentive for me to speed up and get the distance in!!
"Instead, here… same old, same old! More skiing, more cold, and I have just finished the advent calendar!
"Ah well, I managed 31km today (Christmas Eve here) and hopefully will get some more good mileage in tomorrow.
"The conditions are still perfect, just the odd big sastrugi patch and some climbs are steeper than others, but it’s all good. The route profile shows a steady climb getting steeper in around 20km or so. A little bit of cramp in the leg as I lie here writing this. The neck and shoulder still have a lot of improvement to do, but I have been feeling less uncomfortable as I travel, which is nice!
"Merry Christmas to you all. I hope that you have a wonderful day wherever you are in the world, and enjoy being with your friends, family and loved ones!
"All my best wishes."
Ben is raising funds for the fight against the cancer which took his mother, Marion .
He can be followed and supported here
