I arrived in Union Glacier along early yesterday afternoon after a relatively easy travel day - especially considering I was flying to Antarctica. Iâ??m guessing that Maria, who was flying to the east coast with our two kids at roughly the same time, had to go through significantly more effort than myself.

With my bags already picked up and loaded the day before, all I had to do was wait for the ALE bus (which also came to my hotel), get on then follow their directions until I was on the Ilyushin (the Russian jet that lands on the blue ice runway). I slept nearly the entire flight.

Antarctic Logisitcs and Expeditions is a logistics provider who runs a significant number of private trips in Antarctica from flying to the South Pole to drink champagne or going to providing logistics for expeditions like mine. The temporary camp the ALE runs to serve as their base of operations is called Union Glacier which is where I am currently camped. Itâ??s like a fancy tent city on the ice.

This is my sixth time in Antarctica and four of those prior times were working as a guide for ALE. And while a lot has changed (and gotten much nicer) since I first came here in 2008, there are still some familiar faces and it was nice to catch up with a few of the guides and staff who still remember me.

I spent the day running back and forth between the various structures in camp, check in with the comma department and going over the route (which I previously skied in 2009). A lot of new understanding and technology has been integrated into the support here and I was impressed to satellite imagery from areas that I once skipped over but were most likely crevassed. As a solo skier heading into this area it was important beta for my trip.

Masa, one of my polar training clients from last year is here as well. He is going to be skiing the Messner route to the pole. He is reserved but always happy and smiling and I am glad to see him venture out on his own. In his other life he is a rickshaw driver.

My plan now is to take the next few days to put in some ski miles here at Union Glacier before flying to Hercules Inlet to start my expedition. It is comfortable here. I go to a cook tent to eat my meals where I sit in a padded chair. However, comfort can be a dangerous thing and I am here to take the easy path.