Antarctica, a continent more than 10,000 kilometers away from Xiamen. In the eyes of many, Antarctica lies at the “bottom of the Earth,” filled with purity, remoteness, and mystery.
On that intriguing expanse of white land, there are no crops or vegetable markets—what do researchers there eat? How do people keep warm in an environment dozens of degrees below zero? On a continent that is home to penguins, what forms of entertainment do humans engage in?
Yesterday, Antarctica welcomed the day of the year with the midnight sun. Hou Bin, a Paralympic champion who had just returned from Antarctica, shared his experiences on the icy continent with reporters, unveiling its mysteries.
You Need a Pair of Snow Boots
After successfully conquering the North Pole in July this year, Hou Bin climbed to the South Pole on the 15th of last month and spent six days there, becoming the world’s first Paralympic champion to conquer both the South and North Poles.
“Not even a single melon seed can be brought to Antarctica.” What left a deep impression on Hou Bin during this trip was how the scientific researchers there cleaned off dust and bacteria from their bodies using machines before setting foot on Antarctica, to avoid bringing any pollutants to that pristine land.
Starting from November, the Southern Hemisphere enters summer, but Antarctica remains covered in ice and snow. Hou Bin said that walking in Antarctica is completely different from walking in Xiamen—you definitely can’t just step out in a pair of slippers.
“To walk in Antarctica, you need a pair of snow boots,” Hou Bin said. Although it’s summer in Antarctica, many areas have very thick snow, and without snow boots, it’s simply impossible to walk—the moment your foot steps onto the snow, it sinks over half a meter deep.
The snow boots Hou Bin mentioned are not the same as the ones many people see in the north. The snow boots in Antarctica are like ski boards, except the middle part is hollowed out, and the bottom is specially treated. These boots increase the contact area between the sole and the snow, preventing people from sinking too deeply while still allowing them to walk.
Hou Bin said it was thanks to these snow boots that he managed to climb to the snowy peak of Antarctica after six hours of one-legged climbing. Because he was climbing with one leg, it took him twice as long as others.
All Vegetables Are Frozen
During this trip to Antarctica, Hou Bin also visited the Great Wall Station, China’s research base in Antarctica, with the expedition team.
“You can eat vegetables in Antarctica, but they’re all frozen,” Hou Bin said. Supplies in Antarctica are very scarce, with only two resupply missions per year, usually during the months when the Southern Hemisphere is in summer.
At the Great Wall Station, Hou Bin learned that supplies are delivered once a year by the “Xue Long” (Snow Dragon) ship. There is more meat than vegetables, and aside from potatoes and zucchini, the only other vegetables are dehydrated ones. Additionally, some supplies are flown in from Chile. But supply deliveries usually occur between November each year and March or April of the following year.
Therefore, dehydrated vegetables and canned vegetables become the main sources of vitamins for the scientific staff at the Great Wall Station. Although there is also some vegetable cultivation done without soil, the variety and quantity are limited, making it difficult for those wintering at the station to eat fresh vegetables.
Hou Bin said that in winter, it’s simply impossible to go outside in Antarctica—the wind and snow are intense, and venturing out poses many dangers, let alone eating fresh vegetables or fruits. The researchers there end up cooking with frozen vegetables.
Visiting “Nations” Next Door
“Traveling by ship from South America to Antarctica, affected by ocean currents, the boat rocks violently, and I was seasick the whole time,” Hou Bin recalled his living conditions in Antarctica, starting with life on the ship—they mostly stayed on ships while in Antarctica.
Since there are no docks in Antarctica, getting onto the land requires being ferried by small boats. However, what impressed him most was the living conditions of the researchers at the Great Wall Station.
“The earliest research station only had two tin sheds, about the size of two shipping containers,” Hou Bin said. Now, the Great Wall Station is quite well-built, with several houses maintained at a constant temperature of over 10 degrees Celsius.
Hou Bin said that he also saw televisions at the research station, where the researchers could watch some domestic TV programs. There was also wireless internet available for them to go online.
In addition, the Great Wall Station has dedicated bathrooms with hot water for the researchers to take showers. The station also has a gym, table tennis room, karaoke room, and billiards room, providing recreational options for the researchers even in such a harsh environment.
“Researchers from different countries play ball games together there,” Hou Bin said. Moving between research stations of different countries isn’t like entering another country—you don’t need visas or passports. In Antarctica, there are no borders, and researchers from various nations interact, socialize, and have fun together.
How to Get to Antarctica from Xiamen
Hou Bin traveled to Antarctica with a domestic expedition team, which allowed him to take photos with penguins. Aren’t you envious? Would you also like to go to Antarctica?
So, how do you get to Antarctica? Hou Bin said that there are now professional travel groups in China that can help ordinary citizens make the trip.
Hou Bin said he first traveled from Xiamen to Beijing, then flew for nine hours from Beijing to Doha, transferred flights in Doha, and then flew for another 19 hours to São Paulo, Brazil. After that, he flew from Brazil to Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina.
After arriving in the Argentine capital, he then flew to Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world. From there, with an 11-hour time difference from China, he took a ship to Antarctica.
For those who wish to visit Antarctica, you can sign up with domestic travel agencies that organize polar expeditions. These agencies will help you obtain a visa to Argentina first, then you can depart from cities such as Beijing or Shanghai, fly to Buenos Aires, and transfer to a flight to Ushuaia.
In Ushuaia, you can board large cruise ships to cross the beautiful Beagle Channel and Drake Passage en route to Antarctica. Currently, some domestic organizations offering such polar travel experiences include companies like Polar-Beauty and various adventure associations or clubs.
However, the cost of polar travel is also extremely high, possibly consuming one or even two years’ salary for many people—just one trip to Antarctica could cost you at least 100,000 yuan.