Time To Go...

"Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;
Or close the wall up with our English dead.

In peace there's nothing so becomes a man as modest stillness and humility:
But when the blast of war blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger;
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favour'd rage;

Then lend the eye a terrible aspect;

Let pry through the portage of the head like the brass cannon;

Let the brow o'erwhelm it as fearfully as doth a galled rock o'erhang and jutty his confounded base,
Swill'd with the wild and wasteful ocean.

Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide.
Hold hard the breath and bend up every spirit to his full height.

On, on, you noblest English.
Whose blood is fet from fathers of war-proof!
Fathers that, like so many Alexanders,
have in these parts from morn till even fought and sheathed their swords for lack of argument:

Dishonour not your mothers;
Now attest that those whom you call'd fathers did beget you.

Be copy now to men of grosser blood,
and teach them how to war.

And you, good yeoman, whose limbs were made in England.
Show us here the mettle of your pasture;
Let us swear that you are worth your breeding;
Which I doubt not;

For there is none of you so mean and base,
That hath not noble lustre in your eyes.

I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,
Straining upon the start.
The game's afoot:

Follow your spirit, and upon this charge
Cry 'God for Harry , England , and Saint George!' "

Henry V - Act III, Scene I.
William Shakespeare, 1599.


Upon the eve of my departure I make no apology for quoting this; the Mother Of All Pre-Battle Speeches.

It is my favourite piece of Shakespeare, and it will ring in my ears as I venture into the unknown.

Tomorrow I head for that stark, beautiful Antarctic wilderness, and I am eager to embrace the challenge.

But my excitement is tempered by my sadness at leaving behind all that I know and love.

This week has seen many hugs, cuddle and tears, plus messages of support and goodwill.
I thank you all, most warmly.

I'm a little bit lost for words right now, so I'll just end with these thoughts:

I don't know what awaits me, but I know that my life, and my lifestyle, will be changed in unimagineable ways.

It seemed that this day would never come, but here it is.

Antarctica beckons...
And I am ready to answer her call...
To run, willingly into her outstretched arms...

I feel it is my destiny to follow in the paths of heroes such as Scott, Shackleton and Fuchs.
But, hold on a minute. I'm not an intrepid Polar explorer really!
I'm just an ordinary bloke, about to do an ordinary job, in a weird place!

My plane leaves tomorrow.


Watch this space....!!!