Day 103: Goodbye Penguin Land!!

Thursday 21st February

Well I made it, my last day in penguin land. All that's left to do is pack, reflect on the last four months, and not miss the air bridge tomorrow morning.

I had a list of things I wanted to see and do while I was down here, and I am pleased that I managed to do pretty much all of them. I've been on four heli trips - to Sealion, Carcass, Volunteer and Bleaker. I was privileged to have a seat on the herc for the Cold Stare trip to South Georgia, and have visited pretty much all the settlements in the east island that I wanted to see. I've been to the bizarre tourist attractions that include having tea and cakes in a lady's front room, visited museums and cemeteries and seen some of the little monuments. I enjoyed escaping the confines many times to Stanley and it's surprisingly good restaurants and uncanny resemblance to British life. We even left our mark at the totem pole. The only thing on the list I didn't do that I really wanted was a flight in the big yellow helicopter. That was a shame, but I have done it before. And also, the Winchman from when james and I had a flight at Chivnor two years ago is here at the moment :) so that's nice.

I've also had some really good times in MPC itself, with its stupidly long corridor that ices over in the winter. I got fully involved in the social side of things here, including formal black tie dinners and fancy dress parties. I've experienced many of the bars at MPC, each with their quirks from the forfeits at Timmy's bar, the drinking games in The World Famous Crab and Sprocket, darts and curries in Brintel, and watching grown men try (and fail!) to get their bums on the ceiling in The Goose. Well done to james who was the nearest anyone came in a long time, and congrats on winning that lunging competition... I'll miss the bad met banter in the Officers Mess bar, and being able to escape it in the Sergeant's. I'll especially miss ordering 8 jägerbombs, 2 gin and tonics, 2 rum and cokes, 3 lagers and then being asked for "four pounds eighty three please." Crazy.

The thing that has made my tour so enjoyable though is the people. We, as a met team, were in a good position in that we get to spend time with lots of different people as our customers here are varied, and good friendships were made with a few different groups. Mostly the SAR and Typhoon guys. Every social gathering of late has included them and I hope the SAR-Met-Typhoon love affair continues once our groups are replaced with the next. As for the met people themselves, I had met a few of them briefly before coming so knew they were a nice bunch. I thought we would have a good time socially, but I didn't expect to make such great friends that I'm sure will be around after all of this is over. Back in August when I was told I had got the job in Exeter, of course I was excited about moving down there and being with James again, but I love my job in defence and had been a little sad and worried if it was the right thing to do. But after meeting my new colleagues down here I know for sure that I am really going to enjoy my new job and am not looking back anymore.

I must say, this detachment has been very different to what I was expecting. I thought I would come here, meet a few crusty old men and a couple of people from ops who I probably wouldn't get on with. I fully intended to use my time just to save, hit the gym, hard, see some penguins and just go to work. Instead I gained half a stone (damage control the past few weeks has put me back where I started though. Thankfully!) made some lovely new friends and have had a thoroughly great experience from start to finish.

Though I'm looking forward to a cup of Yorkshire Tea with real milk.

Goodbye penguin land x