We are battening down the hatches for a significant storm, with winds expected 40 to 50 knots. The day was spent preparing and ensuring that tents are secure and nothing is loose.

It was hard to imagine this morning that a storm would be moving in, as it was a spectacular day – about – 2 and sunny with not a cloud in the sky. The staff have been amazing keeping us informed of all the updates. At present, there is no further news on the Ilyushin.

The afternoon was spent playing Union Glacier Olympics. They divided the expedition crew and some of the staff to make eight teams.

The events were largely puzzle-oriented with a twist and a sense of humour – e.g. wag bag tossing – all in all, a real riot.

We also had six-legged ski races. There were six events in all, capped off by a sled race, where two of the tram members were in the sled and two were either pulling or pushing the sled through the course. Truthfully, it was a brilliant way to spend three hours – filled with much laughter and a release of tension. There was also a four-on-four pick up soccer game (Diego scored). Finally, there was a podium presentation for the winners. My team came last.

We will wait out the storm and should have news about 1 p.m. tomorrow re repairs on the Ilyushin. If it is good to fly, then the next issue will be a weather window.

Thanks for sticking with us and we’ll try to continue to keep you updated.