When I first opened my eyes this morning, I had no idea where I was. It took me a few seconds before clarity set in: I was in my small hotel room in Longyearbyen. Bright light poured in through a large gap in the curtains.

Spring is coming to the Arctic. It's still cold here but the sun is edging ever higher in the sky. By the time we get back from the North Pole, it will be constantly light here. But for now, the sun hangs just above the adjacent mountains and fills the valley with rich light - perfect for photography.

I spent the day unpacking and organizing gear and food. I made another run to the grocery store purchasing large amounts of salami, cheese, nuts and dried fruit, Pringles (the one crunchy thing I eat on expeditions) and... butter - my polar expedition super food. I also spent about an hour sewing a fur ruff onto my new Helly Hansen jacket. It's slow tedious work but a ruff is a necessity against frostbite and not having one is not an option.

Overall, there is still a lot to be done. My two clients Bachir and Victor arrived a little later than I had hoped this evening, but at least they are here. And so is their gear. Bachir was actually on one of my Lake Winnipeg polar training courses a couple of years ago. If we make the pole (which we will) Bachir will also be the first Syrian to complete a Last Degree North Pole expedition. Victor has been on the adventure path for quite some time having already completed the 'seven summits' as well as a Last Degree South Pole expedition. Surprisingly, both Victor and Bachir were once engineers but are now in finance. So guess that makes me the odd man out :).

Tomorrow will be a busy day, packing and portioning food, testing gear and generally getting organized to ski to the North Pole!

Image: Downtown Svalbard